"Those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it."
This, as well as other quotes are constantly being repeated in my head. Some stick with me and some get pushed to the back-burner until I encounter something that triggers a chain of thoughts, and suddenly those quotes take on a new meaning. I believe this holds true in this case as well.
I feel that the Internet and other digital media will take human kind to parameters that exceed even those of the printing press. The printing press did wonders for literacy but we already, for the most part, have literacy. If Deibert's argument is correct regarding creating a middle class, a new sense of the individual, nation-states, or a new world order then today's innovations will take us even further.
I propose that we are heading towards a homogenization of the masses. Borders between countries will become blurred on a regional level and then on a world level. This is different than Deibert’s notion that the printing press contributed in creating national boundaries. Communities will be viewed in a totally different and progressive way. The Internet has created a cyber community where my little brothers can play videogames with kids in every corner of the world as long as they have access to a computer and an Internet connection. This wasn’t possible fifteen years ago. I’m reminded of a Coca Cola advertising mission statement or maybe it was even a slogan. It went something like a Coca Cola at arm’s length away from every human. Who or what institution would attempt to monopolize or at least have controlling interests of the Internet and make it at arm’s length away from every human. This is powerful and it’s the corporate mentality I’m interested in here. Would anyone be able to have that control in today’s world? The human race of today is not the same as that of the 16th century. We are more knowledgeable and hopefully smarter to allow that to happen. Or are we? Have we learned from our history? Will we continue to be consumed with becoming consumers? This takes me to economics. Local economic markets will compete with a global market leading to the development of a world currency. We see evidence of this in Europe with the Euro. What does this communicate about the selling of services as opposed to tangible products? What does it communicate about marketing?
Our studies lead us to the understanding that language preserves culture. However, there is a movement towards a common language in the world as we see more and more languages become extinct (examine the development of language from 35,000 BC until today). Will future generations become fluent in a few dominant languages or will they adopt one common language? What does this mean about preserving our history? How will future generations recall the history of the world? We are definitely better at preserving history or at least the evidence of history than ever before. Will we be able to avoid war and thus destroying that evidence? If there is war, what would it be fought over and how would it be fought? Biologically perhaps, or maybe even technologically since we are becoming more and more dependent on technology. What better way to cripple an infrastructure than attack the way it is built from the ground up. Should we even become so dependent on this technology we created?
I don’t know if I even want to take on the future of religion or that of religious thought. But today, I attended the talk Scripture and Pious Rhetoric in Abbasid Politics, which was given by Vanessa DeGifis and a question was asked at the end of the talk that got a few chuckles from the audience. The person stated that the three major religions came in succession, first Judaism, then Christianity, then Islam. He went on to ask if eventually there would be a common religion among the masses that encompassed the thought of all three? I don’t even recall how she answered the question or if there is an answer for such a question, but it made me think about what I have been contemplating regarding my research topic. Are we, as a human race heading towards a common religion that encompasses the ideals of all three? What is to become of Buddhism and Hinduism since nearly 40% of the world’s population is either Chinese or Indian? There exists a sentiment that many worship the almighty dollar. Are the two related? It’s no accident that the Roman Catholic Church was and still may be the wealthiest institution in the world. Maybe future generations will become without religion or perhaps they will worship a giant computer.
I have officially gone crazy, or maybe not. I’m sorry to burden you with all this and I realize I ask more questions than I answer. The truth of the matter is that I don’t have the answers, only my own way of thinking about the answers. I am flying off on too many tangents here but I can’t help but think that they are somewhat connected. Exploring many possibilities helps me in narrowing down what I want to write about. I’m simply thinking out loud or putting thoughts on paper. I do know this, the world is changing and it is changing at a pace faster than ever before. One only needs to examine the 20th century and the advancements that occured there compared to the rest of the history of the world to have proof of this. The answers to our future lies somewhere in the past.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Research Paper Topic Possibility
My senior year English course in high school required a research paper. My topic was radio drama and factors leading to its demise. The answer of course was the invention of television and making it available to the masses. I bring this up because I feel it relates to our discussion of technology replacing other technology just as in the printing press replacing the written word and in the process reshaping the way we view culture. It's also important to point out that cultures set preconditions that create a need for technological advances and in turn technology allows for new levels of sophistication to be reached within cultures. Following this frame of thinking, it's clear that culture and technology are related to one another.
As pointed out by Ronald J. Deibert, the concepts of culture and technology worked symbiotically. In Parchment, Printing, and Hypermedia: Communication in World Transformation, he makes a very compelling argument explaining the cosmology of the world. He asserts that communication technology, specifically the invention of the printing press, was a leading factor in breaking up the hegemony of the Church over medieval society ushering in the modern world order. Deibert points out the social conditions that gave rise to the Church as an institution of power and then the social conditions that created the need for technological innovations that lead to the brake down of the power structure of the medieval world.
