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last.updated 1.25.09

 

Pervasive Metaphors about Technology

Purpose

To test the idea that representations of technology influence the way that users think about technology. We will discuss theories, examine scholarship that does similar work to what you are being asked to do for the Metaphor Analysis, and practice this type of analysis.

Freewrite

For the first ten minutes of class, use the Lakoff & Johnson's discussion to help you finish the following sentence:

Technology is...

Discussion I: Metaphors and Metaphor about Technology

As a class we will discuss the following questions:

  • What questions did you have about the readings?
  • What is Lakoff & Johnson's argument about technology? What are the five reverberations they describe? Based upon your life experiences, do you agree with their argument about these reverberations?
  • What is Nakamura's argument(s)? Which claims do you agree with? Why? Which do you take issue with? Why?
  • What is Selfe's argument(s)? Which claims do you agree with? Why? Which do you take issue with? Why?
  • Although neither Nakamura nor Selfe evoke Lakoff & Johnson directly, how do you see their their arguments about metaphors influencing the other scholar's work (consider the five reverberations)?
  • Which do you prefer, the strategies that Nakamura's uses to support her argument or the ones Selfe uses? Why?

 

 

 

Activity: Commercial Metaphors

You will be divided into three groups; each group will look at one of the following ad campaigns for the respective technology corporation:

IBM

 

Microsoft

 

 

Cisco

After viewing the advertisement, work with your group to answer the following questions:

  • What argument is the corporation making about their respective product. How are they making this argument?
  • What metaphors do you see repeated in both commercials?
  • What do you think these metaphors mean? (Use the following heuristics to help you address this question)
    • what technologies does get represented in this text?
    • what does the text say about the technologies' capabilities? what does the text say about humans' capabilities? what is the relationship between the technology and humans?
    • what is the technologies' relationship to power in the text? do they have power in and of themselves? do they enhance power?
    • what is being emphasized, the hardware or the software?
    • describe the people using the technology, as well as those not using, afraid of, uncertain, or ignorant of the technology
    • ask other questions of the text that are relevant to helping you understand this specific work
  • Given the opportunity, how might you revise this commercial if you worked for the corporation? if you were creating a parody? How does your revision change the argument?