User:Stevenarntson/group spaces/2009springanalytical/group 1

Coffeeshannon

inthecloudsmp

Mattaebersold MelissaWeaver Maherkristen

Summary
Human history is filled with continuous returns to a restless state, which is driven by an incessant need to innovate. We have always moved towards less effortful solutions to make our existence on Earth easier. Our advancements, unfortunately have made us too successful, which has led to two distinct negative reactions. One, people have been forced out of jobs and replaced by mechanical alternatives. Second there are obvious diseases of affluence which tolls our progress and taxes our health. In order to prosper we must feed our minds as well as our bodies. We can make achieve simply by sitting in front of a computer, but we cannot ultimately survive from an existence tied to a desk chair. What about our creative minds? Along with our human needs to invent, we have always housed desires to create. We are inventors and artists. The influx of automation into art and technology has caused a shift away from the organic arts; resulting in a move toward machine-made art. Technology in the various artistic fields has allowed easier access into the marketplace, yet this accessibility has led to a lowering of bars in these trades. As five art students involved in specific fields that are each uniquely affected by technological advancements, we feel this is a relevant topic. We fear for a loss of the classical arts, a deterioration of intellects and a surge of unhealthy human beings. Though we all agree automation has assisted to push forward each of our fields, there is an undeniable truth that we could eventually be phased out. We believe education could be part of a possible solution. There needs to be an emphasis placed on the funding of arts as well as the physical education programs in our schools. We must continue to push our culture to create as well as maintain healthy lifestyles. In the marketplace, we must find ways to ensure job security, create niches and specializations that can not be replicated by a machine. Furthermore, we must come to terms with the idea that easier is not always better, and that doing less work is contradictory to progress.

Machines Make It Easier
Advancements in automation have left no fields of work untouched. In a country where at one point 90% of the labor force was made up of agricultural workers, today these workers make up less than 1% of the U.S. work force ("Rural Labor and Education: Farm Labor"). We are no longer a society of farmers but of automation assisted workers. Machines have helped make many of our jobs easier. Yet they have also threatened, and in many cases already have replaced human workers. When dealing with the artistic fields, it is hard to argue for or against these advancements. Many of our fields exist today because of certain technologies, case in point, the field of graphic design. The businesses of filmmaking, animation, audio production and fashion design have all progressed due to automation. We started creating things by hand, tangible organic objects that eventually evolved into heavily technologically influenced and enhanced works. The accessibility many of these innovations has provided has helped lower the bar for entrance into the marketplace. This has been a good and bad thing. It is more realistic that anyone could enter and succeed in a field, yet what we have lost is quality. We need a return to the emphasis of excellence and craftsmanship.

Diseases of Affluence
The effects of such technololgies has also taken a toll on our health. Machines have made certain jobs easier, such as filmmaking. Rather than be out on a set moving around, you now have the option to place yourself at a desk and run the show from your chair. So much more can be created while sitting at a computer that we are becoming more and more less active. In a mere two hours sitting a day is linked to a 5 to 7 percent increase in obesity ("Small Choices, Big Bodies"). In 1950 the number of Americans employed in low-activity jobs was 16 million. This number grew to 58.2 million by the year 2000 ("Small Choices, Big Bodies"). We are collecting diseases and symptoms as a result of our lack of hard manual work. One such example is the rising numbers of Type 2 diabetes in our culture. Type 2 diabetes tends to develop more in obese and/or inactive adults ("Diabetes"). Of all the diagnosed diabetes cases, Type 2 accounts for 90 to 95 percent ("National Diabetes Statistics, 2007"). When looking at the health issues caused by our advancements, it is hard to believe that things have become easier.

Reflective Assessment

 * 1. Successes - As a group we did an excellent and thorough job of researching the topics and finding many great links and sources. Coming into the project each armed with knowledge of our own fields, it was easier to become enthused about the topics and more relevant to us as professionals.


 * 2. Failures - Still, nonetheless, there were times when motivation was hard for the group. We had such an abundance of information, it was almost a bit daunting to have to sift through all the possible inclusions.  It took us awhile to all become on the same page, as far as the main objectives of the paper were concerned, and to all understand what specific problems and solutions we wanted to address.


 * 3. Future strategies - In the future, it would be much more productive to have a solidified outline ahead of time, agreed upon by the group. This would allow us to better contribute to the final paper more constructively.