Following Deibert's argument, this really got me thinking about other technological breakthroughs particularly those having to do with knowledge, communication media, and the book as we have explored it in this course. Immediately, my attention went to the introduction of the Internet and related digital media. Just like the printing press was a major contributor in changing the cosmology of the world, the Internet has already changed and continues to be changing how we look at our world today. The Church in medieval society owned and controlled communication by controlling knowledge and information in the form of the written word. In today's world, big media corporations own and control our world by controlling our access to information. Corporations like News Corp control the news and our access to it. Not only does it report what they see fit but we as a culture have to be consumers and pay to access their potentially biased information. I use the term biased because naturally such corporations are invested in preserving the dominant structures by which the world exists. Anything that would be potentially threatening to their model of power can be simply suppressed or manipulated in their favor. As pointed out by the film we viewed in class, Rip! A Remix Manifesto, a few companies own 90 percent of media holdings in America.
In my research paper, I will attempt to draw parallels between the institutions that controlled communication technology in the 16th century and in today's world. Furthermore, I will examine the cultural and social conditions that allowed for corporations to come to their position of power. Following Deibert's model, I will also examine the conditions that created the need for the invention of the Internet and other digital media. As pointed out earlier, culture and technology are directly related. Culture shapes and is constantly being shaped by technological innovations. Finally, I will point out the ways our world has been transformed and continues to change in response to the technology and its need to exist.
As pointed out by Ronald J. Deibert, the concepts of culture and technology worked symbiotically. In Parchment, Printing, and Hypermedia: Communication in World Transformation, he makes a very compelling argument explaining the cosmology of the world. He asserts that communication technology, specifically the invention of the printing press, was a leading factor in breaking up the hegemony of the Church over medieval society ushering in the modern world order. Deibert points out the social conditions that gave rise to the Church as an institution of power and then the social conditions that created the need for technological innovations that lead to the brake down of the power structure of the medieval world.
Following Deibert's argument, this really got me thinking about other technological breakthroughs particularly those having to do with knowledge, communication media, and the book as we have explored it in this course. Immediately, my attention went to the introduction of the Internet and related digital media. Just like the printing press was a major contributor in changing the cosmology of the world, the Internet has already changed and continues to be changing how we look at our world today. The Church in medieval society owned and controlled communication by controlling knowledge and information in the form of the written word. In today's world, big media corporations own and control our world by controlling our access to information. Corporations like News Corp control the news and our access to it. Not only does it report what they see fit but we as a culture have to be consumers and pay to access their potentially biased information. I use the term biased because naturally such corporations are invested in preserving the dominant structures by which the world exists. Anything that would be potentially threatening to their model of power can be simply suppressed or manipulated in their favor. As pointed out by the film we viewed in class, Rip! A Remix Manifesto, a few companies own 90 percent of media holdings in America.
In my research paper, I will attempt to draw parallels between the institutions that controlled communication technology in the 16th century and in today's world. Furthermore, I will examine the cultural and social conditions that allowed for corporations to come to their position of power. Following Deibert's model, I will also examine the conditions that created the need for the invention of the Internet and other digital media. As pointed out earlier, culture and technology are directly related. Culture shapes and is constantly being shaped by technological innovations. Finally, I will point out the ways our world has been transformed and continues to change in response to the technology and its need to exist.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Leaving a Lasting Impression
Every year around the holidays when people make new years resolutions, I actually take the time to write some of mine down. I make what I like to call one year plans as well as five year plans. One of my favorite things to say is that air or oxygen is free. By this I mean, anyone can say anything they want to say anytime they wish to say it. I always found that committing things down on paper gives words a certain authority even if only for personal value. My little ritual helps me hold myself accountable for what I set out to accomplish every year. It also aids me in revisiting the frame of mind I was in every year I sit down to write these plans.
When reading Hamlet's Tables and the Technologies of Writing in Renaissance England, I couldn't help but think of the permanence of words. Orality, from what we learned can be very powerful in transmitting knowledge. The written word however, has a greater power of transmitting knowledge not only in its content but also in a historical context as well. To go even further, writing utensils also give a certain level of authority. Using pen versus pencil communicates a different message and speaks volumes on the permanence of text. I always liked using erasable ink pens because I felt they gave a more permanent notion of authority than pencils did and allowed for the freedom to erase and replace words without crossing out or scribbling over words when mistakes are made.
Reading Shakespeare and the Book introduced the concept of the author as well as the medium when thinking about the written word. This is where it got really interesting for me considering Shakespeare was written with the intention of being performed. All sorts of things are coming to play here in understanding "books" and the written word.
Not to leave out anything from last weeks readings, I would like to add about the typography pieces that technology allows us to be lazy. This doesn't necessarily mean that it’s a bad things or a good thing. Technology is supposed to simplify life. Maybe we read less elaborate type of printing easier because it’s easier to read. Reading more elaborate print type requires more of a concentration and work. It’s far less practical to use that type of print for everyday life operations. But like we mentioned, it’s a situational thing and when deemed appropriate I think more artistic print type can add to the aesthetics of the text as well as its content.
When reading Hamlet's Tables and the Technologies of Writing in Renaissance England, I couldn't help but think of the permanence of words. Orality, from what we learned can be very powerful in transmitting knowledge. The written word however, has a greater power of transmitting knowledge not only in its content but also in a historical context as well. To go even further, writing utensils also give a certain level of authority. Using pen versus pencil communicates a different message and speaks volumes on the permanence of text. I always liked using erasable ink pens because I felt they gave a more permanent notion of authority than pencils did and allowed for the freedom to erase and replace words without crossing out or scribbling over words when mistakes are made.
