Wednesday, 30 March 2011

Le Bluff Technologique FR EN





Je ne suis pas le premier, je ne serai pas le dernier a commenter ce livre. Cela m’a pris un mois pour le parcourir de la première a la quatrième de couverture, d’où je tire que ce fut peut être difficile a lire pour moi. Je me suis perdu de nombreuses fois dans l’énumération des références et détails, des différents sujets dont on parle, car on ne parle bien sur pas que de la technique. 731 pages ou je me suis logé entre références, point de vue d’experts et ainsi de suite. Donner un point de vue constructif sur la technique passe peut-etre en utilisant justement une méthode technique pour évaluer les situations. La méthode du cheval de Troyes peut-être.



Pour être honnête, il y a une essence intéressante dans ce livre qui vous pousse a continuer le voyage sur certaines des impasses par lesquelles nous sommes passées, par lesquelles nous passerons. J’aurai peut-être arrêté la lecture si une de mes connaissances ne m’avait pas dit a un moment : « un livre des années 80 sur la technique, ce livre n’est plus valable, les techniques ont évolué la société aussi. » Bref j’ai continué la lecture.

Bref, beaucoup de ressenti a la lecture de ce livre, ca reste une perception. Nous dérapions, nous dérapons vers une idée d’une société technicienne merveilleuse. Et ce qui m’a le plus surpris, c’est que ce livre est structure comme la technique, hypothèses, raisonnement, conclusions, explications d’explications, identification des effets, mettant en perspective les causes possibles.

Donc oui, je m’en vais sur un court résumé qui n’engage que moi. Sur le cote technicien, je me considère comme un expérimenté de ce secteur, dont vais essayer d’en faire un digestif.

L’éducation nous oriente de plus en plus vers ce quoi la technique requiert, en apprenant de plus en plus de techniques appliques. Causes qui créent des personnes de moins en moins apte a suivre ce rythme technicien, une sorte de déchets du système dans un monde technique qui s’oriente sur l’efficacité, la productivité, et relativise, pour ne pas dire ignore, les points de vue non experts sur ce système dessiné et géré par des experts.

La technique est ambivalente, il y a un coté pile, souvent positif, et souvent sur le court terme, ou résolvant des problèmes a court terme, et un coté face, souvent plus long terme, souvent moins positif, mais que l’on peut ignorer vu que cela se place dans un plus long terme.

Sur ce point précédent se construit une discussion sur l’imprévisibilité des techniques : imprévisibilités que nous savons évaluer, imprévisibilités qui sont des risques possibles qui risquent de se poser, et les imprévisibilités littéralement inconnu qui ne peuvent pas etre penser au moment de la vérification et de la mise en place de la technique.

L’information, un sujet tres bien évalué dans ce livre, et qui ont trouvé écho dans les questions qui se sont posés après et se posent maintenant.

Alors, une culture technique ? La technique phagocyte son environnement et donc la culture a une étape certaine. Je me répète Un livre point écrit dans les années 80, avant que les questions ne se posent tres clairement dans chacun de nos esprits fin 90 début 2000 et maintenant, j’espère.

Bien sur, ce livre se livre sur une réflexion sur la société de consommation, la création inexorable des déchets, des cycles de produits de plus en plus court, de l’économie technicienne. N’aime t’on pas les graphiques ? On peut y identifier des idées hors du cadre de la technique, parce que cela change la perspective sur les sujets étudiés.

Voila mon résumé, comme je l’ai dit, quand je lis, j’ai du ressenti. C’est un livre technique, tres intéressant. Penser out of the box, out of techniques, notre idée du progrès, une pierre utile. Le livre explique beaucoup causes, effets d’une situation, et je pense que c’est peut être pour donner l’opportunité aux lecteurs de penser sur ce qu’on considère come progrès, et de faire entrer le subjectif dans un objectif technicien qui le demande.