Industrial Revolution
Whether it is the production of robots leading to an impact in population in Japan, or increased monitoring around the workplace, it is usually about the increasing of production and productivity, which very often results in a replacement of people with machines. Much of this replacement has its origins starting during the Industrial Revolution. As we advanced in our culture, we saw positions cut in an effort to make life easier. During the Industrial Revolution, where the simplification of human labor didn't push us out, it often turned the human into a machine-like operator.

Luddites
A very early example of humans being replaced by machines, is the story of the Luddites. They were a group of British textile artisans that protested against their replacement by the mechanical loom in the early nineteenth century. In the early 1800's Ned Ludd sent out threatening letters to local business' in Nottingham ("The Luddites"). Workers who were upset with wage cuts and layoffs started breaking into factories, destroying all of the equipment that had pushed them out of labor. It took a year for the government to consider breaking machines a capitol offense ("The Luddites"). The Luddites had a hard time accepting what the Industrial Revolution was doing for them. Some were angry because goods that were being produced in the home or small business', were now created by machines in factories. However, the Industrial Revolution did many great things for the country. By building factories, and developing more and more machines, businesses themselves still needed to hire people to help the operation along. Mankind today still hasn't felt the change of the Industrial Revolution because it's been going on for so long, yet now in our troubled economy it seems as though some may be having "Ludd" tendencies.

Diseases of Affluence
The lure of more leisure time has been a major inciting factor in the increased development of automated production over the centuries. If we as humans can automate production, we will increase output and therefor hopefully have more leisure time. What we did not factor in, however, was the idea that increasing production would increase our need for more output. More output means more work. Over the past century, this world has seen the most amazing technological achievements. We now have the ability to mass-communicate, travel quickly and efficiently, and have access to a world of information because of the internet. As the technology is enhanced, so has become our needs for automation. In the last nine years, the number of worldwide internet users has increased by over one billion, two-hundred million (Internet Usage Stats). All of these things that we take for granted were not even possible just a short time ago. Take, for example, industry and manufacturing. Ever since the industrial revolution, people began seeing the benefits of factories and large scale productions. Accelerated exponentially by the invention of the assembly line, automation and mass-production has opened up innumerable possibilities. We could then create a product on a large scale, and sell it to the masses. As you might imagine, this process can yield immense rewards, and large profits. The ability to cut labor costs, and automate the production process has further increased profit margins. All of this has resulted in the age of the large corporations, major conglomerates, and immense entities.

Contemporary Situation
The capitalistic society we've created thrives on monetary gain. There seems to be this insatiable appetite to get more, make more, and spend more money. We've created a culture that loves to spend money we don't have in order to buy things we don't need, to impress people we don't like. The root of this mindset is greed. This greed has caused us to sacrifice much in order to gain money. Corporations will sacrifice the environment, the health of its employees, and the quality of its products in order to make the maximum amount of money.

Along with the incredible technological advancements, there has been many downsides. The mania for profit maximization has caused us to use technology inappropriately. We can harness and utilize this technology for the betterment of our health, earth, and society, but more often than not those ideas are oppressed because they cost too much money. It's easier to overlook problems and blame-shift, rather than to tackle these issues head on. As well, we have seen an alarming shift in the products and services we consume in today's world. The use of machines in manufacturing has drastically lowered the quality and artistic nature of the final product. Mostly due to the time and cost to create handmade products, we are trading art and spirit for dollars and cents.

In this paper, we will take a look at the current state of technology utilization in our respective fields, and analyze the trends that are emerging. Ultimately, we will argue which uses of technology in society today, and in our industries specifically, should be encouraged, and which should be discouraged.

Viewpoint #1 (Film Industry)
The film industry is a perfect example of a field that is routinely technologically transforming. Nowadays, many films are not even shot on film, but rather digitally recorded using new technology. One such example is the RED camera, a high-profile tool that produces a digital image that comes close to the look of film with some of the world's finest optics (Cameras/Red One). Also now performed digitally is the task of editing. We no longer splice the filmstrip, but rather cut with a digital "razor" and shift a clip around on a computer generated timeline. In fact, most post-production of films are done in some form of a digital program. You might look at is as directing from a computer screen. Even actors, called "synthespians", can now be created and manipulated by keystroke ("Computer-generated actors now populate films" ). As can the camera, scenery, costumes and lighting. Backdrops that used to be painted on canvas by skilled artists are more often now created in a program. All aspects can now be orchestrated from an office chair rather than a director's seat. It would seem the true art of filmmaking has been taken out of the process. Many would say the true art of filmmaking has gone missing all together. But what makes art and what makes an artist? The film industry has unquestionably created masterpieces in the art world. Yet more often than not, the films that Hollywood spews out yearly could barely be called art. There is clearly a shift away from the classical modes of creating a movie. With each advancement of technology, the industry moves further away from hands-on labor done with tangible items. There is a problem found in the multi-skilled computer savvy professional, in that they will go further than the creatively talented artist. Could this mean the eventual extinction of the artist in filmmaking? There are advantages in regards to the more efficient time management these advances have created. For instance, minor changes in camera work can now be made without having to schedule a reshoot. It is also true that many new opportunities and functions could not have been made available without certain technological advancements. This industry however does provide a perfect example of a venue where technology could continue to push people out, lower the artistic bar and assist in unhealthy lifestyles.