Reading Shakespeare and the Book introduced the concept of the author as well as the medium when thinking about the written word. This is where it got really interesting for me considering Shakespeare was written with the intention of being performed. All sorts of things are coming to play here in understanding "books" and the written word.
Not to leave out anything from last weeks readings, I would like to add about the typography pieces that technology allows us to be lazy. This doesn't necessarily mean that it’s a bad things or a good thing. Technology is supposed to simplify life. Maybe we read less elaborate type of printing easier because it’s easier to read. Reading more elaborate print type requires more of a concentration and work. It’s far less practical to use that type of print for everyday life operations. But like we mentioned, it’s a situational thing and when deemed appropriate I think more artistic print type can add to the aesthetics of the text as well as its content.
Monday, October 12, 2009
What Came First, The Chicken or The Egg??? Understanding Ronald J. Deibert
Imagine if AT&T just took over all forms of communication. They took over the accumulation and distribution of everything from wireless devices to cable television to Internet services to even landlines. Lets go on to say that with possessing all that power, and reaching unlimited financial stability, the big shots at AT&T preceded to place limitations on what, where, why, or how we use the technology they provide in an attempt to preserve the hierarchical order that places them at the top. The only way we would be able to communicate to one another without going through AT&T would be through face to face interaction. Globalization as we know it would be redefined and achieved through one institution. That is simply too much power for one institution to possess.
In my last blog, while discussing Johannes Trithemius, I mentioned some of my problems with organized religion using guilt and preying on people’s fears to set themselves as an authority. Needless to say, such an institution, or any institution for that matter, should not have a monopoly on anything let alone having one on something as important as knowledge. Ronald J. Deibert calls this "a monopoly of the production of knowledge." Knowledge is a successive process and is built upon with other knowledge through the various communication mediums. In essence, the Roman Catholic Church controlled a significant means of communications by controlling the technology that is the written word. In today's age, a scenario like the one I mentioned is highly improbable which makes the Church's hegemony over the medieval world that much more significant in the grand scheme of things.
Deibert mentions the assumption that as far back as 35,000 years humans have been able to communicate the spoken word in some capacity. Subsequently, a crude form of writing through representations and images was developed 32,000 years ago. Deibert calls this, "...graphic system of writing duplicating the linguistic one." The development of writing was the next breakthrough, but not until 3500 B.C. This lead to literacy but not until worldwide accessibility to the written word was made possible by the printing press. This process points out that the world has always moved towards globalization from early humans 35,000 years ago. This is still a work in progress today as the human race still finds communication technology to make the world we live in smaller and more accessible with each new invention. Whether it’s writing, printing, the telegraph, the telephone, the radio, television, or the Internet, we have found ways to communicate, store, and transfer knowledge allowing us to build on what we already know. Deibert goes on to mention the various social conditions that allowed for the dominant power structure of the medieval world to be created leading cultures to seek change through technology. He asserts that the development of the printing press was an agent in causing social change in pushing towards secularism leading to the developing of centralized state bureaucracies and eventually the nation state as we know it today.
As we discussed in class, this brings to the table the question of culture and technology. Which element leads to the development of the latter? Is it culture or social pressures that lead to the development of technology? Or is technology responsible for creating certain social conditions? For Deibert, the two concepts are symbiotic with each leading to the development of the other. In short, cultures set preconditions for the development of the technology and in turn the technology allows for new levels of sophistication to be reached within cultural conditions. One cannot exist without the other.
In my last blog, while discussing Johannes Trithemius, I mentioned some of my problems with organized religion using guilt and preying on people’s fears to set themselves as an authority. Needless to say, such an institution, or any institution for that matter, should not have a monopoly on anything let alone having one on something as important as knowledge. Ronald J. Deibert calls this "a monopoly of the production of knowledge." Knowledge is a successive process and is built upon with other knowledge through the various communication mediums. In essence, the Roman Catholic Church controlled a significant means of communications by controlling the technology that is the written word. In today's age, a scenario like the one I mentioned is highly improbable which makes the Church's hegemony over the medieval world that much more significant in the grand scheme of things.
Deibert mentions the assumption that as far back as 35,000 years humans have been able to communicate the spoken word in some capacity. Subsequently, a crude form of writing through representations and images was developed 32,000 years ago. Deibert calls this, "...graphic system of writing duplicating the linguistic one." The development of writing was the next breakthrough, but not until 3500 B.C. This lead to literacy but not until worldwide accessibility to the written word was made possible by the printing press. This process points out that the world has always moved towards globalization from early humans 35,000 years ago. This is still a work in progress today as the human race still finds communication technology to make the world we live in smaller and more accessible with each new invention. Whether it’s writing, printing, the telegraph, the telephone, the radio, television, or the Internet, we have found ways to communicate, store, and transfer knowledge allowing us to build on what we already know. Deibert goes on to mention the various social conditions that allowed for the dominant power structure of the medieval world to be created leading cultures to seek change through technology. He asserts that the development of the printing press was an agent in causing social change in pushing towards secularism leading to the developing of centralized state bureaucracies and eventually the nation state as we know it today.
