University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Stream of subconsciousness

(USC Thesis Other)

Stream of subconsciousness

PDF

Download a page range

Download transcript

Copy asset link

Request this asset

Transcript (if available)

Content STREAM OF SUBCONSCIOUSNESS
by
Sebin Song
A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSKI SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF FINE ARTS
(DESIGN)
May 2020
Copyright 2020 Sebin Song
Contents
Tables and Figures iii
Thesis Abstract iv
Introduction Disassociation, Alienation, and Isolation 1
Chapter 1 Gradual Process of Dehumanization 3
Chapter 2 Dehumanization and Design 9
Chapter 3 Project 01: Propaganda and the Power of Manipulative
Media
10
Chapter 4 Project 02: Opinions of Social Destruction - Algorithms 18
Chapter 5 Project 03: Limited perspectives and Exposure to Those
Narratives - Performative Experience; An Anecdotal User
Experience Research
22
Chapter 6 Project 04: A false-sense of togetherness when in a sea of
aloneness - Series of visual narrations
29
Chapter 7 Project 05: The individual’s responsibility to challenge
society’s dehumanization - Phone Application
29
Conclusion 30
Bibliography 33
ii
Tables and Figures
Table 1 Economic Growth from the Industrial Revolution ………………………….…………. 07
Figure 1 Design Thinking Graph by Sebin Song ……………………………………...………… v
Figure 2 Relationship between Superstructure and Substructure ………...……………………… 04
Figure 3 Narrow alley that’s facing a wall ………………….……………………...………… 11
Figure 4 Chapel Gallery Illustration ……….. ……………………………………...………… 12
Figure 5 Behind the scene shot ……….. …………………………………………....………… 13
Figure 6 Collection of international propaganda posters ………...……………....………… 14
Figure 7 Aerial shot of the maze ………... ……………....………....………....……………… 16
Figure 8 Mark Zukerberg with filter effects ………... ……………....………....……………. 18
Figure 9 Collection of the facial expression from industrial leaders at
their conference ……… ....……………....……………....……………....…………... 19
Figure 10 Jack Dorsey interview ………... ……………....…………....…………....………….. 21
Figure 11 Scroll, tap/tap, scroll - Introduction ………... ……………....…………....………... 23
Figure 12 Five wearables for participants ………... ……………....…………....……....……... 25
Figure 13 Photos that participants see through wearables ………... ……………....…...……. 26
Figure 14 Participants’ observations ………... ……………....……………....…………...……. 28
Figure 15 User flow chart ………...……………....……………....……….……….……...……. 30
iii
Thesis Abstract
My thesis research has led to the exploration of the following topics: Developing
individual self-awareness and an understanding of how technology has been deeply rooted into
the quality of interactions with others; A deep investigation into the influence that design has on
society’s dehumanization; Research on how the application of UX Design could reduce
confirmation bias and allow for more “health” connectivity; The lasting affect and effects of
filter biases and the degree of influence that our designs have on others.
Using a variety of media, my design critiques and narrates the manipulative design
approaches used over time, and emphasizes the way that user experience design has become one
of the most destructive ways for dehumanizing society. Furthermore, this dehumanization occurs
subconsciously, and users often fail to realize how technology is alienating us today. Based on
the works of Karl Marx, I define dehumanization as the capitalism-induced gradual process that
diminishes our ability to relate to others. This phenomenon occurs due to the combination of
isolation and the degradation of humane values. I also identify the psychological effects that
result from technological advancements and the media’s influence on society. With a brief recap
of significant Industrial Revolution-based events, I describe technology’s role in increasing
dehumanization, and how the rate of dehumanization has accelerated over time (see fig. 1). To
dissect this process into its component parts, I composed five projects that highlight isolation and
iv
alienation based on the works of Marx; and the mediums include an installation, videos,
performance art, and a UI/UX digital interface.
Fig. 1. Created by Sebin Song. [2020].
My investigation focuses on dehumanization that occurs due to the increased use of
technology and what society frames as acceptable thoughts and behaviors. My exploration began
with a study of the conscious and subconscious relationship between humans and technology,
with the goal of trying to identify a humane way to adjust to technological influences and biases
present in the information we receive today from the designer’s point of view.
v