I am not the first one, won t be the last to review this book. It took me on month to go from cover to cover on this book, quite difficult to read I have to acknowledge for me. I got lost in the enumeration and various topics getting touched around. I wished I had a synthesis view. 731 pages where I have been drown between references, call of experts and so on. To give a constructive point of view on techniques might come from a technical methods in assessing situations. Troyes' like

To tell the truth, there is an interesting part in it and I would haven t continue to read it if it wasn t showing some interesting insights on some dead ends we ve been to and we re going to. If one relative didn t tell me: “come on, it s a book from the eighties, this book is no longer valuable, techniques have evolved.” so dubious about it that I did continue the reading.

And guts feelings are feelings, we are drifting to a technological marvelous fiction we should be aware of, and it s written following a deep structure of techniques explanation of explanations, and most importantly, putting in prospective at some critic and useful stage.
So interesting, I am going for a sum up. On the technician side, I do consider myself no longer as a newcomer and will try a sum it up, digestive if it could be.

Education is getting drowned towards more and more applied knowledge of techniques. Maybe creating more and more unfit people to the technical world, a technical world focused more and more on efficiency reducing hence the non expert input to the system.

Techniques are ambivalent, they all have two sides: a positive one, often on a short term, or solving short term concerns, and a negative, which we might forget, because it might be longer term, bringing even more concerns than the one that has been solved, concerns that will be solved through improvements of techniques most of the time. Aren t we calling experts for any concerns?

Along previous point, techniques have this part of unpredictability we might not understand: There are planned unpredictability, there are possible unpredictability to come, and there are the totally not thought of possibilities and risks.

Information is a field that is assessed quite rightly in this book, and questions raised are still mattering now.

Technical world might not fit our cultural world, attempting to go over it, and here comes the society of information many books relate since then.

Of course, it s going on marketing, our society of consumption, hence of waste, product cycle shortening more and more, economy of techniques. All these societal effects of techniques we were made aware after this book, but before the XXI st century.

So it is my sum up, my perceptions are gut feelings as I ‘ve said. It is an interesting book to read, even if it does take huge efforts to follow the stream. We can identify some out of the box, hence out of techniques, ideas of progress. the text is perhaps so much explaining a situation, maybe to give the opportunity to the reader to think about progress from the reader’s view.

Friday, 18 March 2011

Images, simple images - FR EN

From abstract techniques
To a society of Information


What do you see?

Update 2012: more hardcopies from Henri Moufettal here
And another ones in English on the stage:
And the last one in French, L'autre rivage, revu en couleurs, http://www.lulu.com/product/couverture-souple/lautre-rivage/18811927


Perspectives in motion


and well, the framing helps, or not, i have called it 22h01

Thursday, 17 March 2011

Travelling to some sides around Russia,


Before speaking of my beloved Europe, and this stating point, a diversity that made me wishing to go further, we are stopping in Russia, well first stopping on one site in Latvia.

Riga, its cold weather and wonderful architecture. Climbing up to the roof, extent of this trip is starting to grab my guts. We walk through these beautiful streets, with a personality that gave architecture of last century and before.

Reaching a train station, Cyrillic is trying to make its way through my mind. Boarding the train, we were prepared, the visa, necessary piece that cannot be negotiated on the place, and here we were, on the road to St Petersburg, the great, if I might borrow the nickname of its founder.

Looking around, ulitza after ulitza, we are lost, and we are pleased, walking along the fontanka, reaching the Ermitage, and staying within a family down there. It gave insights to my lack of Russian, and the work I have to carry out, and it gave insights to this point of view only locals can bring.
Continuing with the train, we don’t go to Vladivostok, meeting the landscapes that are amazing any traveler’s mind, we arrived to Moscow.

And well compared to a city which was built to open to Europe, the Nevski prospekt putting yourself in prospect, the soul of Moscow had more from the scars history left than a place to stay. Unease was a feeling that kept following us.

Of course, it is unsettling to reach the red square, to witness the reconstruction of this cathedral destroyed last century, to see sign of Lenin around, Still, Moscow personally brings back one memory, a walk near the Loubianka place, a place that was feared in the past, a place that still holds its threat from history.

So down, we went peacefully to Ukraine and Kiev. Where you need a visa as well. Of course, it s rather nice memories to be awakened at 2 o’clock in the morning by military at the frontier asking you your visa. Fortunately, the luck didn’t leave us and we filled the paper literally on the go.

