Monthly Archives: October 2015

Gang Life, Inc. & The Mixed Symbolism of Snow Crash

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Linzy Scott

Snow Crash is a strange novel in a lot of ways but one of the most surreal passages of the story revolves around the scene in which Sushi K is rapping in an attempt to appeal to West Coast street … Continue reading →

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The “hiro” of Neuromancer?

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Weslyn Lu

Hiro Protagonist is aptly named because of his position as the main character of the book, as well as his role as the story’s “hero”. The direct language of Neal Stephenson is evident here, because he clearly states Hiro’s role … Continue reading →

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Slipping by Surveillance

Posted on October 8, 2015 by simonmp

One of the biggest themes in Snowcrash is privacy. There is virtually no privacy in the futuristic world in which the novel is set. Retinal scanners can capture even the minutest details of any passerby’s life. In class we discussed … Continue reading →

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The Mysteries of Language

Posted on October 8, 2015 by beersa1

A few milliseconds before I type these words, I am thinking in my head. And a few milliseconds after you are reading these words, you are processing them in your head. You are drawing meaning from small markings on a … Continue reading →

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The Most Powerful Technology

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Daniel Yiu

Language’s role in Snow Crash can be prominently seen in both its syntax and word choice as well as in its plot. Names like Hiro Protagonist and slang words like burbclaves and paddle (to describe skateboard) create a world that … Continue reading →

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Parallels to modern life

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Ann Agee

In class on Wednesday, the presenters brought up an interesting inquiry with their discussion questions: can the you, the reader, see parallels in Snow Crash to our current society, and do you think those connections are promising or threatening? To … Continue reading →

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Virtual Reality for Mice

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Crystal Loehman

Interesting article I came across about how one research group is creating a virtual reality for mice. Neuroscientists develop whisker-based virtual reality system for mice  

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Hyperreal in my life: Video Games

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Luke Chapman

Immersive video gaming is starting to become a part of the lives of video gamers to date but has not become so big that it has consumed us. There is a company called Oculus VR which produces goggles that immerse … Continue reading →

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Technology’s self-defining applications

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Evan Wong

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/business-technology-starts-to-get-personal/?module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Enterprise%20Computing&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs&region=Body As I read this post in the NYTime’s Bits Blog over the weekend, I couldn’t help but think of how technology in certain cases and creates the “hyperreal”. For instance, I spent this summer working in a strict corporate … Continue reading →

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Currency and the Hyperreal

Posted on October 5, 2015 by John Bogdon

I think one of the best and most prominent examples of the precession of a simulacrum in our society has been the development of currency and a market economy. In early societies, goods were traded for goods through bartering, allowing … Continue reading →

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