Solutions
As with many of the other artistic fields, a solution is uniqueness. As artists we must continue to create higher quality products, staying on top of the trends, while also thinking outside of the box. In order to excel in the film industry, you must make yourself a commodity. Having the knowledge to create using the old technologies and the new will be a vital and hard to be matched skill set. This can be obtained by educating yourself in the latest advancements in film automation, the various programs and tools that are currently available. But furthermore, and most importantly, you must have a fresh new idea. Some say the industry has reached a point of repetition, where every story is a recreation of 5 basic plots. In order to stand out, it is necessary that a filmmaker push the limits, raise the bar and provide a distinct and individual product that no machine could touch. This raising of the bar will further create more superior art, will push other artists to create the same, and will further our intellectual strivings as artists.

Viewpoint #2 (Animation)
Within the filmmaking industry, animation has had the most advancements since computer automation was brought into the process. Animation has helped narrow the gulf between trivial artistic images and mathematics on the big screen. While still creating animated scenes for an idea, the overall product when creating a feature is done with animation through computer generated programs. Pixar is one of the top leading animation companies. They're motto, "You can't rush art". Pixar is great because they're artists still do everything free handed or with clay. The characters, set's and props are all created by hand, then modeled directly into 3-D. Dreamworks Pictures is different in a sense that it is all done strictly through computers and CGI, Computer Generated Imagery. Compared with Web Design, Animation is a very hard topic to debate with technology taking over. If you look at all the advancement in technology for animation, one would think that the animators were in heaven. But one must also question whether the advancements are seizing creativity from the artist themselves. When The Simpsons first started, the animator worked with the artist for great lengths of time, immensely drawing slide after slide. Programs such as Maya can create a human characters such as The Simpsons using percentages and codes. Animation will always be around, and will definitely always need artists, whether for creation, and story telling.

Solutions
Animators will be around as long as the human being exists. Whether or not we choose to let machines take over the entire creative aspect of it. It is our job to keep creativity moving, to not stop producing comic books, video games, graphics, etc. Without animation we would have never discovered fantasy, horror, or Sci-Fi films. Us humans would not be able to visualize through film and media if it wasn't for graphics. Let's keep creating, stick the the 'old school' ways of creating on paper. Machines will never fully take over the animation field.

Viewpoint #3 (Web Design/Development)
The art of web design is inextricably connected with technology. This fact gives rise to some interesting issues when discussing the benefits and problems of technology in relation to art. Being a web designer and developer by choice I couldn't do what I love without the use of a computer and internet access. This industry was created based on the technological achievements of the late 20th century. There has been some incredible and astonishing achievements because of online technological advancement. Companies that we take for granted like eBay, Google, and Amazon did not even exist ten years ago. Along with these amazing advancements, points are made that this proliferation of technology has harmed society. One could argue that the internet shouldn't exist in the first place, and the world would be better off without it. People tend to react harshly one way or the other; while often missing the happy medium in between. “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility." This quote by Stan Lee offers much insight into how we, as a society, need to steward technology. It has opened up so many possibilities, but at the same time needs to be used and handled responsibly.

