Informed Practice 2 (03/10/2022)

Richard’s Column:

1.What’s the nicest thing for you during the holidays?

The nicest thing for me during my holiday is that I get to spend more time enjoying moments with my loved ones.

2.Write the name of a cultural text (eg film, animation, book, exhibition, podcast, band etc) that has inspired you

The film that has deeply inspired me, especially in terms of becoming an animator, is because of the animation film series Rio and Rio2.The reason is because that, ever since I was young I’ve always enjoyed animation movies. However, the Rio series directed by Carlos Saldanha and produced by Blue Sky Studio/ 20th Century Fox, along with my love and interest for birds, was the very one that has triggered and inspired my passion with animation. I gave tried making various animation project by myself based on those movies, and those development was also great contribute to my success in the learning process of creating animations.

Understanding of A Cyborg Manifesto:

A Cyborg Manifesto is an essay written by Haraway, challenges the human identity and the currently political ideology by questioning what and who we’re and the further changes we could be seeing in the future, like how machines can be a feminist tool. Throughout history, there has been many breakthroughs in ideology such as Darwin’s theory of evolution which broke the difference between mankind and animals, and the advancement in technology such as smartphone and computer, which become an extension of our body and perhaps already make us Cyborg based on the definition of it beingix of human and machine in one identity.

Homework 03/10/2022

Plot:

The overarching story of the manga is of Major Motoko Kusanagi’s hunt for a cyber-criminal, The Puppeteer (known as The Puppet Master in the film), whose real identity is unknown. The Puppeteer commits a large number of crimes through a single modus operandi: “ghost hacking”, that is, breaking into and taking control of human minds. As the agents of Public Security Section 9 start to unravel the mystery of the Puppeteer, it becomes clear that it is no ordinary criminal, but a unique autonomous artificial intelligence project (Top Secret Project 2501) created by another government agency, the Treaty Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), also known as Section 6. The Puppeteer escapes Section 6’s control in pursuit of his evolution through merging with Kusanagi. Kusanagi, although initially skeptical, finally agrees to allow the Puppeteer to merge with her own consciousness, sharing her body, in what is no doubt intended to raise even more questions about the nature of human identity in a world where human consciousness is no longer unique.

In this key scene, it was stated that the man’s memories is all made up and non of his experience was real. This is connected with Haraway’s essay implying that being a Cyborg, with the definition of a mix of human and machinery, wouldn’t just be physical, but can also be invisible and virtualized. This scene took that concept fuether with a complete made up experience for a person’s life.

Ghost in Shell. Directed by Mamoru, Oshii, Production I.G, 1995. (Accessed: 03/10/2022)

In this key scene, the puppet master explained to the scientists that genes are basically programs created by the nature to preserve memories, and advancement in technology has allowed computers to gain consciousness which created a new system of memory. This is directedly connected with Haraway’s theory, explaining that cyborg is not limited to our current recognition of biological individuals. It can be defined differently as more understandings are discovered, such as in modern day, human with the assistance of technology has already allow items such as smart phones becoming an extension of our body, making us Cyborg under her definition.

Ghost in Shell. Directed by Mamoru, Oshii, Production I.G, 1995. (Accessed: 03/10/2022)

In this key scene, the protagonist was having doubts for her own existence. She was questioning about her origin, where and when she came from, and whether or not cyber brains could create its own conciseness. This statement is connected with Haraway’s essay regarding the contradictory definition of human being’s individuality. The meaning of gender and sexuality has being re-defined over time, and more about who and what we are is liking to be further challenged again in the future.

Ghost in Shell. Directed by Mamoru, Oshii, Production I.G, 1995. (Accessed: 03/10/2022)

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