The second is a set of films taking the poem as a start, and looking at the history of computing from a social perspective. Very much worth watching, even if the rather pretentious style put you off.
I like to think (and the sooner the better!) of a cybernetic meadow where mammals and computers live together in mutually programming harmony like pure water touching clear sky.
I like to think (right now, please!) of a cybernetic forest filled with pines and electronics where deer stroll peacefully past computers as if they were flowers with spinning blossoms.
I like to think (it has to be!) of a cybernetic ecology where we are free of our labors and joined back to nature, returned to our mammal brothers and sisters, and all watched over by machines of loving grace.
I think I lean more toward the negative response to the authors feelings about technology. Almost satirical in nature, the poem has a soft overtone but is fairly sarcastic when it comes down to it. The union between nature and technology is sort of overplayed to let the reader know that what the poem describes isn't necessarily a good thing.
Aww. I'm a softie, so i was taking it at face value. Actually, it reminded me of when my Mum was in Intensive Care, very very sick, and had every machine in the world hooked up to her with a big display like something out of Star Trek (OS, of course). All of that technology there to keep her alive and well. As a technologist it was inspiring and deeply satisfying to see the good use it gets put to.
Wow -- we could spend the entire semester debating the interpretation of that poem. Prof. Pavlovksy -- what a great idea!! ;) The one image I found disturbing about it was the line: "when we are free of our labors." Will this ever be the case, and is that a preferable reality??
I think this is a really interesting poem and a unique way of looking at the interaction between man and machines. As I've discussed in other posts, the sci-fi world has countless books that revolve around the theme of 'the rise of the machines' against the humans who created them. This poem takes a different approach and assumes that we coexist together in peace and harmony. Of course, the phrase, 'machines of loving grace' is an oxymoron because machines cannot have truly have emotions. As Spock would say, "Fascinating."
http://web.archive.org/web/00000000000000/http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/10496-Richard-Brautigan-All-Watched-Over-By-Machines-Of-Loving-Grace
The second is a set of films taking the poem as a start, and looking at the history of computing from a social perspective. Very much worth watching, even if the rather pretentious style put you off.
(HD) All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace - Intro. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL9BjKH5MSY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace
I like to think (and
the sooner the better!)
of a cybernetic meadow
where mammals and computers
live together in mutually
programming harmony
like pure water
touching clear sky.
I like to think
(right now, please!)
of a cybernetic forest
filled with pines and electronics
where deer stroll peacefully
past computers
as if they were flowers
with spinning blossoms.
I like to think
(it has to be!)
of a cybernetic ecology
where we are free of our labors
and joined back to nature,
returned to our mammal
brothers and sisters,
and all watched over
by machines of loving grace.
Quickly, I went and Googled an interpretation of this poem: http://armonorogs91.blogspot.com/2011/01/all-watched-over-by-machines-of-loving.html
I think I lean more toward the negative response to the authors feelings about technology. Almost satirical in nature, the poem has a soft overtone but is fairly sarcastic when it comes down to it. The union between nature and technology is sort of overplayed to let the reader know that what the poem describes isn't necessarily a good thing.
"All watched over," says it all.
:-)