01/secretwar/HumansUpload/Firstwemustdefinethetermsofthestruggle/Downloadingmeanspullingdataintoasystemandconnotesmovinginformationfromamainorcentralsourcetoaperipheraldevice/Uploadingbycontrastcarriesassociationsofmovingdatanotonly/fromaperipherytoacorebutalsofromonedevicetomanyflatteningoutthehierarchyofproductiondistributionandreception/Allanimalsdownloadbutonlyafewuploadanythingbesides 02/shitandtheirownbodies/Beaversbuilddamsbirdsmakenestsandtermitescreatemoundsyetfor/themostparttheanimalkingdommovesthroughtheworlddownloadingandthenmunchingitbitsatatime/Humansareuniqueintheircapacitytonotonlymaketoolsbutthenturnaroundandusethemtocreatesuperfluousmaterialgoodspaintingsculptureandarchitectureandsuperfluous/experiencesmusicliteraturereligionandphilosophy/Ofcourseitispreciselythesuper 03/fluousthatthencomestodefinehumancultureandultimatelywhatitistobehuman/Understandingandconsumingculturerequiresgreatskillsaskanyonewhohastaughtachildtoreadbutfailin/gtomovebeyonddownloadingistostriponeselfofadefiningconstituentofhumanity/Forallthewondersofthepresentmomentaculturalhierarchypersists/Evenaftertheadventofwidespreadsocialmediasitesapyramidofproductionremainswithasmallnumberofthememberso 04/faWe/bcommunityuploadingmaterialaslightlylargergroupcommentingonormodifyingthatcontentandahugepercentageremainingcontenttodownloadwithoutuploading/Onereasonforthepersistenceofthispyramidofproductionisthatlikecountriesorpeoplesdifferentmediahavet/heirownuniquecultures/IwouldmaintainthatforthepasthalfcenturyfirsttheUnitedStatesandthenmuchoftheWestsculturehasbeendefinedbytelevisionandtelevisionisdefi 05/nedbydownloading/Televisionasamediasysteminvolvestakinginimagesandsoundsproducedbyothe/rs/ItdoesnotmatterifitisdeliveredovertheairviacableorwiththeaidofadishplayedbackfromtapedigitalvideodiscDVDoradigitalvideorecordersDVRharddrivewatchedonaplasmascreenanancientconsoleorinthecaraparticularlyterrifyingdevelopmentforthoseofuswho/drivethefreeways/Televisionisalwaysthesametowatchitistotrackanelectronic 06/downloadinrealtimeanarrativizedprogressbarwithalaughtrack/MarshallMcLuhanwashalfrightthemediumisthemessagebutthemessagesalsodefinethemedium/Andwhatofthecomputer/Thechal/lengeithasmountedtotelevisionoverthepastdecadehaslittletodowithonemachinebeingreplacedbyanotherinthemannerof78sbeingsupplantedbyLPsvinylrecordsby8tracksandcassettetapesandcompactdiscsCDsbyMP3sorvideotaperecordersbylaserdiscstobefol 07/lowedintu/rnbyDVDsvideoondemandandDVRs/Thechallengeisfarmoreprofoundthanthat/Thecomputerrememberisamachinethatcanuploadanythingitsusersmakeandthendistributethemeitheronetooneoronetomanyaffordingaradicalbreakfromthecultureoftelevision/Butthecomputeral/sohastheuniquecapacityforsimulationanditisthiscapacityhoweverperverselythatimperilsitspotentialbecauseitcanbebetterandfasteratdownloadingthantelevisi 08/oneverwas/Letusturnforamomenttotheculturalinheritanceoftelevisionshalfcenturyofdominance/Cu/lturalDiabetes/Thedestinyofnationsdependsonthemannerinwhichtheyarefed/JeanAnthelmeBrillatSavarin/Fordiabetessufferersthebodycannotcreateenoughinsulintoprocessthesugarthatithastakeninthereisanimbalancebetweenconsumptionandproduction/Diabetes/istoalargeextentadiseaseofplentitudetheresultofobesityandtheovercon 