As we discussed in class, this brings to the table the question of culture and technology. Which element leads to the development of the latter? Is it culture or social pressures that lead to the development of technology? Or is technology responsible for creating certain social conditions? For Deibert, the two concepts are symbiotic with each leading to the development of the other. In short, cultures set preconditions for the development of the technology and in turn the technology allows for new levels of sophistication to be reached within cultural conditions. One cannot exist without the other.
Johannes Trithemius: Preserving a Way of Life
Johannes Trithemius, in In Praise of Scribes, seems to be fearful of losing a way of life that he has become accustomed to. With technological advancements, there is always a sentiment of eliminating the old and ushering in the new. The fifteenth century introduced the printing age and presented a new challenge to the work of scribes. Printing posed the problem of eliminating the work of scribes for a more efficient, more productive way of doing things brought forth by printing from movable type. Trithemius desperately tries to be persuasive using a number of arguments to convince monks that the work of scribes is of great importance.
My problem with religion has always been that it relied heavily on instilling fear and guilt to win the devotion of its subjects. Trithemius' argument follows the same line of thinking. He starts off by invoking God claiming that scribes are promised "eternal life in glory" if their work is true. He goes on to elevate scribes and their work into glorious, even holy, status by referring to scribes as "heralds of God". Next, he claims that idle monks or those who don't fulfill their obligation of copying are acting against the injunctions of the apostle, the church, and God. He seems to be threatening to take away meal privileges and accusing idle monks of living "badly" challenging their identity and accusing them of dishonesty and insincerity. Just like good cop/bad cop, he reverts back to appealing to the senses of obligation to their work and devotion to God.
Trithemius goes on to spend some time attempting to convince his readers that the work of a scribe is worthwhile because it help to keep the mind off lustful desires. This would invariably anger God and go against his will. His will in turn would never be known if it wasn't for the work of scribes alluding to the importance of their work. It's very clear that Trithemius feels that monks are suited for such work. Their life and lifestyles are fitting for such work insisting that scribes are as, if not more important than preachers. He does make a good point here in that if it wasn't for the written word, the endurance of knowledge and information for future generations would not be possible. Trithemius closes his argument by insisting that scribes continue their work in spite of printing. He suggests that copying printed works helps in preserving them by guaranteeing their permanence since parchment is lasts longer than paper.
The traditionalist in me feels bad for Trithemius. The printing age threatened to make his way of life extinct. In Praise of Scribes is Trithemius' attempt to preserve this way of life, the only way he seems to know how to exist. I don't deny that scribes were important in helping us know about the past. I would even give credit to the aesthetic value of anything produced by hand rather than by machine. However, at the end of the day my practical side seems to prevail over my sentimental side. We are but too familiar with this concept in today’s world. We often see the work of man be replaced by machines in the industrial world taking away that personal touch. I guess that will always be a draw back and a price to pay in favor of advancement and moving forward.
My problem with religion has always been that it relied heavily on instilling fear and guilt to win the devotion of its subjects. Trithemius' argument follows the same line of thinking. He starts off by invoking God claiming that scribes are promised "eternal life in glory" if their work is true. He goes on to elevate scribes and their work into glorious, even holy, status by referring to scribes as "heralds of God". Next, he claims that idle monks or those who don't fulfill their obligation of copying are acting against the injunctions of the apostle, the church, and God. He seems to be threatening to take away meal privileges and accusing idle monks of living "badly" challenging their identity and accusing them of dishonesty and insincerity. Just like good cop/bad cop, he reverts back to appealing to the senses of obligation to their work and devotion to God.
Trithemius goes on to spend some time attempting to convince his readers that the work of a scribe is worthwhile because it help to keep the mind off lustful desires. This would invariably anger God and go against his will. His will in turn would never be known if it wasn't for the work of scribes alluding to the importance of their work. It's very clear that Trithemius feels that monks are suited for such work. Their life and lifestyles are fitting for such work insisting that scribes are as, if not more important than preachers. He does make a good point here in that if it wasn't for the written word, the endurance of knowledge and information for future generations would not be possible. Trithemius closes his argument by insisting that scribes continue their work in spite of printing. He suggests that copying printed works helps in preserving them by guaranteeing their permanence since parchment is lasts longer than paper.
The traditionalist in me feels bad for Trithemius. The printing age threatened to make his way of life extinct. In Praise of Scribes is Trithemius' attempt to preserve this way of life, the only way he seems to know how to exist. I don't deny that scribes were important in helping us know about the past. I would even give credit to the aesthetic value of anything produced by hand rather than by machine. However, at the end of the day my practical side seems to prevail over my sentimental side. We are but too familiar with this concept in today’s world. We often see the work of man be replaced by machines in the industrial world taking away that personal touch. I guess that will always be a draw back and a price to pay in favor of advancement and moving forward.
