Assignment Intro

Below is the Assignment Intro quoted from Ulmer's Electronic Monument book. Throughout the blog, I will provide these Assignment posts to record the tasks followed by my own thoughts and activities.

"design... a MEmorial - for a disaster, [an] event of loss whose mourning helps define a community. The long-range goal is to "improve the world"; or, if not to improve the world, then to understand in what way the human world is irreparable."

In this case, I am quoting directly from page xxxiii. In further Assignment posts, it may be my own interpretation of the questions to assist in creating guidance for those who will volunteer to undertake this task with me (and my heartfelt thanks to those lovely people :) )

As this is connected with the Carbon Conversations course, we are reflecting on the loss of something as a result of our actions. The course asks participants to reflect on what will change in the move to a low carbon lifestyle.  

This activity asks you what you would miss most, perhaps what we have already lost, as a result of our behaviour as a species. This can be anything - that is what makes it so interesting, we'll get an amazing insight into what is important to each of us.

Each of these insights will act as a potential "hook" which may attract others to think about changing their lifestyles too. Every change, every step counts.

Step 1 - Find the News

Monitor the daily news until you find a report or story that troubles you. There is no need to analyze or interpret the incident or situation. Instead, gather details. (Ulmer, p65)

Step 2 - Start an Archive

Start an archive of pictures and text found on the Internet that could [act as a visual representation] of your news event as a scene. [Take] this technique one step further by using found materials (photographs, personal anecdotes, toys and other objects). [See] the Internet as a collage engine. (Ulmer, p71)

Step 3 - Find the Connections

Overcome the dangers of compassion fatigue by finding the connection between your own life experience and the loss (disaster). This is a MEmorial - find the "me".

Write your own version of a moment of connection with your news event - you may find this in a childhood memory. (Ulmer, p143-4)

Is there a unifying thread through the news stories or websites? Can you treat your news story as an image or a scene?  (Ulmer, p93-4, synopsis)

What about the story is troubling? What is the larger implication of the story?  Reflect on your news story and what it means for you. (Ulmer, p118-119)

Step 4 - Create an Advert

Adverts have to grab our attention in a short timespan, to "get their message across". Consider adverts that you are familiar with - can you make any connections with your news story?

Use your imagination - could you open a space in this advert, or create your own advert, to grab the attention of the public. How can you highlight the problem and grab the attention of a new audience? (Ulmer, p122-3; 183-4)

Step 5 - Consultation

[U]ntil the [loss] is acknowledged [given a value] there is no hope of altering the behavior (p. 140) . How can we go about "giving voice to all those condemned to silence" (p. 207)

Reflect on how we could commemorate this loss (Ulmer, p. 210) as a result of our actions as a species - a "sacrifice" of something that is important, at least to us.

This is where we bring all our reflections together as a group. 

Think of a structure that could bring all our individual losses together in one "monument". Think of the public monuments you know of - would you use a similar structure or design one unique to this memorial? 

Take note of your thoughts. The group will discuss our monument designs and ideas.