I was assigned to read two articles about Materials in my Sustainable Systems class and post a written response for each.
Graham Harman
I find it interesting how the article tied in materials to and from very different subjects like art, war, technology, agriculture, etc. It really goes to show how things that seem inherently unrelated often have strong relations in some areas. One discovery can lead to advancements in many different areas, which is a really exciting concept to think about. Simultaneously, it can be frightening to think about because a loss of something can also affect many different areas and people as we are connected in this symbiotic Earth experience. The topics towards the end about the race for energy resources at the expense of indigenous peoples (since the times of European imperial expansion) reminds me of a lot of things but most recently, the fight to not have the Dakota Access Pipeline. This causes a severe unrest in my soul and challenges me to think further and deeper about the concept of ownership as it pertains to the Earth.
Jussi Parikka
This essay was very thought provoking and I noticed that it connects to the first reading in a way. Parikka talks heavily about the existence of gold (or any object) at many levels of reality from the atomic structure to how it affects human consciousness. This again reminds me of the interconnectivity of things as I thought about in the first reading but brings it to an even higher scale. I say this because I realized that not only does everything (or most things) have a connection and relativity but that connection and relativity can and does exist on many levels of reality that are probably often overlooked. I also appreciated Jussi’s take on “object- oriented philosophy”. I respect that the author considers objects outside of their human use, I think this kind of thinking is important and relevant in today’s climate crisis as us destroying the Earth will lead to the destruction of life outside of humans as well.
