Davis: Chapters 7-8

Chris Carr

Davis: Chapters 7-8

Cyberspace: The Virtual Craft

            While I have noticed the same overall message in an earlier chapter, I find the main idea I take out of this chapter is that our imagination is our limitation. For instance, in the very beginning of the chapter, it speaks about theater being thought of as a “la réalité virtuelle”. This term came from the late 1930’s, and sure, the thinking behind it was not exactly what virtual reality became. However, it did become a reality in the 1990’s and is still evolving today. While there is no older example to show where the idea originally came from, but I remember growing up connecting x-boxes together so more than four of us could play a game at once. While MUD was created in the late 1970’s, nothing like x-box LIVE started to become popular until the 2000’s. The way Davis words the sections involving the beginning of an invention makes them sound like extremely futuristic ideas for the times as well.  

The Alien Call

            In this chapter, there was a heavy focus on the many ways we have tried to disprove the reasons behind UFO sighting. It seems that distractions and logic can also limit our imagination and create barriers to what we think may be possible. I realize that these ideas of UFO’s have sprung many other people’s imagination in new ways. The explosion of conspiracy theories due to this phenomenon of life among the stars has given people a popular reason to not only picture other-worldy life and expand their thought processes, but question the people who create the rules and regulations in their societies. While I do feel there must be more life out there, there are many reasonable explanations for disproving supposed UFO sightings. Maybe I am just another person limiting my imagination, or maybe I am being reasonable.