As the sleep escaped us, we could rightly take  notice of this landscape around, and especially on the bridge the train took, where we could see what we will discover later, a monastery from a far sight.
It was at a time where Ukraine was gathering its diplomacy through different colors, the yellow party, the pink one, the orange one, and the blue one gathering in a main square next to a wonderful jazz club we were entertained in, a sound of jazz, a glass of red wine, my vision of felicity.

We went down to the museum of Chernobyl to go along the history path started in St Petersburg and Moscow, and well, it sounds kind of nowadays giving recent events and the sight of the destruction, material and of lives, back in the 80’s.

Why am I writing all that and all these travels? I have the personnal feelings all these place, in Cambodia, in Peru, in Mexico, in Europe, will inexorably change with what we consider progress and standardization the future holds. So memories in black and white, it does take a photo in my memories at a point in time. And well I didn t speak about the U.S. only because I’ve been only there once while my skills in the language over there was up to socks level, in deep Texas, Houston a business town, and well I was as well under 21. surely i wiss cross again these landscapes, like any of the previous travels.

Travelling to Israel and some sides of Palestine: A road back on track

L'écriture en diagonale
CARNET DE VOYAGE
Introduction: No mysticism, no major change to the initial draft, the writings below are essentially as first written, apart from grammar mistakes. Looking at it now, It shows a lot of feelings, a lot of emotions, and a long way. Simply these are shared, hopefully in the most proper way, with not too much misunderstanding as I am entering this difficult zone.

Background Figures:
One trip. 06/06/09-14/06/09
489 kilometers of drive
62 kilometers of walks
7 Falafels
4 Bagels
5 shwarma
31 liters of water
??? archeological sites.
Many encounters.
ONE happy smile
picasaweb.google.com/waterprod/Israel02?feat=directlink

Why does he never smile?
First impression: One thing is certain, c’est de l’hébreu pour moi. :o)))



Rumours before departures set my mind up on different perspective. Different experience should come at the end. First, Calm, Relax, Quick, Youth and Enjoyment. Happy.
Why did I want to go there?
So long I cannot trace it back. When was it? 16 years ago? The print was already there in my mind map. Even better, starting straight away, only one hour after landing, no sleep, and straight into the car. It will be the first rush stone to many more. Starting with Spanish, heading to English, German, Russian. Yep surprising a lot of people coming from previous satellites states of Russia. Won’t speak about immigrants. It has a different meaning down here.



So, sunburnt from the first day, I am meeting history and extactic activity in pleasure. Definitely not along the urban legends I’ve heard. Another world, another time. Perhaps…




07/06/2009
First Encounters
Americans, Armenians, Sudanese, Ethiopians, Russians, Canadians, Australians, Israelis, South Africans, Irish, Spanish, Uruguayan, Germans, not that many French or English though. I am forgetting many.
So, good surprise, meeting first Americans from south Florida looking to history and coming here for their own personal reasons. Back here, facing all the history and reckoning all the consequences. I am still startled as the people I am meeting are deep into faith. I respect that and fortunately they do as well when I say I don’t believe in god, anyone that would judge my acts. Open-minded, we each other accept the other’s position. Goodness is in all human beings. It’s my only belief. I don’t want to enter the world of this chess and mate. I understand it better. I don’t think I’ve got no questions. Losing my religion is sounding back in my head.
Tel-Aviv is a westernized place under the sun. Israel has done its way forward on unknown borders. Commute together; Shabbat is a day of required sleep. All is about balance. Here, now. All is about excess eating infected mushrooms.



08/06/2009
There is always a first time
Yep, Surprising. First time I am discovering something linked to my own background, rather than discovering a totally new culture I’ve never been in touch with and that I was just eager to discover. I am in Jerusalem, straight onto Via Dolorosa. A path that had to be done this way. I now look to the surroundings with a deeper view, a further perspective. Calmness is the key, just look, witness, understand and absorb. Time to unlock the door, and see what‘s gonna come. Just listen to others meanings. Already, I’ve got the feelings that something gonna come from this. An experience that no one should be scared to undertake, something to be done. Definitely.




