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02.03 Reading Assignment

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Assignment Deliverables

  1. Upload a typed reading response as a pdf or docx
    • Label the file YYYYMMDD Lastname Firstname Walter Benjamin Reading Response.pdf/docx

Requirements

  1. Put you name and the date in the top left corner of the document.
  2. Include the title, author, and date of publication of the reading.
  3. Include the following:
    • 3 questions you have about the reading.
    • 3 contemporaneous cultural events / happenings / occurrences from the year of publication of the reading.
    • 3 contemporaneous political events / historical events /social movements from the year of publication of the reading.
    • A glossary with definitions of words from the reading you did not know the meaning of.

Text Source

Process

Read the text once without worrying too much about parts you don’t fully understand. If something strikes you as interesting or unusual, jot it down. Mark passages you agree or disagree with, and note your reasons why. Remember that truly understanding a text often requires more than one reading. Rereading helps you internalize the content and develop your own opinions.

The main goal of this assignment is to ensure you have meaningful, well-formed thoughts that you can clearly communicate to others. How you reach that point is largely up to you: you can read thoroughly, take notes according to the assignment guidelines, or even consult large language models (LLMs) for prompts and ideas. However, using external tools can be both helpful and distracting, so use them wisely.

Above all, remember that your ability to form, remember, and express creative analyses is more valuable than the notes or writing response you produce. Think of reading and note-taking (or using any tool) as a means to an end: what ultimately matters is that you can share novel insights and participate effectively in the in-class discussion, where you’ll be evaluated on the originality and clarity of your ideas.

LLM Completed Examples

Do your best to get good at things that machines are not. Focus on developing the skills that make you uniquely human—skills that machines can’t yet easily replicate. Tasks like summarizing a reading or generating straightforward responses have become easily completable by technology, like large language models (LLMs).

Instead of aiming to perfect skills that are now routine for machines, strive to maximize your capacity for creative thinking and critical analysis. Look at texts, ideas, and problems from multiple perspectives and engaging with them deeply and thoughtfully. Use all the tools at your disposal, including LLMs, to analyze texts, uncover patterns, and generate insights. Question the conclusions you’ve drawn and test your ideas through dialogue, debate, and collaboration with others.

The race to simply create text is over before you even start—it’s a challenge machines have already nearly mastered. What matters now is what you bring to the process: your ability to challenge assumptions, navigate complexity, and offer nuanced perspectives that machines cannot.

ChatGPT 4o Example Writing Response 1

This ChatGPT 4o example response was generated from merely pasting the content of the assignment above as the prompt. The text of the reading was not included. The simple prompt of “do the assignment” was enough to burp out plenty of text.

Name: [Your Name]
Date: [Today’s Date]

Title: The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction
Author: Walter Benjamin
Date of Publication: 1936

1. Questions about the Reading

  1. How does Benjamin’s concept of “aura” relate to contemporary debates about digital art and NFTs?
  2. What are the implications of Benjamin’s analysis for the role of artists in political movements today?
  3. Does Benjamin’s argument about the democratization of art through reproduction hold true in the age of social media?

2. Contemporaneous Cultural Events (1936)

  1. The film Modern Times by Charlie Chaplin was released, critiquing industrialization and labor conditions, paralleling Benjamin’s ideas about art and technology.
  2. The debut of Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell marked a significant cultural phenomenon in literature.
  3. The establishment of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art highlighted growing institutional support for modern art.

3. Contemporaneous Political Events / Historical Movements (1936)

  1. The Spanish Civil War began, representing a major ideological conflict between fascism and democracy.
  2. The Berlin Olympics were held, showcasing Nazi propaganda and the international tensions of the pre-WWII era.
  3. Franklin D. Roosevelt was re-elected as U.S. President, continuing the New Deal policies aimed at economic recovery during the Great Depression.

4. Glossary

  1. Aura - The unique presence and authenticity of a work of art, particularly tied to its original context of creation.
  2. Mechanical Reproduction - The process by which art and media are duplicated using technology, such as printing or film, diminishing their “aura.”
  3. Cult Value - The value of art derived from its ritual or religious significance, as opposed to its exhibition value in public spaces.
  4. Exhibition Value - The worth of art based on its accessibility and ability to be widely displayed or distributed.
  5. Fascism - A political ideology characterized by authoritarian nationalism, suppression of dissent, and the merging of state and corporate power.

Reflection and Notes

Reading Benjamin’s essay emphasized how art’s function has shifted from ritualistic and cult-like to widely disseminated and politically charged. His notion of “aura” challenges how we perceive authenticity in today’s context, particularly when images, videos, and digital creations are endlessly replicated and shared.

This reading pushed me to think critically about how new technologies (such as AI) continue to reshape our cultural and artistic landscape, both democratizing access and raising questions about the value of originality.


ChatGPT 4o Example Writing Response 2

This second ChatGPT 4o example response was generated from the prompt, “do the assignment again with all new information as if a second student completed it”

Name: [Second Student’s Name]
Date: [Today’s Date]

Title: The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction
Author: Walter Benjamin
Date of Publication: 1936

1. Questions about the Reading

  1. How does the shift from “cult value” to “exhibition value” affect the perception of traditional art forms like painting or sculpture?
  2. In what ways does Benjamin’s idea of art’s political potential apply to modern protest movements?
  3. Could Benjamin’s critique of mechanical reproduction extend to the digital manipulation of images and video today?

2. Contemporaneous Cultural Events (1936)

  1. The Life magazine photojournalism format launched, revolutionizing visual storytelling and aligning with Benjamin’s focus on reproduction.
  2. Sergei Eisenstein’s film Bezhin Meadow was produced, highlighting the use of cinema as a medium for political messaging.
  3. The International Surrealist Exhibition opened in London, reflecting the avant-garde artistic movements of the time.

3. Contemporaneous Political Events / Historical Movements (1936)

  1. Adolf Hitler reoccupied the Rhineland in violation of the Treaty of Versailles, marking a key event leading up to WWII.
  2. The Great Purge began in the Soviet Union under Stalin, showcasing state control and the suppression of dissent.
  3. Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia escalated tensions and highlighted the failures of the League of Nations in preventing aggression.

4. Glossary

  1. Dialectical Materialism - A Marxist concept emphasizing the role of material conditions in shaping societal changes.
  2. Technological Reproducibility - The ability to replicate art and other works through mechanical processes, such as printing or film production.
  3. Aura Decay - The diminishing of an artwork’s “aura” or unique presence due to mass reproduction and technological advancements.
  4. Mass Culture - Cultural products created for and consumed by large audiences, often critiqued for prioritizing entertainment over depth.
  5. Propaganda - Media or communication used to influence public opinion, often by governments or organizations for political purposes.

Reflection and Notes

Benjamin’s essay resonated with contemporary concerns about the role of technology in shaping culture. His analysis of art’s reproducibility made me think about how digital tools have democratized creative processes while simultaneously challenging ideas of originality. The comparison of art’s “cult value” to its modern “exhibition value” raises important questions about how audiences engage with art in an era dominated by screens.

The parallels between Benjamin’s historical context and today’s digital landscape suggest that issues of authenticity, political impact, and cultural relevance continue to evolve but remain deeply intertwined with technology.