Pattern Recognition a Prophecy?

In Pattern Recognition, William Gibson makes a lot of connections to our modern world in reality. Pattern Recognition paints a portrait of a world dominated by advertisement and media. It’s a wonder that average person in our society is not allergic to name brands with people being smashed over the head with flashy ads and billboards every time they hit the streets. There are people like Cayce Pollard in actual society who cool hunt for the financial gain of massive nationwide conglomerates the soak up the populace’s money like enormous sponges simple by telling people what’s “in” and whats “out”. The Frontline documentary “Merchants of Cool” chronicles the jobs of cool hunters as they infiltrate target markets and plants seeds of envy and trendiness in order to harvest massive amounts of “cool” and the profits that it yields. In essence the conglomerates create what cool is and make the consumer feel as though they themselves created it, making it more attractive, when in reality they have been manipulated into becoming permanent cash cows to corporate America’s money making machine. Corporate America has created a never-ending cycle of buying and spending based on taking creative subcultures and sucking them dry by making them into pop culture kitsch. Then they take this kiths and beat the masses of the heads with it in the form of sex, fantastical grandeur and of course the proverbial flashing lights, because as Gibson points out pattern recognition is both man’s strength and his weakness. The world Cayce Pollard lives in is an accurate depiction of our future, though many can argue that its an accurate depiction of our present, either way these connections show William Gibson profound incite in to the world of mass culture and where it can take us in the not so distant future. What are your thoughts on the connection of the Pattern Recognition to present society?

-Lowell Bunion

Week of December 3rd: Can We Really Escape Trends?

Over the first half of Pattern Recognition, we are introduced to Cayce Pollard, a “cool hunter” who works for Blue Ant spotting trends in culture. Cayce helps companies decide on which logo they should use for their advertising. She has a unique ability, as we are told early in the novel, to know whether or not something will be marketable. She likes to think that she helps guide companies in the right direction – this is the direction that companies are heading but may not be unaware of it. Cayce also has a unique allergy that keeps her from wearing logos on her clothing. Because she is allergic to clothing labels, she is forced to cover these labels with duck tape. She even goes to extremes by defacing the writing on her buttons. Cayce dresses the way that she does in an effort to separate herself from the fashion industry, which is undeniably a huge part of her life. By covering the labels, she is resisting the messages sent out by our society.

As we progress through the novel, we get glimpse at Cayce Pollard’s life. Even though she refuses to be trendy in the way that she dresses, she continues to follow trends in other ways. Everything from her ibook to her cell phone to her love for Starbucks coffee reflects trends. While at a coffee shop similar to Starbucks, Cayce makes the comment, “It feels like old times, to sit here with [Damien], diagonally opposite Camden Town station, wearing damp clothing and nursing large multi-shot lattes” (Gibson 197). Later in the novel, Boone Chu asks Cayce, “So why doesn’t Starbucks drive you crazy…if excessive branding’s the trigger?” (Gibson 215). Boone brings up an excellent point here in showing that Cayce is not allergic to all forms of labeling. Why is Cayce allergic to brand names on her clothing but not labels on Starbucks cups, when both function in similar ways? In our high tech, media-filled world, is it possible to separate yourself completely from labels and advertisements? If it is possible, what would this say about an individual who chooses to do so? In the same respect, is it possible to escape trends in our culture? Compare this to our discussion regarding the portability of the ipod and the statements made by Levy and Rey Chow.

Christopher A. Pedicord

Week of December 3: Pattern Recognition, week 2

In the third section of the book, chapters 21-32, we have noticed that Cayce Pollard is making progress with what she has learned about the footage, Dorotea, and the events that have happened so far. She has been able to make new developments using her iBook and cell phone. These pieces of technology have made her life easier by allowing her to communicate with the people she needs to, who are in different countries. Her iBook and cell phone allow her to get the newest information from Parkaboy, Boone Chu, her mother, and others regarding events that are affecting her at that very moment. Pattern Recognition written in 2003, do you think Cayce Pollard would be any different in the year 2007? Since 2003, there have been new products as well as updated products. Do you think Cayce Pollard would have come to a conclusion earlier if she had an iPhone instead of a cell phone and an iBook? “click hereto see the iPhone commercial.” The iPhone is her iBook and cell phone combined. Cayce does not have to waste time powering up her computer and connecting it to her cell phone. If she had an iPhone she could check her e-mail whenever it was convenient to her. If Cayce was able to check her e-mail at anytime she would be in more control of what happening in her life. She would have more time to come up with solutions to her problems. “Sending the jpeg to Boone requires getting out the iBook and cabling it to the phone. She does this on automatic pilot, apparently remembering how to do it correctly, because her message to chu.b sends immediately” (Gibson, 191). Even though Cayce has become accustomed to connecting her cell phone to her iBook, do you think she would be able to accomplish more if she did not have to? Do you think she would accomplish more if she had the convenience of an iPhone or some other smartphone? List some other ways newer technology might help Cayce.

