McGann Response
¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0
¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 2 From McGann’s perspective, human beings are not simply the masters of things, but rather we are more suited to be viewed as “participants and students,” who are constantly learning. Humans collectively can only become greater, and reach the potential status of mastery through educating ourselves with new objects of study and learning how these new areas education better assist in our study of the humanities. In the case of the digital humanities, our methods of learning are becoming more digitized and through this digital revolution, the resources available to us are growing exponentially. The databases we use to gather information now are being transformed from the stationary, physical entities you can hold in your hands, to instead, virtual files you can access anywhere with the click of a button. This evolution from paper to screen has its advantages, but as McGann points out, the change is occurring through force and as a collective population, we are helpless to stop it.
¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 1 Therefore, instead of combatting the inevitable advancement in technology and what it means for the future of digital humanities, students and scholars alike must learn and adapt to how we can use this change in our favor. Humans are adaptable creatures, and through this process of adaptation we learn, we construct, and we communicate. So we must learn how to incorporate the traditional studies of our literary world with the evolving digital ones. We must build new relationships with the resources we have and the new ones we gain, as well as systems that can support them. And we must also be able to better communicate our findings with the technologically driven world we are a part of. So it is imperative that we strive to initiate new subjects and methods into the study of digital humanities, instead of simply waiting for someone else to do it first.
I’m not sure if McGann would take such a pessimistic tone. “Change is occurring through force… we are helpless to stop it.” I think McGann advocates for mastery of this new digital realm because of its success, not necessarily because of its inevitability. Sure, McGann cites it as inevitable too, but he also understands not all are going to take this new methodology in loving arms. “For some of us, this will be a road not taken” [63].
I’m curious about your observation (vis-a-vis McGann) that “the change is occurring through force,” which appears to characterize digitization as a naturally occurring phenomenon. But it isn’t, of course: humans are responsible for the “force” that is transforming our way of life and methods of study. So where is that force coming from? Which humans, in particular, are responsible for it?