Friedrich Kittler

EVENT

presentation

image / media archaeology / perspective / theory / writing

1999-07-03

German

Film and television, computer graphics and virtual reality force images to run faster and faster. Strangely enough, this phenomenon has made 20th century media theories triumphantly declare that the game is over for writing and, in particular, for books; the image, more powerful and interpersonal than ever, is about to return to its ancient right. This jubilation, and especially the diagnosis it is based upon, is what I would like to contradict here. My counter-thesis goes, in brief, like this: The game is not simply over for printed books; the book is the unique medium which paved the way for the development of its high-tech conquerors. (...) (F.K.)

Perspective on Perspective