We are perhaps most familiar with this story because it is also the story used to market new technologies to us as consumers, although it is also quite prevalent in academic and journalistic commentaries on technology. The idea that a new medium is closer to reality and more immersive and interactive than its predecessor is based on this story—whether the new medium in question is the Orthophonic Victrola, compact discs, high-definition tv, virtual reality, or 3D cinema. This idea can be projected backward to the earliest cave paintings and musical instruments, but it generally references the rise of mechanical, electric, and electronic media. Of course, claims about increased definition or the pleasures of immersion are in many cases true, but they are not the whole story.”
Questions: Who is the author and what is the name of the text? What does this theorist mean by “the dream of verisimilitude” and how is that different from “increased definition?” How does this relate to the idea of the “format?” What does it mean to claim that the standards imposed by formats are also standardizing? Choose a format and provide a short analysis of how it institutes norms. Compare this theorist’s position with one other theorist we have encountered in the course.
Sample Solution
