and Transromantics (plus Colleagues
Across the Curriculum)
Courses w/o Boundaries Series
This rumination was provoked by
Laila’s use of the word “spectrum”
as a way of resolving “polarities”
and the opposition they generate.
CHANGE
/ \
mediated immediate
Spectrum
Bridge
Two words that indicate tangible
connection, a range, a mediating,
transition moving across time-
space from one position (place)
to another: a mediated experience
as when the kid in the back seat says,
Daddy, are we there yet?
No son, we’re still on our way.
Trans: transition, transport, translate.
Moving on down the road: slow-to-
fast spectrum & ratios: a continuity,
continuum. (analogue)
Click-Switch
What? What the?:
Now you see it now you don’t
No intermediate mediation.
No transition, transport.
SUDDEN, unexpected,
like sitting in your office and
one moment healthy, the next
moment: a cold, damnit: that
fast.
No gradual spectrum of I’m feeling
good, not so, poor, bad, awful.
As when a student sits in class and
click-switch: he’s in
no—click: in
in Glad. No transition.
Like being in a house with rooms
but no doors or hallways and yet
click-switch: transfer from one
room to another yellow wallpaper
here, pink roses there, a vast sea
scape and no spectrum or bridge
bridging the experience. Dream
jumps even during Waking Life.
Continuum (spectrum bridging) and
continuous change on the one hand.
(analogue)
Discontinuous (gap, chasm)
discrete, “jumps” quantum leap-like
change on the other hand. (digital)
And which of the 2 hands seems to
be the one clapping (as it were)?
No, seriously: the mediated or the
immediated experience? Which
appears to dominate? Which feels
most familiar—the transitional
change…ah, I’m almost there,
I’m closer, warm, warmer, hot!
Or the un-mediated: “oops, o my:
where did THAT come from?
How did THAT happen?
What?What the?
2 kinds of CHANGE:
mediated,
immediate.
Which do you prefer, privilege?
What’s the ratio between the 2,
in any given day?
(But its ALL mediated, Sam,
how could it not be?)
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