“We live in one of those rare moments of opportunity for the humanities, not
Burdick et al. “One: From Humanities to Digital Humanities,” in Digital_Humanities (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2012), 13.
unlike other great eras of cultural-historical transformation such as
the shift from the scroll to the codex, the invention of moveable type, the encounter with the New World, and the Industrial Revolution.”
This quote from the text resonated with me because it highlights the impact of the digital age on the humanities and the vast opportunities it brings. This quote perpetuates the idea that although we may not know it, we are at a massive turning point in human history. Never in human history have we had so much information and texts at our fingertips? The capacity to learn and study the humanities has never been greater. Additionally, I thought this quote was interesting because it connects back to me when it refers to new opportunities for the humanities. I am currently taking a college course that focuses on digital humanities, this is a relatively new field, and I do not believe I would have the same opportunity to take a digital humanities class at Carleton had I attended the College 20 years ago. The very fact that I am in this class is indicative of how special this era could be for the humanities field.
When it comes to the digital humanities a field I am interested in is digital privacy. I think data mining is very interesting and while I am aware of its importance in the digital landscape, I understand very little when it comes to the actual nuts and bolts of it. Companies view the personal data of individuals on a large scale to view potential consumer trends, but how is this practice ethical when a private individual’s data is being viewed even if it’s through the anonymity that is provided when it is grouped together with the data of thousands or even millions of individuals. I think this is a very interesting concept and I am excited to potentially learn more about it in this class.
3 thoughts on “Week 1 Blog Post (Marcus Merkelbach)”
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We are living in a very exciting time right now. Technology has advanced so much in the past years and it is progressing at a faster rate every year! I am eager to see how the rise of artificial intelligence will affect the humanities. This a special era to be learning about digital humanities, because as you said, only a couple years ago, it was very different.
I really like how you go into depth on why you are interested in taking this class. Technology as of now is something evolving very rapidly and with comes curious minds so with this I can relate to wanting to explore the different topics digital humanities has to offer us.
I totally agree with you, I think that the transition of humanistic concepts to a digital platform is something remarkable that will change the field of the humanities. You mentioned the sheer reach that technology has today, we are exposed to a plethora of perspectives and information. Not only will technology change the way in which information is presented but it will enlighten those who previously had no knowledge of certain aspects of humanity. Technology will not only become a means for preservation but also a means for education for those in all corners of the globe across different backgrounds. Not only will the digital world make humanistic ideas widely available but it could also threaten the security and validity of these ideas as it will be more vulnerable online.