Monday, September 28, 2009
State of the Web Report: Paper, Leather, Clay & Stone
Part I
Paper, Leather, Clay & Stone: The Written Word Materialized
Maryterese Pasquale-Bowen
D. Fairchild Ruggles
http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/Paper-exhibit/Default.html
My definition of books as they relate to book studies has been modified, challenged, stretched, maybe even altered, since the beginning of this course. A big part of understanding books involves understanding the written word or text. The written word has been recorded in a variety of ways and on a variety of materials throughout history. The web site Paper, Leather, Clay, and Stone explores ways the written word has been documented and also the vehicle or material it was documented on making it possible to endure in time giving us an understanding of book history. In other words, the site explores the physical context of written text and it does so through eleven sections that discuss materials, function, significance, and the relationship written text has with its readers.
The first three sections of the site discuss various materials written words were recorded on before paper. Such surfaces include stone (5th century BC), clay (late 3ed, early 2nd century BC), coins (1st century), and wood (as early as 3ed century). The Book of the Dead (332-30 BC) in section two, presents an example of papyrus as a writing surface and its significance to ancient Egyptians illustrating the magical power of words and images in including such a text in burial practices. The third section illuminates how the shortage of papyrus lead to the discovery of parchment (2nd century BC) and eventually paper. Parchment was made from processed goat skin made smooth for writing. Paper, like papyrus, is made from plants like flax or cotton and was first developed in China, spread through Islamic lands to northern Africa and into Europe to eventually reach the Mayans in Mexico. The introduction of parchment and paper impacted the appearance as well as the quantity of texts produced because both materials can be made into codices, or book-like formats, allowing for the accommodation of illustrations and decorations. With the development of paper, the role and function of texts to cultures would never be the same. Tree bark as well as tree leaves presented other examples of surfaces texts were recorded on in the Americas and in the Himalayan regions, as well as in India and in Southeast Asia.
The next six sections deal with the function of written texts. Section four explores books of religious content and how they are elevated to a position of special cultural significance. Such books were very elaborate in their physical presentation. They were decorated with precious materials and were highly guarded alluding to their magnificence and importance to their respective cultures. Next, we are presented with The Lombard Gradual, which unlike most medieval books that were designed for private use, had a public function. It was used by choirs of monks, friars, or nuns for chant during portions of mass. Once again, like the religious books of the previous section, these books represented an act of devotion and hence were extravagant in their production. Section six suggests the revolutionizing of the written word with the introduction of printing. Printing made it possible to mass produce texts quickly and cheaply satisfying the demand for knowledge brought forth by the Renaissance, inflaming the popularity of the reformation, and ushering the age of information. Examples of the various forms of the Bible are presented here to highlight the transition from manuscript to print. Section seven, The Repository of Knowledge, deals with the collecting and organization of large bodies of knowledge. Encyclopedia Maxima and Encylopedie are presented as examples in this section. The eighth section proposes ways of communicating law and identity by achieving a certain level of authority through recording legal status and conferring identity. The examples presented here are patents of nobility and tombstones. The section titled The Book Preserves the Past discusses how books have the ability to capture a certain sentiment of their time as well as their ability to preserve it. The examples here imply a fascination with history as well as understanding a notion of the past. These two concepts are absorbed in order to preserve time and also to create a new representation of the written word.
The final two sections discuss the relationship texts have with their readers as well as the role institutions of power had in influencing the readers of such texts. Section ten discusses the attempts by religious and secular institutions to contain and suppress the written word on seditious or immoral grounds. Censorship in its various forms is explored in this section using such examples as Index Librorum Prohibitorum, which was an index of books banned by the Catholic Church. The section also discusses the physical alteration of texts in order to make them comply with the prohibitions of the Catholic Church as well as texts subjected to various levels of legal and moral scrutiny as late as in the twentieth century. The eleventh and final section deals with the physical nature of books and how it relates to the perception of its' readers. This section suggests that the design and arrangement of texts directly affects the interaction with the reader. The examples presented here include books with interactive inserts, books with commentary in the margins suggesting how the reader might interpret the text, and books with empty margins for the readers to add to the text and make their own interpretation. The introduction of computers and the Internet poses a whole new way of looking at texts.
As shown in this site, it's important to remember that texts are not fixed, rather they can take the form of various shapes, sizes, and materials. They have the ability to communicate the past and the present while preserving for the future. Books speak volumes of the cultures they were created in and for. They contain a direct relationship with their readers regardless of how they might be interpreted.
Part II
This site is very significant in understanding books and the studies of the written texts. I have always been fascinated with history and this site is the next best thing to visiting a museum with an exhibit to on the history of texts. At first glance, the site does a great job of capturing one's attention with its brilliant color background choice. The layout of the site allows for the relative ease of navigating through it. The sections of the various topics are clearly presented in a map of sorts on the first page. The introduction is concise in its mission and the sections that follow fulfill the goal the site sets out to accomplish. Furthermore, each section has its own introduction followed by sub-sections with illustrations and various examples of the topic at hand. Captions are provided for each image giving a description, a date, and their significance to what is being discussed. One may even choose to enlarge the images for a better view with a simple click of the mouse.