09/sumptionofcalories/Itishardlynewsthatwehavebeenfattenedupbyafoodindustrythatvaluesnoveltyovernutritionandprofitsoverpublichealth/Butintermsofourmediaconsumptionweareinadiabe/ticcomaaswell/ThekindofdiabetesIamreferingtohereisnottype1insulindependentorjuvenileonsetbutrathertype2adultonsetdiabeteswhichinpastyearshasbeenhittingpeopleatyoungerandyoungerages/Thistypeofdiabetesisinfactlargelytreatablewit 10/houtdrugs/Alar/geportionoftheaffectedpopulationcankeeptheirbloodsugarsinahealthyrangewithoutoralmedicationsorinjectinginsuliniftheyfollowanexerciseplanandeatinawaythatcontrolsthesizeoftheirportionsandspreadsouttheamountofcarbohydratesconsumedthroughoutthe/courseoftheday/Inotherwordsthecureisundertheindividualscontrolbutindividualshavetotakeresponsibilityfortheirowncarebyadoptinganewrigor/Therearem 11/anyconflictingtheoriesaboutthemassiveincreaseintheweightwaistlinescaloricintakesandincidenceofdi/abetesinallagegroupsinthedevelopedWest/Onethingallagreeonistheconfluenceofsyndromesmanyofwhichareoutoftheindividualscapacitytocontrol/Theseincludetheshiftfrommanuallabortodeskjobsfrompedestriancitiestoautomobilesuburbsfromhomecookedmealstor/estaurantortakehomeconsumptionandthetendencytosupersizeportion 12/sasawaytoenticeconsumersintopurchasing/ButIhavebeenattractedtoonehypothesisthatpointstotheadoptionofhighfructosecornsyrupHFCSasthefoodindustryssweetenerofchoiceoverthepastfewdeca/des/Foruntoldcenturiesifhumansatesomethingcookedthatwassweetittendedtobemadewitheithercaneorbeetsugars/Startinginthe1970sthoughagribusinessinvestedheavilyinshiftingtoacornbasedsweetenersolution/Thisworkedspectacularlywell 13/forthefoodindustryb/ecausecornsyrupwasmuchcheapertoproducewhichallowedforheavilysweetenedproductstobemaintainedatverylowpricepoints/Bythemid1980salmostallsoftdrinksmassproducedbakeryproductscandiesandthelikehadshiftedtoHFCS/Themovetocornsweetenersmadethecombin/ationofafootlongmicrowavecinnamonchurroandafortyeightounceMountainDewSlurpee®notjustaffordablebutinsteaddownrightcheap/Supersizinghasbecome 14/notjustonepotentiallyviableeconomicmodelitisincreasinglytheonlyeconomicmodel/Theincreasingavailabilit/yofinexpensivehighcaloriefoodsmeansthathungerisdisappearinginlowincomecommunities/Yetatpreciselythesamemomentdiabetesrelatedproblemsaregrowing/Sotootheproliferationofevermoreopportunitiestodownloadisagiftthatmustbetreatedwithcare/Theability/toconnecttonetworksatalltimesfromanywherecanbeaboonaswell 15/asanincreasinglyglobalpromisethatpeoplecanaccesstheinformationtheyneed/Butthedevelopmentofcapitalismoverthepasthalfcenturywaspredicatedonshiftingpatternsofconsumptiontoconcentrateonwa/ntsratherthanneeds/Asaresultdownloadinghasbecomeyetmorefirmlyintertwinedwithconsumption/Thesetransformationsareculturaltobesureyettheyalsorestontechnologicalbases/Mostcommercialnetworkshaveradicallyslowerspeedstouplo 16/admaterialthantodownload/it/SopervasivearethesedifferencesthatnumerousWebsiteshavecomeintoexistencethatprovidetoolstomeasurethemimportantmetricsforthosewhouploadforalivingtoevaluateserviceproviders/Thesedisparitiesarenotinandofthemselvesaninsurmountableproblembutth/einfrastructuredoesbuildinabiasagainsttheculturemachinescapacitytoupload/Thisbiasbringsusbacktothemetaphorofculturaldiabetes/Createdli 