In the reading of the excerpt “Hertzian Tales” by Anthony Dunne, it starts off talking about the electronic as a lost object. What I got from reading this section was that if designers of electronic objects get seduced by the provoking synthesis of examination & images which offer a loaded stimulation while remaining grounded in actuality, their designs may become just depictions of imagery of electronic substance. The reading of Hertzian Tales, next goes on to explore the electronic as an object. From what I gathered, it talks about how design is viewed as an approach for connecting the immaterial & the material together, broken down into packages, fusions, dematerialization & juxtaposition. The next subject that is touched upon is the electronic as post-optimal objects. Basically what I understood from this section of the excerpt is the post-optimal object could provide a new understanding of everyday life, bringing new rhythmical dimensions & ideas. The basic idea, is that design should discover a new function for the electronic object, one that facilitates a more incorporated artistic occurrence with everyday life through creating conceptual products of the future. Dunne than continues talking about para-functionality in the world of design pertaining to art & architecture. It is referring to a “form of design where function is used to encourage reflection on how electronic products condition our behavior” Hertzian Tales” by Anthony Dunne- page 43 The excerpt also touches on the subject of forbidden emotions in relation to para-functionality in which it gives an example of how an exhibit in London’s Architectural Association “Irie” shows a contrast in modern electronic devices where information, entertainment & fantasy are explored & evoke sensory impressions, fragments of ideals & illusions by use of strange inventions by architects. The author also talks about Heterotopian gadgets & para-functionality which basically desiccate speech & contest the very possibility of grammar at its source, they dissipate our myths & sterilise the lyricism of our sentences. The reading excerpt next goes into the topic of “Social Fictions” & para-functionality. For example, “Pathological gadgets are examples of life outside the normal perception of the reality of our world, these are examples of design fictions. They are deviations & failures that help to maintain the “impossibility of the possible. The author next talks about the realm of “Rationality & Reality” in the world of design. Which basically says that because many exhibition pieces/objects do not work technically due to their un-usability, it create a heightened sense of distance because they are conceptually hard to create. When people can become involved with the props on display, they can participate in the story, exploring what is & what can be. This is the role of para-functional as criticism. Dunne then goes into talking a bit about Psychosocial Narratives, which refers to the individual narrative prospective of electronic devices, the environment of aspiration & narrative that embraces customer commodities, the socialization that the employment of electronic goods, the social & behavioral boundaries forced on us through the theoretical models they entail. What I found particularly interesting about this reading was the truth phone & the use of galleries as testing sites for prototype designs where the people can interact with the pieces on display.
On the reading of Why We Need Things by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, It starts off by talking a bit about how we evolved to need things as a part of our survival & daily comfort. Unfortunately objects compete with humans for precious resources needed for survival. Csikszentmihalyi goes on to say that objects do not necessarily make life better but serve to soothe & classify the mind. Csikszentmihalyi believes that when the mind is left to itself, destitute of structured sensory contribution, the brain begins to roam & is soon quarry to rampant hallucinations. Things help objectify the self in at least 3 ways, 1. they demonstrate the owner’s power & place in social hierarchy. 2. They can by used as mementos & souvenirs of the past & represent future goals. 3. Can be viewed as symbols of social networks & valued relationships. They can help give us a sense of who we are.
In the reading of Interaction Relabelling and Extreme Characters: Methods for Exploring Aesthetic Interactions°® by Gaver, Djajadiningrat & Frens, it basically starts off talking about how aesthetics & interface are interweaved ideas, rather than disconnected parts & how a product must be shaped by according to its functions & it’s interactions must be judged by both it’s sensory & conceptual. The authors go on to talk about interaction relabeling in which in a study, participants are asked to consider existing products & pretend that product is to be designed & tell how it works. I found the writers use of stereotypical characters such as the hedonistic polyandrous woman, drug dealer, & business man mildly offensive & would never design a product with such stereotypical characters in mind.