The information presented in this site is as reliable and objective as may be. There are two main authors for this site, however its contents are part of The Division of Rare and Manuscript Collection belonging to Cornell University and its library systems. The site is produced in a collaborated effort between Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Binghamton University for educational and research purposes. A link is provided to Cornell University's Library dealing with The Division of Rare and Manuscript Collection, or RMC. Upon entering the link one is provided with all sorts of information alluding to the authenticity of the site and the qualifications of the people involved in making the site possible. The domain of the site, edu, also suggests some validity in its educational quality. If that is not enough, one may choose to directly contact the RMC through the phone numbers or e-mail addresses provided. Visiting the collection in person is also a possibility as a physical address with a link to a map is provided as well.
The site is professionally done, current, and easily accessible. It is very informative and viable in its presentation and can definitely be used to research and learn about the study of books and texts. I would definitely recommend that all members of the class view this site as I found it very relevant to the topics we have been discussing in class. It illuminates the study of the written word by taking the observer through a journey in history discovering the various forms of texts throughout time.
Paper, Leather, Clay & Stone: The Written Word Materialized
Maryterese Pasquale-Bowen
D. Fairchild Ruggles
http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/Paper-exhibit/Default.html
My definition of books as they relate to book studies has been modified, challenged, stretched, maybe even altered, since the beginning of this course. A big part of understanding books involves understanding the written word or text. The written word has been recorded in a variety of ways and on a variety of materials throughout history. The web site Paper, Leather, Clay, and Stone explores ways the written word has been documented and also the vehicle or material it was documented on making it possible to endure in time giving us an understanding of book history. In other words, the site explores the physical context of written text and it does so through eleven sections that discuss materials, function, significance, and the relationship written text has with its readers.
The first three sections of the site discuss various materials written words were recorded on before paper. Such surfaces include stone (5th century BC), clay (late 3ed, early 2nd century BC), coins (1st century), and wood (as early as 3ed century). The Book of the Dead (332-30 BC) in section two, presents an example of papyrus as a writing surface and its significance to ancient Egyptians illustrating the magical power of words and images in including such a text in burial practices. The third section illuminates how the shortage of papyrus lead to the discovery of parchment (2nd century BC) and eventually paper. Parchment was made from processed goat skin made smooth for writing. Paper, like papyrus, is made from plants like flax or cotton and was first developed in China, spread through Islamic lands to northern Africa and into Europe to eventually reach the Mayans in Mexico. The introduction of parchment and paper impacted the appearance as well as the quantity of texts produced because both materials can be made into codices, or book-like formats, allowing for the accommodation of illustrations and decorations. With the development of paper, the role and function of texts to cultures would never be the same. Tree bark as well as tree leaves presented other examples of surfaces texts were recorded on in the Americas and in the Himalayan regions, as well as in India and in Southeast Asia.
The next six sections deal with the function of written texts. Section four explores books of religious content and how they are elevated to a position of special cultural significance. Such books were very elaborate in their physical presentation. They were decorated with precious materials and were highly guarded alluding to their magnificence and importance to their respective cultures. Next, we are presented with The Lombard Gradual, which unlike most medieval books that were designed for private use, had a public function. It was used by choirs of monks, friars, or nuns for chant during portions of mass. Once again, like the religious books of the previous section, these books represented an act of devotion and hence were extravagant in their production. Section six suggests the revolutionizing of the written word with the introduction of printing. Printing made it possible to mass produce texts quickly and cheaply satisfying the demand for knowledge brought forth by the Renaissance, inflaming the popularity of the reformation, and ushering the age of information. Examples of the various forms of the Bible are presented here to highlight the transition from manuscript to print. Section seven, The Repository of Knowledge, deals with the collecting and organization of large bodies of knowledge. Encyclopedia Maxima and Encylopedie are presented as examples in this section. The eighth section proposes ways of communicating law and identity by achieving a certain level of authority through recording legal status and conferring identity. The examples presented here are patents of nobility and tombstones. The section titled The Book Preserves the Past discusses how books have the ability to capture a certain sentiment of their time as well as their ability to preserve it. The examples here imply a fascination with history as well as understanding a notion of the past. These two concepts are absorbed in order to preserve time and also to create a new representation of the written word.
The final two sections discuss the relationship texts have with their readers as well as the role institutions of power had in influencing the readers of such texts. Section ten discusses the attempts by religious and secular institutions to contain and suppress the written word on seditious or immoral grounds. Censorship in its various forms is explored in this section using such examples as Index Librorum Prohibitorum, which was an index of books banned by the Catholic Church. The section also discusses the physical alteration of texts in order to make them comply with the prohibitions of the Catholic Church as well as texts subjected to various levels of legal and moral scrutiny as late as in the twentieth century. The eleventh and final section deals with the physical nature of books and how it relates to the perception of its' readers. This section suggests that the design and arrangement of texts directly affects the interaction with the reader. The examples presented here include books with interactive inserts, books with commentary in the margins suggesting how the reader might interpret the text, and books with empty margins for the readers to add to the text and make their own interpretation. The introduction of computers and the Internet poses a whole new way of looking at texts.
As shown in this site, it's important to remember that texts are not fixed, rather they can take the form of various shapes, sizes, and materials. They have the ability to communicate the past and the present while preserving for the future. Books speak volumes of the cultures they were created in and for. They contain a direct relationship with their readers regardless of how they might be interpreted.
