Manovich’s “Database” touches on some of the questions or issues I’ve had with some of the electronic literature we’ve encountered. Mainly, I feel as though I often comment on how a work does not seem to have much of a narrative structure, or that I don’t feel compelled to continue exploring the work if it seems incoherent. In his discussion of database and narrative, Manovich argues, “why should an arbitrary sequence of database records constructed by the user result in ‘a series of connected events caused or experienced by actors’?” (228). Manovich concludes that “database and narrative do not have the same status in computer culture” (228). My understanding of Manovich’s argument is that he does not think narrative is as critical to understanding digital platforms as is the database, which is the root of any narrative that may form.
In my previous post, I referenced Rabinowitz’s “Rules of Reading” and I think they remain relevant here. One of Rabinowitz’s rules is that of Coherence, which encourages readers to be generous in their evaluation of a work. I’m curious if others think that Manovich is asking us to disregard this Rule of Coherence when we discuss computer culture? If so, I might counter his point that the Rule can still apply but that we must become generous readers in a new way; instead of giving allowances to the text’s coherency for example, maybe we can extend our generosity to appreciate the database itself, that thing he argues is the backbone of these works anyhow.
I enjoyed Harris’ The Whale Hunt for a few reasons. I’m definitely a visual learner so databases don’t often appeal to me. Therefore, I really appreciated Harris’ innovative take on what he refers to as an “experiment in human storytelling.” Through the photographs, Harris has created a sort of database but it is still grounded in a narrative or connecting thread, depending on how a user chooses to navigate the collection. The images could likely stand alone as a visual medium but the captions, heartbeat timeline, and metadata certainly enhance how we experience the database. The project reads almost as a very advanced 1 Second Everyday project, which I think makes the work seem more accessible and engaging.