With a focus on web design in particular, there is an art-form that remains; although hidden. There is a current alarming trend, especially in eCommerce, where web sites are being generated from automated templates. Seemingly lost in a sea, hand-coded web site offers much more personality and attention to detail, than anything that has been created by the push of a button. Think of it like buying a custom, hand-made suit from Europe as opposed to one at the local Target. The quirks and imperfections of the European suit add to the whole experience, where as the Target suit seems dry, impersonal, and generic. The reason for impersonal, generic trends in web site design is due to the insatiable thirst for efficiency and profits. If a website takes half the time to develop, than it doesn't cost as much to create. This then makes profit margins significantly higher; while at the same time sacrificing the artistic nature of the web site. A good counter to this bombardment of uninteresting sites are portfolio websites. Like an oasis in the desert, these types of sites allow web designers to experiment freely, without the constrains of corporate style guides and committees. "There is much more freedom for them to create without thinking about a corporate image or links with specific standards. This allows them to experiment and discover many new ways to navigate, display, and play with works and finally reach viewer's attention in ways previously unimaginable." (Wiedmann, pg. 4, par 2) The use of technology doesn't necessarily mean the site is doomed. Eric Jordan of 2Advanced Studios explains this very well. "Perhaps the most interesting and paradoxical aspect of modern web development is that people want their website to have a certain human quality. We are so suffocated by automated systems and mechanized responses these days that many companies seek new ways of connecting and communicating with people on a human level. Surprisingly, this is where technology and programming can actually shine." (Jordan, pg. 149, par 1)

The desire for efficiency has driven industry for so long, that it has become normative. This attitude is extremely lazy, and in the end, counterproductive. People in general don't want to take the time to learn new technologies and languages, so they would rather have an automated system that does it for them. This is severely limiting because you don't have a good knowledge of the tools. The web-site or application, as a result, will never come close to reaching it's full potential. The same principals described here can be applied to any industry.

Solutions
There are so many amazing web-languages out there, and there has been incredible innovation in a very short amount of time. We need to, if we are to call ourselves web designers, take it upon ourselves to learn the basics of all the major languages. This will greatly influence the collective intelligence of web designers, and cause a huge shift in the quality of the pages out there. So rather than relying on other programs to do all the hard work, we should do the hard work ourselves. It is far more rewarding and creates a much better product.

Viewpoint #4 (Fashion)
Clothing has always been both something we have made necessary and over time it has become a way of showing wealth, status, and interests. Social status, religious leanings, cultural diversity and professional status can all be shown by our clothes and personal fashion (Wells). The progress of our understanding of fashion has also changed with time. Starting from simply covering our bodies with fur to protect it from the environment in the beginning of time, to designing special suits and fabrics made out of different materials to meet the demand. Now, picture this, how about having a single garment that one can use both in the summer and winter. One that would change texture, color, and even shape in response to the external environment (Technology Enhanced Fashion)? All these are continuously changing from fantasy to reality with the advancement of technology. Imagine simply being able to change the color of what you are wearing mid day just to add some variety to you daily style. All of which would easily be possible with just the click of a button. How about trying on a new outfit for a special occasion coming up, but no one was able to make it to the store with you to see the outfit. Not a problem. The dressing room in which you are trying your new outfit will have a kind of “web cam” installed in the mirror. Simply connect you to the Internet for a small fee, and allow you to virtually show off your new outfit.

So what does all of this have to do with us? How is this affecting you, me, we? At first it could be seen that technology is taking over the fashion industry and these new developments are all too much too soon. That there will be no more personal creativity in the raw. And in some ways that could really be true. It is true that fashion designers are challenged by computers and computer programs that are beginning to take away from their personal creative values of using a paper and pencil to create something magical with the whisk of their own hand. Therefore, creating computer generated designs that are taking away from the amazing free handed skill that is nowadays so easily over-looked. Now consider how easy it is to hack into various things using different codes and having an ability to see someone changing in a fitting room. This is something that needs to be taken into extreme consideration when companies consider inserting these web cams into their fitting room mirrors.

All in all technological advancements are actually seen to be benefiting the fashion world in a number of ways. With these new ideas and ways of creating clothing, comes the need of intense creativity and skill. It takes a lot of collaborative brain power and creativity to come up with these ideas. If we have the finances to do so, what is the real harm?

Solutions
If these new developments are coming on way to strong and taking over the fashion industry all too soon, then before many may realize fashion designers will be out of work. Creativity from a paper and pencil will no longer be an art. But instead "drawing" art on a computer screen. Fashion leaders and up and comers have a choice to make. They can either go with the flow of what the world is developing or they can push themselves to create some of the most advanced art and clothing designs that we have yet to see.

Viewpoint #5 (Audio)
The music industry is no exception to the trend of technology taking over what is currently a man powered job. Traditionally, music required physical instruments (guitars, pianos, flutes...) and human players, and the louder you wanted to play, the more effort you had to put into your instrument. Soon came the wonders of electric instruments. Suddenly we can gain incredible amounts of volume by turning a knob or pushing a fader. Next came along the synthesizer. The revolutionizing electronic keyboard-like instrument that makes sounds based on changing levels of voltage going through the machine. This innovation had a short primitive life, soon being given sounds that are pretty close to sounding identical to the real instruments they are intended to imitate. The synthesizer has also developed from a hulk of an instrument, to simple computer programs (such as Reason by Propellerhead). Now we are at a point where acoustic instruments are become obsolete, although there is still the need for human players. This is where musicians start losing work. There are now programs, such as Vocaloid (by Yamaha) where lyrics can be entered along with the musical data of synthesizers to produce real-sounding vocals.