Part II
This site is very significant in understanding books and the studies of the written texts. I have always been fascinated with history and this site is the next best thing to visiting a museum with an exhibit to on the history of texts. At first glance, the site does a great job of capturing one's attention with its brilliant color background choice. The layout of the site allows for the relative ease of navigating through it. The sections of the various topics are clearly presented in a map of sorts on the first page. The introduction is concise in its mission and the sections that follow fulfill the goal the site sets out to accomplish. Furthermore, each section has its own introduction followed by sub-sections with illustrations and various examples of the topic at hand. Captions are provided for each image giving a description, a date, and their significance to what is being discussed. One may even choose to enlarge the images for a better view with a simple click of the mouse.
The information presented in this site is as reliable and objective as may be. There are two main authors for this site, however its contents are part of The Division of Rare and Manuscript Collection belonging to Cornell University and its library systems. The site is produced in a collaborated effort between Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Binghamton University for educational and research purposes. A link is provided to Cornell University's Library dealing with The Division of Rare and Manuscript Collection, or RMC. Upon entering the link one is provided with all sorts of information alluding to the authenticity of the site and the qualifications of the people involved in making the site possible. The domain of the site, edu, also suggests some validity in its educational quality. If that is not enough, one may choose to directly contact the RMC through the phone numbers or e-mail addresses provided. Visiting the collection in person is also a possibility as a physical address with a link to a map is provided as well.
The site is professionally done, current, and easily accessible. It is very informative and viable in its presentation and can definitely be used to research and learn about the study of books and texts. I would definitely recommend that all members of the class view this site as I found it very relevant to the topics we have been discussing in class. It illuminates the study of the written word by taking the observer through a journey in history discovering the various forms of texts throughout time.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Folktales of the Middle East: A Long Response to a Comment/Question
I have not written down any of the stories told to me on that trip, but now that you mention it, I have gained a new found desire to do so. I think it would be very gratifying to at least note down some of it and revisit it from time to time in order to reflect or maybe even expand on it. I have, however, engaged in conversation with both my parents in order to refresh my memory on the vast amount of information I encountered on that eye opening trip. Now that I think about it, it definitely would make for a great project that would be a source of much personal satisfaction and pride. It would be something that would connect me with my history, learn about my past and keep in a family archive of sorts to pass on to future generations in my family. In an ideal world, where I can devote that much time to doing something of that magnitude, such a project would be of great interest to me.
See what you started!
Anyways, back to the subject at hand. To answer your question, I do know some Syrian folktales. Some of the tales are derived from the French peasant tales with some modifications made to fit the norms and the culture of the region. Other tales, as far as I know or was able to confirm, are indigenous to the region.
As a child growing up between two countries, Syria and Algeria, I encountered folktales in two forms. One way, was through hearing them through word of mouth from my grandmothers and my aunts, or orally. The other, was through reading the tales in children's books in Arabic. I recall reading such stories as Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel. For the most part, the titles of these tales were the same as in Cinderella, but in others, the titles were altered but still followed a similar storyline. Little Red Riding Hood, for example, was known as Leila and the Wolf. In fact, the theme of the wolf was followed in many a storyline. As in the European versions, these stories were meant to teach children the do's and don’ts of growing up and being cautious with strangers. One version in particular, the wolf appears at the door of the house where the kids are home alone and uses trickery and manipulation like altering his voice to sound like the parents so the children let him in. When his attempt fails, the wolf then tries to get in through windows or even a chimney but to no avail because the children are always a step ahead of him and outsmart him. The wolf is then carried away, usually in a humorous manner, and the children are rewarded for handling the situation wisely and bravely. The outcome didn't always go so well for the children. The wolf in some versions would get the best out of the kids and ends up eating or killing them. This of course would depend on the source telling the story.
I have also encountered folktales, of which I have no evidence to the contrary, that originated in the Middle East. I'm hesitant to label them as Syrian folktales because the national boundaries of that region were not always defined so clearly throughout history. A series of folktales that I recall being exposed to as a child, were those of Al-shatter Hassan or "valiant Hassan". These tales possessed themes and motifs dealing with bravery, courage, love, and always behaving ethically and morally. Hassan was the type of hero boys wanted to be like and girls dreamed of being with. The storyline of his adventures normally consisted of him traveling to different lands, fighting off bandits and unjust institutions of power to defend his home, his people, and to rescue his love, who seemed to always be kidnapped. Needless to say, his tales were for the purpose of promoting chivalry, courage, honesty, and fighting of evil. Villains would take on different identities depending on the era or setting in which these stories were told. In the mid nineteenth and well into the twentieth century, these villains took on the identities of the British and French colonizers. The tales I was exposed to as a child it was the Israelis who sometimes took on that role. It's important to note that I said Israelis and not Jews. As I see it now, the conflict is a national one dealing with land and the right to exist. It's not about anti-Semitism or the right to worship, at least not for me. I don't always feel that distinction is made and it ought to be noted.
On a lighter note, other folktales that were a part of my childhood were those of Hammal Tizo Bil-salleh. Translated this means, "He who carries his Ass in a Basket". These stories depicted a monster like creature resembling a donkey who walked around carrying his derriere in a basket scaring children and committing unfavorable acts. These stories would scare children because of the creature's hideous appearance and unpleasant demeanor. The tales also had the function of amusing adults because they were full of anecdotes as well as material not suitable for children. Of course that doesn't mean the person telling the stories used any discretion and cleaned up the material if children were present while the tale was being told. This wasn't very different from the oral traditions and customs of European peasant lore.
