Description
A comprehensive study of the pervasive role of immersion and immersive media in postmodern culture, from a humanities and social sciences perspective.
Virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, and other modes of digitally induced immersion herald a major cultural and economic shift in society. Most academic discussions of immersion and immersive media have focused on the technological aspects. In The 360° Gaze, Christian Stiegler takes a humanities and social science approach, emphasizing the human implications of immersive media in postmodern culture. Examining characteristics common to all immersive experiences, he uncovers dominant metaphors, such as the rabbit hole, and prevailing ideologies. He raises fundamental questions about opportunities and risks associated with immersion, as well as the potential effects on individuals, communities, and societies.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Ready Player One: Immersion, Postmodernism, and Liquidity 1
1 Rabbit Holes 13
2 Beyond the Mediation 55
3 Intermedia Immersions 103
4 Sociocultural Immersions 161
5 In Limbo 221
Notes 233
References 275
Index 297
