Network Writing - Cameron W.

Chapter 6 Network Writing:

    I was taken aback by the extensiveness of Rettberg’s The Unknown. It was almost overwhelming to sift

through. It made me ponder over how much time it must’ve taken to construct something so complex.

I also wish to know how many different pages there are. It seemed like there had to be thousands from

perusing through. What is the expected time it would take to read everything that is written? I really enjoyed this long quote from the beginning of chapter 6, “For electronic literature, networks are both platform and material. As technology has led to rapid societal change, one of the most logical extensions of the project of electronic literature is to serve as a locus of reflexive critique of the position of the human within the technological apparatus” (Rettberg, 152). I think that it helped me to better understand Occupy MLA and its purpose as a platform for critique and performance. I found it interesting when the chapter says that people “spend more of their time reading and writing than ever before,” I had never thought about how the internet and social platforms have influenced people in that way (Rettberg, 153). 

Mass-Observation Project/Movement

I chose to look into the Mass Observation Project for my bring it to the table this week. Rettberg’s book says that the movement took place from 1937-1945 but on the web, it says it took place until 1949 and also had a few additions in the 1950s and some more in the 60s. As Rettberg explains it, the Mass-Observation movement, “set out to create a portrait of British society based on the observations of hundreds of citizen observers” (Rettberg, 157). The material was collected in two different ways, through personal writing sent in by observers and through topic collections which involved teams of paid investigators who recorded people’s conversations and behaviors in a variety of public scenarios. This is an extremely interesting form of an anthropological survey, participant observation, and ethnography. I couldn’t find a way to access the actual files but even learning about the collection and purpose of the project was enlightening and interesting.

Comments

  1. Dr. MMarch 26, 2023 at 4:14 PM

    You can also find The Unknown in print: https://www.amazon.com/Anthology-Scott-Rettberg/dp/0980139295
    As far as length, on Wikipedia they quote. "Brad Quinn wrote, in 2000, "I have spent hours reading The Unknown. It's impossible to know how big it is, because I rarely run across the same page twice. But as much as I hate to read anything longer than a short e-mail or a box score on the Web, I don't mind reading The Unknown, mostly because it's fun."[2]"

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