Ontography

Onto- (Greek root)
to be
being
existence 

-graphy (Greek root: graphein)
indicating a form or process of writing
representing
indicating an art or descriptive science (- systemised knowledge)
process of writing or recording
a writing or representation produced in a specific manner or by a specified process
writing about or a representation of a specific thing.

= the science of representing existence through specific processes such as writing

Shel, cell, shell

Favourite list poem is by Shel Silverstein

Quarks and Leptons are inside a cell

In a shell you can find perfection

 

Math can be seen as an infinite web of relations – the never ending “story” of numbers. If there were no answers to be found, you could start anywhere, and go everywhere with it and you’d only stop because you got tired. But could easily pick it up and carry on again. (unlike a book where you’d either start again or have another form of a beginning-middle-end sequence repeating itself)

roll

Today I had an epiphany about the Bogost quote. I read it and there was a moment of clarity – a moment where all the big words made sense. And then, the confirmation! Adrian explained it the same way.

Bogost gives the example of Roland Barthes’ lists of what he likes and dislikes. When he does that, it draws attention to what he probably surrounds himself with (likes) and stays away from (dislikes). It makes me think of what’s there to like about things like romantic music, and what’s to dislike about Chopin (who is one of my favourites..)

When you list out the objects, you start to pay attention about what they are to the person; and, because I am human, what they are to me too. The list begins to “[draw] our attention toward [the things] with greater attentiveness”. Eg. listing all the things in a particular shop is better at drawing attention to what the shop is and does and has, than a story about the shop.

 

 

history

During the assessment, I have come to realise that not only does structure make a story, but also time. A time frame and a time line – that puts things into a sequence, and that sequence tells a story. If you based your list on things in time, it comes out like a story.

But does it have an end? Yes and no – yes because I cannot be telling the ever ongoing story every minute and every day. Yet no, because the story is still going on, just untold and unwritten…

questions

is ontology the identifying of all the different facets? or the study of each one and how far reaching it can go? or is it to get involved with every one/just one?

is Bogost saying that there shouldn’t be an “I” or saying that everything can be the “I”? or that everything should just be “it”s because I am just a unit of things?

“The alien is anything – and everything – to everything else.” – Bogost, pg. 34

perhaps an example of an alien is air.
• on one hand, it is cheap and everywhere, it could be seen as nothing of value.
• on the other, it is everything to everything as well – we all need it. even the computers. they have a fan inside because they need the air to circulate and keep it cool.

what is the blog teaching me?

The other day in class we were thinking about why we blog, and I thought to myself, “what is the blog teaching me?”

Louis said that his blog is like “training wheels”. That sounds right. But what is it training me, specifically, for?
For now, the only answers I have is that it’s training me to think clearly and articulate thoughts better. Don’t we all struggle with speaking without thinking? Now, I take time to think, ponder and then properly word them. I think the fact that my thoughts can be read by others humbles me – the reader comes to know me through what I write; what I think about. And perhaps, some will have the same thoughts as I! And perhaps it sparks some ideas in their own minds and goes on to becoming something great! To think of the opportunities one of my thoughts may have just because it’s out there!

and, perhaps nothing will come of it. well, that’s okay.

 

a quantitative more

I will read more –> I will read and be able to comprehend at least 10 pages a week. I’ve been taking more time reading so I can understand and relate to what Bogost and Rushkoff says, and taking notes.

I will blog more –> I will blog at least once everyday. I want to blog about meaningful things. Things that would be of worth recording and reading. But perhaps that’s not what noticing is about. Noticing is just about… noticing. Not filtering? I thought I got into a habit of it, but this week has been full on.