 

-Michael A. Brooks

** Week of December 3: Notes for the Thread Starters on Pattern Recognition, week 2**

Hi everyone,

As we continue with Pattern Recognition this week, you could focus on one of a number of things for your thread:

— You might consider some of the themes, issues, events, etc. that come up in this third section of the novel and look at them in relation to an example from the real world of popular culture, bringing that second piece into view on the blog to show us what one might suggest or show us about the other.

– You might look at a moment or piece of culture from this part of the novel through the lens of one of the theorists we’ve read, and see what other kinds of culture that inspires you to think about.

– You might follow a theme or issue and see how it develops now that the novel is starting to pick up momentum and move towards concluding events.

Whatever you decide to do, keep in mind that your thread should add to or respond to the material from last week or take things in a different directions — don’t just repeat what last week’s posters said without saying anything different or new.

As a reminder, your post to start a thread should be 300-400 words long, and is due before class on Tuesday. You must give the rest of the class direct access to the artifact you choose in your post—embed it in your post so that we can all see exactly what you’re talking about.

Your post to start a thread should be something like an online response paper: although it does not have to be quite as formal as a full paper, it should work with the material analytically and thoughtfully, making direct, close references to the texts and quoting where appropriate. Do not just summarize the reading and/or the pop culture artifact you choose to post on. Think critically about how they relate, and make a case for how the artifact you’ve chosen illuminates and exemplifies the concepts from the reading.

Lastly, don’t forget that your post should appear as its own separate post, rather than as a response or comment to this one — that way everyone can find it easily.

If you’ve got any questions, feel free to email me. I look forward to seeing what you all come up with!

Mr. Benzon

pattern recognition??

The first ten chapters of this book, for me, have been very confusing. Personally i feel that the plot is all over the place and nothing so far seems to be concrete. So far the only thing i have gotten out of this book is the main character Cayce seems to have a problem with the fashion industry but she actually works in the fashion industry. It said that she would only where certain colors and make sure to take the tags of the brands off her clothing. She tries to act like a rebel but she still works for fashion and her job is to see what looks good and stuff like that. The other thing i got out of this was that it deals a lot with material objects and lots and lots of named brands. Basically this isn’t going to be a long thread because im totally confused on what’s happening in this book. Im writing this not only because i have to but because i want to see some feed back on what other people think about the book so we all can try and put something together and all come up with some type  of conclusion.

-joe capogrosso

Pattern Recogntion = life recognition?

Pattern Recognition starts with a disillusioned female protagonist siffering from jet lag. She is thrust into what is called “mirror-world” or as the rest of the world calls it, “England.” This is a real case of “stranger in a strange land”. But we learn that Cayce work in the cut-throat world of marketing. Cayce makes a living by deciding what is going to be popular and what is going to flop, simply by observing consumers in their day-to-day lives. She is completely involved in her job and is very good at it, so much to the point where she has a physiological reaction to brands and logos. The reader really sympathizes with her in that some brands play a large part in some people’s psyche’s as well, one real world example would be the self-proclaimed Big Mac lover, or the two girls that do not know the Nation Anthem but know the McDonalds ad campaign from the documentary “Super-Size Me”.

There were times in this documentary where the film maker literally felt addicted to McDonalds and sometimes needed it to “feel happy.” This is very similar to Cayce, who in the beginning felt terrible jet-lag after her trip from the United States to Europe and consumes a lot of coffee from a trendy shop “in order to feel human again.” ANother juxtapostion of “Super-Size Me” and the Novel “Pattern Recogntion” is the inherent risks in partaking in popular culture. Whereas in “Super-size me” the film maker experiences a series of health related problems, Cayce feels oppressed by some images, especially her psychological reaction to the Michelin Man, another example would be pundits complaining about America’s youth changing because of the introduction of exteremely violent videogames. These are great examples of the masses reacting to the products of coproations set on taking people’s money.

Mohamed Saleh

Pattern Recognition: Week of November 26th

In Pattern Recognition, the protagonist, Cayce Pollard created a simplistic style of clothing due to the fact that she is “allergic to fashion” and she can only tolerate design-free clothing.  She has become disgusted by large corporations designing “cult” clothing styles.  Styles are constantly changing and evolving. In the past few years, a bright and eccentric clothing style has emerged in the urban skating scene.  This style of clothing was been titled “Skurban.”  The skurban scene began with inner-city skaters purchasing cheap brightly designed t-shirts that cost around 10 or 15 dollars.  The style has expanded so drastically that celebrity moguls, such as rapper/producer Pharrell, are starting their own companies, from which a t-shirt can cost you around 90 dollars. 

Similar to how Cayce Pollard left the brand name style, to join the more basic “soho” style, the urban movement was leaving the bland, average look to move to bright matching clothes. In a similar way, Cayce Pollard attempted to create an inexpensive style with no brand names, but in the end, the style of her clothing has become the “norm” in many areas, such as SOHO in New York City.  This has given many corporations a reason to begin producing the Cayce Pollard style at high prices.  Today, people from the respective stylistic cultures would most likely view the others’ style as products of the fashion industry, which in retrospect is the opposite of what these styles were attempting to portray. These styles were originally produced to get away from mainstream fashions, however, these fashions were accepted, and widely copied, to the point that they now represent mainstream fashion. As stated in the novel, “What people take for relentless minimalism is a side effect of too much exposure to the reactor-cores of fashion” (8).  In the end, isn’t Cayce Pollard creating additional reactor-cores in the world of fashion? Looking into the past, what fashions went from radical to accepted, to the norm? This concept of change over time can also be connected to other aspects of pop culture, including music, dance, etc. Try to think of examples.

