Sweeny's Big Idea

In Sweeny's article, he explores the concept of the "Big Idea" through the use of technology and Social Networks in modern Art Education practices. To examine the nature of the social networking world, Sweeny borrows some ideas from William Gibson  to explain the complex network of the digital age. To better understand the implication of artistic creation in the network society, a few metaphors are drawn: the cyborg, the clone, and the parasite.

The "Big Idea" of the metaphoric cyborg could create a huge interest in the classroom. Consider the fact that these ideas were merely ideas not but a few decades ago, and now cyborgs play a huge role in network societies. What exactly is a cyborg? It can be defined as a theoretical person who's mechanical parts of the body extend that of the average human abilities or... the you on the web! According to Sweeny, cyborgs have "changed notions of identity and visuality" which gives art educators the opportunity to use these as a means of further exploration of the issues and roles of cyborgs in networking societies such as Facebook, Twitter, or even AIM (a program I often used growing up in the digital age). These websites create cyborgs that represent the real you-- all quite personal. Because of the information you give to the network societies, the ability to create a realistic digital version of yourself that properly interacts with other cyborgs becomes a reality. You check these networks sites regularly, hoping to have been invited to an event created by your cyborg-ex-boyfriend. It's a little unnerving if you think about it in such terms. Students can reflect upon their cyborg statuses (which I'm sure will evolve from now) to create and explore notions of their self within the network society.

The following music video is a favorite of mine from 2009 which I thought of when responding to this article... Marina and the Diamonds - I Am Not A Robot