1. Correctly identify the primary thesis of “Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins.”
   1. I believe that the primary thesis of “Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins” is that although the modes of artistic expression continue to change as our technology continues to develop, the past modes of artistic expression still influence modern artists. Jones states, “New forms of art and technology are frequently cast in the mode of old forms, just as other aspects of material and symbolic culture have been,” (Jones, 51). I think this means that although we move forward with new technologies and inventions, the old forms of artistic expression will always influence our present expressions. I think this is an especially relevant point because we would not be where we are today without learning from our past and allowing it to influence us every day, so art should be no different.
2. Identify one of the three historical examples Jones provides as an illustration of her thesis.
   1. One of the three historical examples that Jones mentions in her essays is that, “In the 1940′s analogue computers were used to generate the earliest computer graphics and display them on oscilloscopes. Ben F. Lapofsky and Herbert W. Franke were among the pioneers creating these images. Frotnke’s graphics were phase forms, presented as events rather than as static imagery” (P. 52). Jones goes on to describe the many other artistic achievement’s during this period including “Fetter’s seven system man…[and] Nicholas Negroponte and the architectural machine group Seek produced experimental computer-controlled environments at MIT,” (Jones, 53).  These were all among the first computer-generated graphic images. This period also marked some tension between science and art, as the lines between the two separate subjects began to blur.
3. Provide a compelling and accurate illustration of Jones’ thesis at work in today’s culture.
   1. I believe that an example of culture changing but still being influenced by the past is apparent in the use of the mobile photo app Instagram. People are obsessed with this application and choose to use it to document their every move. This app is available on every smart phone and allows people around the world to access each other’s photos. The use of the different “filters” that people can apply to their photos allows them to have personal discretion over what their photo looks like. In addition, there are many filters that make the photos look more old-fashioned. This shows that people are still interested in and enjoy the look of photographs from the past, while embracing current technology.

Jones, B. J. (1990). Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins. LEONARDO: Digital Image – Digital Cinema Supplemental Issue, pp. 21-30.

Article 1:

In the reading, the author’s question why we would seek horror in art and fiction, while it is something that we would, “ordinarily seek to avert,” (Carroll, 276). The first article I found is an article from the website Medical Daily, which gave a psychological answer to this question. This article gives two reasons for the desire to watch horror movies. First, the author, Rivas, states that, “we put ourselves in situations to be scared because we want to understand what our population fears as a whole,” (Rivas). For example, people will go to haunted houses seeking the trauma that people in movies endure. In addition, this reasoning means that horror films tend to evolve over time, developing various themes as the fears of the population change. Rivas describes that,

“post-9/11 films were largely centered on the theme of torture-as-terror, which could have been a way for people to comprehend the tragedy. Zombie films may have become popular due to the outbreaks of influenza and the threat of biological warfare, all of which threaten whole populations,” (Rivas).

This reasoning is based on peoples’ desires to relate to the masses and understand their fears. The second reason provided in Rivas’ article is that “people enjoy excitement, even if it’s from a negative source,” (Rivas). The article describes a study where people were shown clips from horror movies and then had to describe their emotions. This study found that  “all participants expressed similar levels of fear at the end of the clips, [but] those who reported being horror movie lovers expressed more happiness than those who were horror movie haters,” (Rivas). The reasoning behind the varying levels of happiness is that people who have a higher sensitivity to the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is released in reward situations, tend to enjoy the horror films more. These people also tend to be sensation-seekers and enjoy the physical response or arousal their body has to the fear brought on by the movies.

The reasons provided in this article for the desire to partake in horror-art, have both similarities and differences to the reasons provided in the assigned reading by Carroll this week. Carroll states, “to a large extent, the horror story is driven explicitly by curiosity. It engages its audience by being involved in processes of disclosure, discovery, proof, explanation, hypothesis, and confirmation,” (Carroll, 279). The first explanation provided in Rivas’ article fits with this description. Rivas explained that people want to understand the fears of their society, which fits with Carroll’s belief that people are driven to horror by curiosity. People are curious about the fears of their society so they seek the horror movies, thus finding the confirmation and proof that they need to understand and relate to their society. The second explanation provided by Rivas in this article is much more related to the bodily response to fear experienced in horror and is not related to Carroll’s reasoning. Carroll does not focus on the psychological responses to fear in her analysis, and only focuses on the fascination felt by people when they view art-horror.

Article 2:

The second article I found that gave reasons for why people enjoy scary movies was similar to the first article I discussed, however it does provide additional reasons. This article, by Margarita Tartakovsky, first describes the “Excitation Transfer Process,” which is similar to Rivas’ description of people enjoying the physiological response that their body goes through during and after watching a horror film or going to a haunted house. Second, Tartakovsky states that some people are “simply wired to enjoy high levels of physiological arousal,” (Tartakovsky) which is also in alignment with Rivas’ explanations. Next, she describes that people may decide to watch horror films because of the novelty. She explains that, “all of us are wired to pay attention to anomalies in our environment…Since danger disrupts routine, curiosity about change is important for survival,” (Tartakovsky). This explanation is new and adds more dimensions to the shared ideas of the two articles. The final reason given in this article is that gender socialization allows men to “derive social gratification from not letting a scary film bother them…It’s the idea of mastering something threatening,” (Tartakovsky). This idea is also new and provides a broader explanation of the desire to watch horror films.

This final explanation given by Tartakovsky actually fits with a brief analysis found in Carroll’s article. Carroll states,

“that audiences for horror fictions are often adolescent males, some of whom may be using the fictions as macho rites of passage. For them, horror fictions may be endurance tests. Undoubtedly, this is not the brightest aspect of the horror genre…However, one must admit that the phenomenon exists, and that…an integrationist account…may be necessary,” (Carroll, 291).

I found it interesting that both articles mentioned the masculine desire to prove themselves by watching a horror film and not letting it upset them. I had never thought of this as a real reason to watch a horror film, but I believe it is a viable and intriguing explanation.

Another interesting explanation by Tartakovsky was that we are all wired to pay attention to novelties in our environment. I found that this fit with Carroll’s idea that people are interested in the outcome of a situation. If a situation is novel, it will be cause the person to be interested in what will happen next. Carroll explains,

“The interest that we take in the deaths of Hamlet, Gertrude, Claudius, et al. is not sadistic, but is an interest that the plot has engendered in how certain forces, once put in motion, will work themselves out. Pleasure derives from having our interest in the outcome of such questions satisfied,” (Carroll, 276).

I found this article supplemented Carroll’s explanations fairly well. I was intrigued by the psychological explanations that I found online and was surprised that these types of articles were the majority of what I found. I had never thought about the reasons that people enjoy art-horror prior to this assignment and it was enlightening and interesting to learn about this subject.

Citations:

Carroll, N. (2002). Why Horror?. In Neill, A. & Riley, A. (eds.) Arguing About Art: Contemporary Philosophical Debates (2nd ed., Chap. 17). New York, NY: Routledge.

Rivas A. (2013, Oct 22). Why do we Watch Horror Films? Some Want to Understand Archetypal Fears While Others Crave the Psychological Ride. Retrieved from http://www.medicaldaily.com/why-do-we-watch-horror-films-some-want-understand-archetypal-fears-while-others-crave-psychological

Tartakovsky, M. (2013) Why Some People Love Horror Movies While Others Hate Them. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/10/31/why-some-people-love-horror-movies-while-others-hate-them/