The Question of Perception

Virilio focuses his final section of Open Sky on images and how we interpret them.  On the topic of how we see such images, he poses one important question: “Can we still talk of images when there are no longer any pixels, the laser beam directly stimulating the retinal rods and cones of the eye?”

I believe these impressions without pixels will still maintain their place as images in our world.  So long as they stimulate our brains, make us feel emotion, and can be differentiated from another impression, images will continue to be an important part of our daily lives.  With technological advances, these laser beams may even push our brains to strain farther than we ever thought before.  So, how might these new laser beamed images enhance our abilities to collect information?

“’It is in the nature of the French not to like what they see.’ Well, are they right or wrong?  That is indeed the question: the question of choice in perception.  Are we free, truly free, to choose what we see?”

Virilio makes an interesting point.  The question of choice is in perception.  We perceive things differently and therefore must act on those images.  How we make our choices defines us as a person.  One who likes a sunrise may also like a sunset.  However that same person may not find the rolling hills to be attractive.  What defines good taste from poor taste in viewing images?

A Sunrise at Pretty Place, Camp Greenville