17/kecolasandburgersbymultinationalconglomeratesthejunkcultureofbroadcastingcreatesanationofintellectualdiabe/tics/Thecureisinourcollectivegrasp/Itinvolvescontrollingandrationingourintakedownloadingandincreasingourlevelsofactivityuploading/NottobreakitdowntoomuchlikeajunioryearhygieneclassbutwhatIamsayinghereisthatwatchingisingestingisdownloadingan/dthatmakingisexercisingisuploading/Thisprojectthense 18/tsasitspurposetheidentificationofanewculturemachineforthetwentyfirstcenturyonethatusesdigitaltechnologiestoshiftusfromaconsumptiontoaproductionmodel/SIDEBAR/RagazziatPizzaHut/WhyareRomante/enagerseatingatMcDonaldsandPizzaHutandwhatcanpatrioticItaliansdotostopthem/Ifmarketingcampaignsandthelureoftheexoticconvincedtheseragazzitoscarfdownfrozenprefabmeatandcheeseproductbedeckedcirclesandtrianglesofca 19/rbohydrateswhathopemightthere/beforthefutureofoneoftheworldsmostspectacularculinaryheritages/WhenCarloPetriniwatchedaMcDonaldsopeninRomein1986heunderstoodthatforRomanyouthU/S/fastfoodwasbothasymbolofmodernityandanemblemofsolidaritywithteenagerstheworldover/Ratherthanmer/elywringinghishandshoweverPetrinidecidedtotakeaction/Bringingtogetherfoodieswithantiglobalistsculturaltraditionalistsandthosewhow 20/antedtobuyfromlocalproducersratherthanmultinationalconglomeratesPetrinistartedwhathascometobeknownastheSlowFood/movement/ThecentralconceptofSlowFoodisthateatingispartofaninterlinkedculturalsystemofproductionandconsumptiongastronomyinaword/TheSlowFoodmovementisarebuketomechanisticvisionsoffoodasacommodity/Themovementinsiststhatwhenfoodisreducedtoeithe/rfuelorinstantgratificationpeoplelosetouchwitht 21/hewaysinwhichthepracticeofcookingandeatingcanbecomeawayoflifeamodeofculture/Inthisreconnectionwiththeimportanceofdailypracticetheslowfoodmovementservesasamodelforanyonewhowantstothinkofmovingou/tofacycleofconsumptionforconsumptionssaketooneinwhichconsumptionisenmeshedinpracticesofproductionaswell/Intheslowfoodmovementwhichhasspreadworldwideandnowclaimsthreequartersofamillionadherentstherigorsoflea 22/rningtocookalongwithcarvingoutthet/imeforitarerewardedbythesocialinteractionwiththefamilyfriendsandneighborswithwhomonesharestheexperience/Beyondmyownpreferenceforgnocchiovernuggetstheslowfoodmovementcanserveasamodelofresistancetotelevisionsjunkculturemorethantheusualcallfor/alternativeindependentcommunityandactivistmediathoughitisinterestingtonotethatPetrinihimselfcomesoutofleftistpoliticalmediah 23/avingfoundedthefirstindependentradiostationinItaly/Itsappealmaybetheimmediacyoffoodsplaceandmomentofconsumptioninrel/ationtoproductionandthesuretythatpeoplehavethatthefoodtheymakewillhaveanaudienceallbuttheworstcookswillbeabletofindsomeonetoeatwhattheyhavemade/YetthesuccessoftheSlowFoodmovementhashadinfluenceinotherarenaswithcallsforSlowDesignandSlowArchi/tectureandfinallythelessorganizedbutnoless 24/necessarySlowSexmovement/TelevisionTheHFCSoftheMind/Toclaimthatfiftyyearsoftelevisionsdominancehasgivenbirthtoacontemporaryjunkcultureistoopposetheseemingconsensusthattelevisionisinanewgoldenageofco/mplexdramassophisticatednichecomedyandcomprehensivedocumentarywork/Anymediumthathasundergonethekindofexplosivegrowththattelevisionhasoverfiftyyearsisboundtoproducesomeinterestingworkbuttoaccedetoitspre 25/senceinourlivesasanunassailablegoodisei/thernaiveorcalculatingaspeoplearealwayshappytohearthatwhattheyarealreadychoosingtodoisthebestpossiblestrategy/Icallthisstrategycapitulationism/OfteninvokingqualityshowslikeTheSopranosandTheWirethecapitulationistswaxonaboutnarrativecomplexit/yvisualsophisticationtimeshiftingviaDVRsthereleaseofwholeseasonsonDVDandtheincreasinglyintertwinedhypercontextualizatio 