Now let's swing over to looking at the people who record the bands. Once upon a time... or rather, about thirty years ago... if you were involved with music, you played live wherever you could, and dreamed of getting discovered by a major label and making it big. Now that those major labels have been revealed for the scam they are (concerning ownership rights and royalties), more and more people are resorting to recording in their basements. The digital age certainly brought a whole new movement to studio owners, but not in the way they would like. Digital equipment provides limitless possibilities, including facilitating the use of recording equipment at home. For most musicians, this is not only more cost effective, but gives them the feeling that they are more in control of their work. While it's true that today more music is being put every year than ever before, studios are facing a shortage of customers forcing many small studios to shut down, particularly in the failing economy.

A further issue of this digital movement is the ever controversial internet. Be they nobodies in their mother's basement or big name like Radiohead, more and more artists are turning to releasing their work online. This puts another field of work out of business: reproduction. Now there's nobody who needs CDs, or even a design artist.

Technology has developed so far that withing the past 20 years, individuals can now bypass all the previous work that was once required to make their music. They don't need anybody to promote them, they don't need anybody to mix or record them, and they don't even need other musicians, or to be musically inclined themselves. There will of course always be those who can respect the unique sound and experience you can only get from working with professionals at at studio, but as more and more things become accessible, the more it advances and makes it possible to create what was once an aural art literally at one's fingertips at the keyboard.

Solutions
With everything being made more available and easier to use, professionals are being caught between convenience and disappearing business. Now more than ever has been the time to put out great work and take advantage of the tools that are being used to take away their business.

At this point in time, a large amount of songs use a significant amount of artificial instruments, and it's convincing enough to sometimes be mistaken for the real thing. While lots of single out-of-basement artists put their music on their Myspace page this way, professional arrangers and recorders use it when an artificial sound is deliberate, or the sounds were not available to the artist. After all, nothing can imitate the performance of an actual musician and instrument.

Now days, the internet is the go-to culprit for a variety of crimes. Online ordering, cheap selling, finding equipment and people, sharing ideas and files...every bit of information of a world that is difficult to break into is becoming more and more available, when it used to only be for the privileged who could afford the equipment or find a mentor. So by using the same resources to keep connections and get their company's name out more to the local and even international areas.

Going to a school learn about recording is relatively new idea, and it can be seen as a huge contributor to keeping the ideals of the music industry by letting aspiring students learn from many professionals. It quickly becomes apparent that doing it all at home can work out, but there's nothing that beats working in a studio with a team of people who have been recording for years.

Global Solutions
The thirst for automation has always been an integral aspect of human nature. We've been creating devices ever since we've existed. That desire will always be present within us; which makes the main issue stewardship. Advancements in technology have always allowed us access to new opportunities, though often times with elusive downsides and hefty price tags. Some will argue that an increase in productivity directly relates to an increase in leisure time. As revealed in this investigation, an increase in productivity causes us, as determined human beings, to demand more and more of our time. There is an insatiable strive to obtain rewards and profits. Therefore, we do not use the freed-up time for leisure, but rather to take on more work in the hopes of increasing potential returns. In a realistic world, we have to assume this is the case. Technology

We must continue to raise the bar, and not allow professionals to be replaced by amateurs assisted by automation. Specialization is the key to our future success in our respective artistic fields, but the focus should not be solely based on technology. This principal is even true in fields that are mostly technological. There is more to social advancements than logic and processes. We believe art education is becoming absolutely essential in creating a proper balance in today's world. Education is also a vital part of instilling the appreciation in our youth of the organic and original arts. This will help balance our minds so that one side does not overpower, thereby avoiding a skewed and potentially damaging community.

In summary, the issues of stewardship and responsibility rise quickly towards the surface. Mind and body should not be separate, just as science and art should also never be severed. This is a both/and solution, rather than the either/or path society is currently traveling on. Funding and appreciation for the arts, as well as scientific innovation should both be praised and awarded equally. A healthy society will have specialists and following for all interests and categories. The seeds for change have been planted in the minds of today's young people, and as long as we and they do not waiver in resolve, there will be amazing and life changing possibilities on the horizon.