This week has been a long – the rhythm of semester has settled in and projects are starting to really kick off. I also went to two really interesting debates: one about truth – Truth, Post-Truth and Alternative Facts (put on by the Professional Pathways minor of the UQ HASS faculty) – and other about the intersection of translation/interpretation and technology – Translating and Interpreting Forum (put on by the UQ School of Languages and Cultures).
It’s something I’ve noticed, both in my own reactions and in others, that we self-construct a pleasing reality. And anything that contradicts it is often dismissed without any kind of processing. The idea of truth as some kind of inviolable ‘objective’ entity is one that seems to exist only in theoretical realms. As humans we are far more likely, it seems, to accept what progresses our own ideals, allows us to survive easier and doesn’t threaten our sense of the ‘world as it is’. It was very interesting to see that played out in a debate that centred around the manipulation of ‘fact’ – whether by politicians, deep fakes, or other digital manipulations.
In a line up of three speakers it’s always interesting to see what each person brings, their perspective, their alignment with one or other existing stance, and how their personal experience shapes their opinions.
Find following: two micro poems and a photograph I took in the city recently.
Interesting reading,
Alexei
A familiar room
A familiar set of stairs
The door was left open
This time
Layered flat strands
Clump and hang
Like rivulets passing
Over bare ground
Through to the White Tower
Alexei Vimpani 