Vector Journal Response

“Welcome to the real world!” people say. I am not sure who originated the organization of those words, but I do know people always seem to say it with animosity. The words are said with a tone of failed expectations. Everyone has experienced an expectation not being met. It feels terrible. The faith is gone and met by doubt. The dreams and expectations of the world are built by movies, tv, radio, internet, journals, magazines, newspapers, billboards. The media is selling us a more complex version of life than needed. Our society in 2008 is faced with the reality. We are all being, “welcomed to the real world” whether you want it or not. Nine eleven, Iraq, and Hurricane Katrina are devastating. Imagine, your friend or relative, husband or wife, son or daughter being burned alive, shot to death, or suffocating as they submerged and breath in the ocean water. It is sad. I would argue all we need is love because our time on earth is short.

The Vectors Journal discusses these world issues. It does it though the Internet. It provides a perfect arena for topics like Nine eleven, the Iraq war, and Hurricane Katrina. The Internet is an interactive outlet. I believe the Vectors Journal decided it was the best media outlet for these issues because it is the media outlet of 2008. Everyone is connected to the Internet. It can bring the most relevant information instantly. It can connect us to an issue because we are physically involved in by clicking our mouses or taping on our lap tops. It is current and up to date. It is today like these issues are.

I found two article/projects that are interestingly composed. They are not simply written. The articles have been manufactured to be interactive, which fits the theme of Vectors Journal. The article, Blue Velvet, by David Theo Goldberg and Stefka Hristova is written in the journal to be about, “Re-dressing New Orleans in Katrina’s wake.” It is a compelling article because you are faced with disturbing graphic animation. It demonstrates a part of the world that is not kind, and why it is not. The article causes you to navigate through it by clicking your mouse. It is not composed like the text you are reading now. You click on meaningful words, like race, civility, and disinvestment. You are clicking on these words and they animatedly plunge into a raging water were they sink to the bottom of the city. It is there the site argues the answers will be found. A paragraph or two populates and describes and educates the user about the issues surrounding Hurricane Katrina. The whole time haunting music is being played. It does not evoke a sense of security but of nightmare.

The second article/project from the Vectors journal that I want to talk about is called Killer Entertainment from Jennifer Terry. Killer Entertainment displays guns being fired in a war like environment. I couldn't help but think of the Iraq war while viewing the site.

I picked both projects to write about because I wanted to connect some very important structural methods the Vectors journal uses to make the content more effective. Blue Velvet and Killer Entertainment share the same outlet, the internet. Also, they both take represent their articles as projects, which is a charged word meaning work in progress. They don't just write their ideas using text for the viewer to interact with, but they alter the interaction of the user to generate different effects on the viewer. The project is connected to Blue Velvet based on aspects of content presentation.