26/noftelevisionviaextratextualmaterialontheWebincludingpodcastingandmobisodesonmobilephonesalltomaketheclaimthattelevisionh/asfinallyreachedacriticalmassofculturalimportance/Yetiftheformulationthatthemediumisthemessageholdstruetheunfortunatefactisthatthemediumhasnotturnedouttobeallthatgoodforusinheavyusageevenifsomeoftheprogrammingisasgoodascontemporaryfilm/Tele/visionsjunkculturespewsthehighfructos 27/ecornsyrupoftheimaginationandasaresultofouraddictiontotheboxwehavecontractedculturaldiabetes/IamfullyawareofthecritiquesofmyantitelevisionpositionfromboththeLeftandtheRightbutbeforewegettotheculturalstud/iesrhetoricofaudienceempowermentandthelaissezfairebromidesaboutthemarketletmeunpackmymetaphorsfirstwithsomediagnosticsandthenwithsomeexamples/Tobeginwithformostpeoplethereisnomorecinema/Cinemaissi 28/mplythelargeformatinwhichDVDscomeoutfirst/In/factcinemaisnolongeramassmediumitisanichemediumwithanaudiencesubstantiallybettereducatedandricherthantelevisionsanelitemediumasabsurdasthatsoundslookingattheofferingsatthelocalmultiplex/Fromitsinceptionthecinemawasanurbanagglomerativemedium/thatbroughtpeopletogetherasanaudienceandfordecadesitsnarrativestaughtusmorallessonsaboutcoheringasapopulation/Thec 29/inemamighthavelookedbackinWesternsandtheoccasionalpastoralbutthroughtheendofthe1940soneofitscentralmotifswasthatoflivingtogeth/erinthecity/Televisionontheotherhandisamediumthatatomizesgeneralaudiences/Itbreaksthemoffintoeitherfamilyunitsorincreasinglyindividuals/Televisionregularlyreflectsonandleadsitsaudiencesintothesuburbanfold/The1950strickleoftelevisionbuiltonr/adiosearlieropeningofthehometobr 30/oadcastmedia/Bythestartofthetwentyfirstcenturywhatbeganasatricklehasbecomeatorrent/Televisionisaonewayspigotofprivatizedmediagushing24/7intothehomecommercialspaceslikerestaurantsandsupermarketsandevenschools/Thehardesttaskthattelevisionasksofitsviewersisturningthepoweroffaftertheyhaveturnediton/Thisremindsusofwhatwaswasobscuredinthebubbleandbustofthelastfewyearsthedevelopmentofnetworkedcomputersof 31/fersthefirstchanceinahalfcenturytoreversetheflow/touploadanddirectcastratherthantodownload/PatioPotatoes/Thetelevisualerastwentyfourhourmultichannelflowofentertainmentintothehomemovesinonlyonedirectionandtheconstantconsumptionofmediawithoutacorrespondingproductivecapacityhasengenderedasic/kculture/Imighthaveusedthemetaphoroftheperfectstormbutpeopleknowwhentheyaregettingrainedon/Inthiscasewearemore 32/likethemythicalfrogslounginginapotofcoolwaterwhodonotnoticeastheburneristurnedonandtheybegintoboil/Wehavebeenignoringtheheatandnow/bothourbodiesandmindsareatrisk/PhilipK/Dickwastypicallyprescientaboutthedangersofacultureofdownloadedentertainment/Hewrotethatthebombardmentofpseudorealitiesbeginstoproduceinauthentichumansveryquicklyspurioushumansasfakeasthedatapressingatt/hemfromallsides/WhenAOLlaunc 33/hedanInternettelevisioninitiativeitsmarketingexecutiveswerechargedpreciselywiththebombardingofhumanswithpseudoreality/Describinghowtheywouldturnthewirelessbroadbandcomputerintoamobiletelevisiontheseexecutivesdisc/ussedtheimportanceofhabitsofmindWerelookingtobuildbehaviorofviewingvideoonline/TheyrolledouttheiriconforthisnewserviceontheReutersSpectracolorBoardinTimesSquareandasupergraphicbuilding/bi 