Some strange term that I recall from high school debate… and it popped in my head as I contemplated the art in the new Terminal B at San Jose Airport.
By embedding security cameras into the imposing art pieces, and displaying the surveillance video back to the observer, they are conditioning us for the TSA future…
That and Pink Floyd’s marching hammers.
And then it got stranger when I looked for the flight monitors (below)…
Get a load of this: nobody calculated the economic cost of the shoe removal policy. I asked. They were baffled by the question. Cost benefit analysis is trumped by a "not on my watch" sentiment.
It’s the immune response that creates painful symptoms in the host. The better the pathogen plays with that response, the more harm it can do.
interesting point to bring up the economic cost. So far I only thought about the inconvenience caused by the massive amount of ineffective security measures, and the general lack of rational thought or reason. With the new liquids rule I was forced to throw away an almost empty tube of tooth paste. There was obviously less than 20ml left in it, but no, the tube has the stated capacity of 120ml. There are plenty of ridiculous stories, like a bar of solid soap that cannot be taken because it could be melted and then it would be a liquid – and if you laugh they’ll arrest you. Or a string orchestra that was told they can’t take their multi-$100k instruments, because the strings of that stradivarius could be used to strangle somebody… and all this would maybe even be understandable if it had any actual effect on security of the flight. It is very amusing to picture the headlines – "Plane hijacked with expensive violin – terrorist was questioned why he didn’t use his shoelaces"
As long as the only train of thought in security analysts is all the possible ways how harm could be done, we’ll end up flying handcuffed to our cell, sedated and blindfolded, as that’s the only way to be perfectly safe, and we are all happy to accept some minor inconvenience for the illusion of safety… 🙂
I once saw a great art exhibition called ctrl[space] – the Rhetoric of surveillance. One of the pieces actually started before you even entered the exhibition space – all the toilets in the museum had stickers "For your own safety this toilet is under video surveillance", stuck on the inside of the cubicles. You do find yourself inadvertently looking up, scanning the ceiling for hidden cameras…
Later, inside the exhibition, you realise you’ve been had.
hosting.zkm.de/ctrlspace/e/works/13
Another one I liked:
hosting.zkm.de/ctrlspace/e/works/50
"We have to demand sacrifice from citizens"
followed by a long list of surveillance measures, one blacked out…
Cool art work and discussion.
"It’s the immune response that…"
Love it ! Thinking about symbiosis now =)
Security-check at airports….haaa brings back so many good memories…. O=)
Talking about security… How about jumping to the next level…straight to the mind…Just came back from INCEPTION french Premiere..you would love it. It is The Matrix + James Bond + Memento in one Multi Level Mind Blowing movie =)
"Dreams feel real while we’re in them. It’s only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange."
Simple solution…..flying nude! You can’t bring anything but your "birthday suit". Sorry Steve, you’ll have to leave the camera at home or send it along with the rest of the luggage. The only increase in cost would be that associated with having to turn up the cabin temperature and a larger supply of blankets!
"i believe this was meant to be friendly… but for the paranoid this is like manifestation of paranoia statue…"
hence the alliteration; at one level, it’s friendly, for that’s how the author(s) of the sculpture must have imagined it. at another level, the ever watchful types, who added the cameras, must be just as paranoid as the most paranoid their imagination can come up with.
Ah, but with this sculpture on guard, don’t you feel so much more secure…LOL Fun discussion!
I remember when (don’t you just hate it when the old farts say that;-) SJC was little more than an open air baggage shelter, and the jack rabbits would scurry away from the landing aircraft (early 70s). Those were the days of PSA airlines and flight attendants in shocking pink and orange hotpants. I don’t think the airport art has improved any, but that’s just me. 😉 BTW, that looks like a remnant from the "War of the Worlds", no?
I only now noticed the sign "Do not enter" in the background – thou shalt not pass!
They should make it interactive. It reminds me a bit of the "Senster", a 1970 cybernetic sculpture that reacted to movement and sound
http://www.interactivearchitecture.org/edward-ihnatowicz-the-sen...
Pretty impressive considering the technology available at the time – they don’t seem to do that sort of stuff any more, although it should be much easier now.
The panopticon is manifest, but it doesn’t increase anyone’s happiness, let alone the sum.
Times have changed. I remember when the aisle seat was the premium seat on the plane. Now i am 40 years older and the stewardesses are called flight attendants. and are also 40 years older. I just look out the window.
Interesting four part link: http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/02/glamour-of-flight.html
I never obeyed American Airlines’ advice :
![admiral ackbar [snag]](http://farm1.static.flickr.com/30/63096164_37ce8a26e1_t.jpg)
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