-Kevin McNutt-

Week of November 26

In Gibson’s book, Pattern Recognition, the main character Cayce, suffers from a psychological hypersensitivity. This causes Cayce to have allergic reactions to brands and corporate logos. An example of her hate towards large brand names in today’s fashion industry would be the Tommy Hilfiger clothing company. In the Book, Cayce describes Tommy Hilfiger as the “simulacra of simulacra of simulacra. A diluted tincture of Ralph Lauren, who had himself diluted the glory days of Brooks Brothers, who had themselves stepped on the product of Jermyn Street and Savil Row, flavoring their ready-to-wear with liberal lashings of polo knit and regimental stripes.” This section basically states that Tommy Hilfiger is the product of a long line of company after company copying each others products. It’s obvious that Cayce views simulacra as one of the most negative aspects of the fashion industry today. This quote shows her belief that simulacra only detracts from the aura of the original, an idea, we‘ve learned about in the works of Walter Benjamin. Cayce then goes on to say, “But Tommy is surely the null point, the black hole. There must be some Tommy Hilfiger event horizon, beyond which it is impossible to be more derivative, more removed from the source, more devoid of soul.” Is this true? Is Tommy Hilfiger the event horizon, or does this horizon only exist in theory? In these progressions, as each company adds there subtle changes, the shirt itself becomes more and more distant from the original product, maybe even to the point that one can no longer connect the most recent to the original. Is this a problem, or just the nature of fashion? How can this be connected to Warhol’s work. What would he have to say about fashion simulacra, and how does this compare to Cayce‘s thoughts?

Jeff Boone

Week of November 26: Viral Marketing

The novel Pattern Recognition by William Gibson has much to do with brands, as the protagonist, Cayce Pollard, is a trend-spotter, due to her allergy to particularly sensitive and potentially successful brands or corporate logos. Viral marketing, a sort of semi-subliminal advertising, has become quite popular in the past several years, as advertisers and content producers both want to get their product out to the masses in the most inventive (and revenue generating) ways possible. With the advent of social networks, such as MySpace and Facebook, content providers are taking advantage of these grouping of young people to advertise the latest movies, clothing, video games, and many other things. Here is an example:

This is a great example of viral marketing, as it plays on human curiosity. The oddity of a gorilla playing the drums to Phil Collins “In the Air Tonight” (an awesome song in its own right!) hooks the viewer in like few other ads do. If this were just a regular chocolate ad (where someone, usually an attractive woman, is enjoying the candy) it wouldn’t turn as many heads or have as many people watch as having a gorilla playing the drums. Viral advertising is great to spark water cooler conversation, getting viewers to spread the message on their own to other who may have not seen it. Since viral ad campaigns have been successful in the past, do you think that viral ads are the wave of the future? How do you feel about such ads? Are they an inventive way to keep people from changing the channel or do they come off as just another way marketing agencies have to separate people from their money?

-Nicholas McLaren

** Week of November 26: Notes for the Thread Starters on Pattern Recognition**

Hi everyone,

Since we’re starting our discussion of Pattern Recognition this week, you have a slightly different task than thread starters on other weeks. Instead of applying a theoretical reading to various artifacts and texts from pop culture, we’ve got a literary text that explores various kinds of artifacts and issues within the contemporary cultural landscape. So you might pursue one of a number of directions:

– You might think about a moment of pop culture from within the novel in relation to some piece of pop culture out in the “real world,” bringing that second piece into view on the blog to show us what one might suggest or show us about the other.

– You might look at a moment or piece of culture from the novel through the lens of one of the theorists we’ve read, and see what other kinds of culture that inspires you to think about.

– Gibson’s novel is highly Google-able — you might even think of it as a novel for the age of Google. So you might try looking up some of the cultural images, texts, objects, etc., that are all over the novel and reporting back on the significance of what you find.

As a reminder, your post to start a thread should be 300-400 words long, and is due before class on Tuesday. You must give the rest of the class direct access to the artifact you choose in your post—embed it in your post so that we can all see exactly what you’re talking about.

Your post to start a thread should be something like an online response paper: although it does not have to be quite as formal as a full paper, it should work with the material analytically and thoughtfully, making direct, close references to the texts and quoting where appropriate. Do not just summarize the reading and/or the pop culture artifact you choose to post on. Think critically about how they relate, and make a case for how the artifact you’ve chosen illuminates and exemplifies the concepts from the reading.

Lastly, don’t forget that your post should appear as its own separate post, rather than as a response or comment to this one — that way everyone can find it easily.

If you’ve got any questions, feel free to email me. I look forward to seeing what you all come up with!

Mr. Benzon