these programmes are interesting, although to my mind prone to the
exageration and oversimplification that TV always does. The tone of
Electric Dreams (part1) was as if these people were living in a cave. It
is perhaps instructive that the 1970s can be presented as somehow as
remote as another prog on air at present, which in a similar fashion
shows life in the 17th century. Yet when you think about it this
programme is "set" the year after apollo 11 landed on the moon. Is life
really that different today, or do we always tend to see things down the
wrong end of a telescope?
p
R.Harrison wrote:
> There were a number of interesting archaeological metaphors in this programme. For example, Armitage opens his drawer containing all of his defunct and now upgraded gadgets, refering to it as the 'archaeology' of his obsession with upgrading, and a form of 'excavation'.
>
> This programme is part of the BBC 4 'Electric Revolution' season http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/features/electricrevolution/, which features a number of Open University co-productions including 'Electric Dreams', the first of which aired last night on BBC 4, where a family lives with the technology of the 1970s house for 10 days http://www.bbc.co.uk/electricdreams/ . Next week they are living in the 1980s. Other programmes include 'The life and death of a mobile phone' next monday at 21:00 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00n58ml and the drama 'Micro Men' about the 80's home computer industry http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/comingup/micromen/
>
>
> _______________________
> Dr Rodney Harrison
> Lecturer in Heritage Studies
> Faculty of Arts
> The Open University
> Walton Hall
> MILTON KEYNES MK7 6AA
> UNITED KINGDOM
> email: [log in to unmask]
> web: www.open.ac.uk/Arts/history/harrison.htm
> Understanding Global Heritage: www.open.ac.uk/Arts/ad281
> CHAT group: www.contemp-hist-arch.ac.uk
> ________________________________________
> From: Discussion List for Contemporary and Historical Archaeology [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Susannah Callow [[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 29 September 2009 13:27
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Upgrade Me
>
> Upgrade Me: A BBC documentary I spotted, presented by poet Simon
> Armitage, about the phenomenon of rapidly changing technology requiring
> regular "upgrades" and what this says about modern life and materiality,
> including recent concepts of the disposable nature of material
> belongings, even expensive gadgets. Armitage even describes
> "excavating" a drawer full of "old", seemingly obsolete technology.
>
> Catch it here on BBC Iplayer (in the UK) for the next week:
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00n1hwj/Upgrade_Me/
> Description/website here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00n1hwj
>
> "Poet and gadget lover Simon Armitage explores people's obsession with
> upgrading to the latest technological gadgetry.
>
> Upgrade culture drives millions to purchase the latest phones,
> flatscreen TVs, laptops and MP3 players. But is it design,
> functionality, fashion or friends that makes people covet the upgrade,
> and how far does the choice of gadgets define identity? Simon journeys
> across Britain and to South Korea in search of answers."
>
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contemp-hist-arch is a list for news and events
in contemporary and historical archaeology, and
for announcements relating to the CHAT conference group.
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Visit the CHAT website for more information and for future meeting dates:
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