In conclusion, I want to make a distinction by stating that the stories my grandfather shared with me were not the same stories I shared with you here dealing with my experiences with folklore in and of the region. The stories my grandfather shared with me were actual accounts of things that happened during his lifetime since his birth in 1926 in the vicinity of the Golan Heights in southwestern Syria. The accounts he shared with me were from his childhood until today. He told me stories of his army days and being stationed on the Syria/Turkey border in the mid to late 1940's as well as his work in the police force in Daraa, the city where my parents and I were born. Also of his days working for the Department of Agriculture and living through decade after decade of conflict and instability in the part of the world that is the cradle of civilization. Those are the stories that I would be interested in documenting because they are a link to my past.
http://www.middle-east-map.com/
http://nabataea.net/generalmap.html
The Golan Heights, July 2007.
(The tree line in the distance across the valley and beyond is Israeli ocuppied land)
See what you started!
Anyways, back to the subject at hand. To answer your question, I do know some Syrian folktales. Some of the tales are derived from the French peasant tales with some modifications made to fit the norms and the culture of the region. Other tales, as far as I know or was able to confirm, are indigenous to the region.
As a child growing up between two countries, Syria and Algeria, I encountered folktales in two forms. One way, was through hearing them through word of mouth from my grandmothers and my aunts, or orally. The other, was through reading the tales in children's books in Arabic. I recall reading such stories as Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel. For the most part, the titles of these tales were the same as in Cinderella, but in others, the titles were altered but still followed a similar storyline. Little Red Riding Hood, for example, was known as Leila and the Wolf. In fact, the theme of the wolf was followed in many a storyline. As in the European versions, these stories were meant to teach children the do's and don’ts of growing up and being cautious with strangers. One version in particular, the wolf appears at the door of the house where the kids are home alone and uses trickery and manipulation like altering his voice to sound like the parents so the children let him in. When his attempt fails, the wolf then tries to get in through windows or even a chimney but to no avail because the children are always a step ahead of him and outsmart him. The wolf is then carried away, usually in a humorous manner, and the children are rewarded for handling the situation wisely and bravely. The outcome didn't always go so well for the children. The wolf in some versions would get the best out of the kids and ends up eating or killing them. This of course would depend on the source telling the story.
I have also encountered folktales, of which I have no evidence to the contrary, that originated in the Middle East. I'm hesitant to label them as Syrian folktales because the national boundaries of that region were not always defined so clearly throughout history. A series of folktales that I recall being exposed to as a child, were those of Al-shatter Hassan or "valiant Hassan". These tales possessed themes and motifs dealing with bravery, courage, love, and always behaving ethically and morally. Hassan was the type of hero boys wanted to be like and girls dreamed of being with. The storyline of his adventures normally consisted of him traveling to different lands, fighting off bandits and unjust institutions of power to defend his home, his people, and to rescue his love, who seemed to always be kidnapped. Needless to say, his tales were for the purpose of promoting chivalry, courage, honesty, and fighting of evil. Villains would take on different identities depending on the era or setting in which these stories were told. In the mid nineteenth and well into the twentieth century, these villains took on the identities of the British and French colonizers. The tales I was exposed to as a child it was the Israelis who sometimes took on that role. It's important to note that I said Israelis and not Jews. As I see it now, the conflict is a national one dealing with land and the right to exist. It's not about anti-Semitism or the right to worship, at least not for me. I don't always feel that distinction is made and it ought to be noted.
On a lighter note, other folktales that were a part of my childhood were those of Hammal Tizo Bil-salleh. Translated this means, "He who carries his Ass in a Basket". These stories depicted a monster like creature resembling a donkey who walked around carrying his derriere in a basket scaring children and committing unfavorable acts. These stories would scare children because of the creature's hideous appearance and unpleasant demeanor. The tales also had the function of amusing adults because they were full of anecdotes as well as material not suitable for children. Of course that doesn't mean the person telling the stories used any discretion and cleaned up the material if children were present while the tale was being told. This wasn't very different from the oral traditions and customs of European peasant lore.
In conclusion, I want to make a distinction by stating that the stories my grandfather shared with me were not the same stories I shared with you here dealing with my experiences with folklore in and of the region. The stories my grandfather shared with me were actual accounts of things that happened during his lifetime since his birth in 1926 in the vicinity of the Golan Heights in southwestern Syria. The accounts he shared with me were from his childhood until today. He told me stories of his army days and being stationed on the Syria/Turkey border in the mid to late 1940's as well as his work in the police force in Daraa, the city where my parents and I were born. Also of his days working for the Department of Agriculture and living through decade after decade of conflict and instability in the part of the world that is the cradle of civilization. Those are the stories that I would be interested in documenting because they are a link to my past.
http://www.middle-east-map.com/
http://nabataea.net/generalmap.html
The Golan Heights, July 2007.
(The tree line in the distance across the valley and beyond is Israeli ocuppied land)
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