34/llboardontheSunsetStripjustbeforeyoudrivewestintoBeve/rlyHillswhereallthetelevisionpeoplelive/TheimagewasofananthropomorphizedspudholdingalaptoponachaiseloungeandthetaglinereadBeaPatioPotato/WenowknowwhattofeedtheElectricSheepthatDicksandroidsdreamedofpatiopotatoes/Yetthereisnoreasonthatthepat/iopotatoesmustprevail/Letusnotforgetthatittookcenturiestomovefromthelocalandartisanalproductionoffoodtola 35/rgescaleagribusiness/Theveryflexibilityandspeedofchangebuiltintodigitalnetworksoffersapositivenoteitcouldtakeamuchshorterperiodoftimeto/headoffthedownloadheavymoment/Afterhalfacenturyoftelevisionwherethehabitsofculturalconsumptiondominatedwenowfindourselvessuppliedwithavastnewinfrastructureforuploading/Wesimplyneedtofindthewilltomakethebestuseofit/Formethetippingpointcamein/themidstofsomerandomWeb 36/searchingononeofthegreatthinkersaboutSouthernCaliforniaReynerBanhamauthorofLosAngelesTheArchitectureofFourEcologies/BanhamanEnglishmanwhoadmiredfreewaysclaimedhelearnedtodriveinordertoreadLosAngelesintheoriginalmadead/ocumentaryfortheBBCin1973callednaturallyenoughReynerBanhamLovesLosAngeles/Ihadneverseenthisvideoanddecidedtosearchonedaytolocateanarchivethathaditnearme/Thenthewholevideopoppedupread 37/ytowatchinallitsobscureidiosyncraticarchitecturaltheoretic/alsplendor/TheWebblendsthelibrarycinemathequebroadcastarchiveandpublicsquareandrenderedthelotofthemeverbroaderanddeeper/SIDEBAR/ABrilliantFiasco/Notallanalysesarebuiltfrompositivistresearch/Someevolveoutoflyricalepiphanies/Sopriororevenapri/oritoadiscussionofthatmostcontemporaryofmachinesthecomputerIwouldhaveusconsidertheLivredeprierestiss 38/édapreslesenlumineursdesmanuscritsduXIVeauXVIesiecle/Forthevolumeisnotonlyanexquisitenineteenthcenturyreinterpretationofthemedievalbookofhou/rsitisalsotheunknownandunknowingoriginpointforcontemporaryscreenculture/ManufacturedinLyonbyA/Rouxbetween1886and1887thisLivredeprierswasthefirstandapparentlyonlywovenratherthanprintedbookinbibliographichistory/ManufacturedontheprogrammableJ/acquardloomthatena 39/bledFrenchindustrytodominatethemarketforcomplextextilestheLivredepriereswassointricatethatitrequiredhundredsofthousandsofpunchcardstoproduce/IttookA/Rouxfiftytriestocreatethefirstsalableversionofthismarvelofmixedtechnologi/calmetaphorswhereinAriadnemeetsGutenberg/Theproductofanindustrialeraitsimulatedmedievalcontentandanticipatedbyacenturytheinformationage/Thebookiswovenofsilverandblacksilkandhasa 40/highthreadcountallowingforcrispletteringandlegibility/Theeffect/ofthistightweavewithitsintenseblackfiguresonasilvergroundisremarkablylikelookingatahighresolutiondisplayscreen/Theinterwoventhreadscreatetheshimmerandpixilationofthecathoderaytubescreenavantlatechnologie/Producedforthecollectorsmarkettheboo/kwasconsideredabrilliantfiascounabletoselloutitsfirstprintingperhapsbetterreferredtoasafirstwea 41/vingofsixtycopies/NeitherA/Rouxnoranyonesincehaseverattemptedtomarketanotherwovenbook/Ishedlightonthisoutliertothehistoryofinformationdeliverydev/icesasawaytodemonstratethateventhemostbeautifulandseductiveoftechnologicalartifactsmayhavenoimpactwhatsoeveronthecultureatlargeandthatwhentechnologiesdoeffectavastimpactitisbecauseoffarmorethantechnologicalinnovationormarketingsavvy/