11/06/2009
Living the unexpected.
Finally away from Jerusalem, from this nice terrace of this youth hostel. I have absorbed, I can now start to digest. Wahoo. Nothing I expected and still the feeling that I was due to come here since a long time. not for spiritual enlightenment, although I have never been that tanned. I feel totally drained, already. Most surprisingly, for the first time, I feel exhausted both physically AND mentally. 5 days down the line, and still a lot in front. I now enjoy the tranquillity of the sea of Galilee. To these expenses. So much to see, so much to witness. You eat for your hungriness; you drink for your happiness as He once said. Why not? It still looks like Hebrew to me. All the unexpected, all concentrated in this small area.
Safe craziness of Tel aviv
Calmness of the night in Jerusalem, Light show and this dome of the rock I’ve been reading so much about.
So many nationalities meeting down this country
Yad Vashem, where I cried in front of the detailed chunks of this essential museum of history



12/06/2009
I am not, who am I?
Who do I believe in? The questions that keeps being asked, and that I fortunately finished to ask myself. So,
I am not Catholic.
I am not Protestant.
I am not Jewish.
I am not Buddhist.
I am not Muslim
I am not Sufis
I am not Druze
I am not Orthodox
From the look in the eyes of each, I could be an anomaly. But no. I respect them for their belief. They are listening as well to me. We are carrying out a useful discussion. I am that thing. I am that smile. 
After I am that all unconscious and I don’t know why I am here. No witness, no deception. Don’t know from which my set of values are set by. I trust myself, and this way I go above expectations and achieve more.
Who is speaking at the moment?
I don’t know, I cannot see it.




13/06/2009
End of the trip on a white sand beach, still discovering more and more history, and this dialog taking place.
- What did you accomplished?
- I don’t know.
- How do you feel?
- I am exhausted, never felt that tired.
- Happy?
- Head down the Mediterranean sea, How else could it be?
- Ready?
- For what?
- Tell me.
- Don’t know. I need time to digest. A lot of experience, a lot of feelings. I need to rest and keep quiet.
- You are in idle mode. Looks like you’ve been hit by a truck…
- It was a concessionary.
- Was it your idea of a good time?
- It was, meeting a lot, eating different cuisine, and discovering history and religion. I liked the sensation of sand sliding between my fingers.
- Did you achieve something?
- I can feel changes. I am not yet aware of how much. I don’t know why I came. I now need to digest. I will come back in time to face it with answers. I wasn’t prepared to meet so many questions.
- You’re more philosophical?
- Yep, I wouldn’t have believed it. That’s certainly for the better. I am ready for more, escape from the I to another isle. Starting from 0. I was kidding myself. I have everything in hand, and I will sure enjoy it.
- What’s next?
- More sun for sure. Now I really have to keep quiet. Silence will help lifting this superficial burden. Please don’t ask me any other questions.
- Why?
- …




14/06/09
Still… final word.
- Who are you ?
- Yep I know. I am Christian. I am a follower of the Christ and others. In that sense only. He showed, like other prophets, the basic underlying goodness inside everyone, humanism, and they extend their own to so much extent. Nothing more, no miracles, no god protecting it all, no church ruling it all, no more questions. I don’t believe in all and that’s enough. Call this enlightenement, call this a big lie. I need that lie. One has to believe in something. So I believe in human beings. Now, a respectful silence for them, for you. I need to digest, I need to sleep.

Un voyages tres intérressant... MERCI a tout.



3 Years later:



Time played as well with my memories of a travel there. I remember mainly the good sides, having seen and discussed most things I was searching for, discovering about myself, the most valuable thing, and all the good memories.

Still, now, did it worth all the hassle? Having a visa that, 3 months after, would deny my entry to Tripoli, while my plane was running late, and I had to go to , if not an hospital, a quick check up room. Secondly, being stopped by two soldiers, yet very gorgeous, but it wasn’t the matter. A beard of a week and my usual pair of glass on my face, and I didn’t look like the picture of my passport. Are you playing with my nerves? So a mild yes it did worth the hassle, for once, maybe not twice. and because it always has to worth it, whatever I am getting from it, it is not the question.

Why? finally because of what matters. Gut feelings that made me believe I will pass my turn, simply. I am looking in the future, and see a lot more of the other things I am looking forward to.