Module 9: Real vs. unreal on the digital web

This was an interesting unit to cover about the reality and false sense that can be given by the world of digitized history. I've never put much thought into how I actually feel about being able to view history and artifacts over the web without utilizing the very senses I was born with to do so. To me, I actually do appreciate the smell and feel of the newspaper, but I also don't seem to mind getting some of my news source from the internet. It's weird to think the world is ever so evolving into what could be a false sense of reality and without seeing something, do we actually even know if it exists. I mean, we know a newspaper exists and that it gives us some relevancy in the world in which we've grown to trust that were getting the most up-to-date and factual information out there- so the suggestion that if were to make newspapers obsolete means that were getting only false narrative on the web seems a bit far-fetched (although you really can't believe everything you see no matter where it comes from). My point on this matter seems that you can alter or change an original to fit the viewers narrative.

There was recently a video I watched on YouTube called How 3D printing can preserve history and it was actually pretty interesting and questionable at the same time. This woman took the digital images from a statue(s) that was destroyed and replicated them using a 3D printer. Those reprints are the closest thing you will see/touch/view in real time besides the digital images of the statues prior to their demise. I mean, there could be someone else who replicated them as well but that's not my point here. This woman has the capabilities, and she says this herself to some degree, to alter or make minor adjustments to keep the history alive. Okay, so you're technically not viewing the original so does it matter that any adjustments were made to fit the authors narrative? I mean it's like two people writing a book about one town but there's two different authors and two different views. Same town, same buildings, different views. I'm not sure that this could be actually considered a real replication of the statue but if that's all we have to go off of, then I guess we would think it was. 

Let's talk artifacts and museum history. I recently did a virtual tour of a museum in California called The J. Paul Getty Museum. I viewed several rooms that housed the exhibit of artifacts from Mesopotamia. This was an extremely cool visit and unlike anything I'd ever done. I've done a virtual tour in other museums and even viewed some painting in the Getty Museum as well, but this was by far the best virtual view of them all. The only critique I have is that I wish I had a bit more control over viewing the artifacts but overall, the setup was great and well thought out. I got to see some of these pieces very up close and personal, but I also had a sense of non-reality. Obviously, these items are digitized and uploaded to their site but has a hands-on person who really enjoys using all my senses, I started to question if what I was actually viewing was a web replication or the real deal?  I really enjoyed being able to see how they were displayed in the museum and having an up close and personal view but to me, I prefer to see something firsthand.  I prefer to smell and feel the newspaper. I prefer to walk the hall and view the statue and look at every detail up close and not guided by the view of what someone else wants me to see. I have such a better appreciation for something when it's there in front of me. There is an exception though. I am highly appreciative of transcriptions and digitized writings that I'm able to view from the web. This is the only exception. I appreciate the capability to view the paper up close and see the dots of lead from the pencil and the correction line of a drawing that you would otherwise miss from viewing an artifact further away or in a clear case.

 Either way, I don't feel there will ever be a clear-cut, right or wrong answer on the reality vs. non-reality of the world and digitized web. I say this because just like our learning styles, we all have different ways on which we view material and objects. I think people tend to also adapt with time and don't even give a second thought to something of this nature; Perhaps they just take whatever is given to them and go from there. There's no real substance, just view whatever it is in front of them and move along. I'll continue to read and look at everything I can in person until I can't anymore because that gives me the most value and appreciation of something at this time.