Introduction

Human consciousness has long been influenced by technological breakthroughs.
Beginning in the late 1700s, the Industrial Revolution led to immense shifts in the way we think,
work, and socialize. The increase in the human population and rapid changes in production
methods that accompanied the Industrial Revolution played key roles in shaping human
interactions with one another.
Today, we live in a digital age that has exponentially intensified the effects of
modernization due to the Industrial Revolution. From the smartphones that exist as
mini-computers in our pockets to the powerful search engines that respond to our inquiries,
technology shapes the way we interpret the information around us, while also decreasing the
quality of our personal interaction. Furthermore, when we search for information online, the
results instantly become integrated with our personal information and preferences, which
reinforces thoughts and belief systems, resulting in an escalation of confirmation biases rather
than more objective truths. The information received from influential technological sources
becomes our “truth,” and continually impacts how we interact with the world.
As organizations and institutions compete relentlessly for our attention, manipulative
approaches deliver the messages and images that penetrate the depths of human minds. These
manipulations create systematic brainwashing and involuntary influences, which further divide
people and ultimately leads to what I will call dehumanization.
1

I believe dehumanization is the reduction of the individual that ultimately leads to a
disruption of social norms, an expected idea of how to behave in a culture. That process of
reduction of our humanity ultimately causes isolation and alienation - a kind of alienation of
human rights and a denaturalization.

2

Gradual Process of Dehumanization

Since the first Industrial Revolution, the relationship between human subjectivity and
technology has become of increasing concern. Marx already anticipated the complex relationship
in the Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844 , describing how people work in these
mass production-based capitalist systems and suffer from four types of alienation. Two of the
four types focus on human interaction: people lose their nature as human beings, while
secondarily becoming alienated from other human beings in the process. Separately, Marx
1
discusses how mass production creates a system of “haves” and “have-nots,” in which the
dominant class controls the forces of production, while using non-economic institutions to
uphold its authority and position. Ultimately, Marx describes how the social order is
2
determined by the changes in technology, and how the rapid rise of technological advances play
a key role in dehumanization. Marx wrote at a time in which the world moved at a much slower
pace than it does today. He understood the relationship between the industrial revolution and the
production of human subjectivity that would be negatively impacted by their relationships to
media and technology.
At its core, Marx describes society as a system based on two primary groups:
superstructure and substructure. The superstructure represents the ideologies that dominate a
1
Wolff, Jonathan. “Karl Marx.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Stanford University,
April 12, 2017. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/marx/.
2
Elwell, Frank W. “Karl Marx: On Capitalism.” Karl Marx. Athabasca University Press , August
28, 2013. http://www.faculty.rsu.edu/users/f/felwell/www/Theorists/Essays/Marx3.htm.
3

particular era, and shapes the way people live. These theories include religion, culture, law,
education, and science. The substructure represents technology, also known as the practical
means of production, and the way people interact with each other, commonly referred to as the
relations of production. In terms of influence, ideologies from the superstructure impact
everything from politics to the design of everything we experience. Today, superstructure
influences how design is conceptualized, and when people interact with those designs, resulting
in a behavior that emerges and reinforces what they have experienced. More specifically, the
superstructure is responsible for perpetuating ideas of isolation, technology. UX design has
accelerated that isolation, and isolation-based behavior influences both people and the
superstructure, creating a never-ending cycle of isolation (see fig. 2).
Fig. 2. Created by Sebin Song. [2020].
As technology has advanced, the quality of human interaction has declined. To
understand this inverse relationship, it is critical to first review the significant shifts in
technology that capture how society has adapted historically. Enabled by the Scientific
Revolution of the 1500-1600s, Great Britain embraced Newtonian mechanics and became the
starting point of the First Industrial Revolution. The technological advancements that arose at the
beginning of the 18th century were brought on by the connection of water power, textile
4

machinery, and factory organization, which all played a critical role in the dominance of the
British textile industry. During this time, the invention of the steam engine exponentially
increased production because it replaced the windmill as the optimum power source.
3
A few decades later, America began to transition from an agricultural economy to an
industrial economy, due to a combination of variables including the political climate, the
abundance of land, and the expense of newly-developed machinery. Beginning with Samuel
Slater’s opening of the first industrial mill in the U.S in 1790, American life changed rapidly as
people and organizations adapted to these new technologies. As a result, factories were built, and
productivity increased significantly. Civilization began to change in ways that influenced social
behavior and development, and even the formation of today’s cities. Steam engine technology
4
improved, so did factories and transportation models within the new production systems.
Metropolitan centers began forming near railways and key shipping routes as people began
moving closer to where their jobs were to be found and/or located. Research and development
institutions continued their efforts to understand the science of electricity, and the first effective
mass application of electricity targeted communication - the combination of Morse Code and the
telegraph. The telegraph system marked the beginning of an almost instant transmission of
3
Reamer, Andrew. “The Impacts of Technological Invention on Economic Growth – A Review
of the Literature.” The Impacts of Technological Invention on Economic Growth – A Review of
the Literature . Portland, 2014.
https://gwipp.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2181/f/downloads/Reamer_The_Impacts_of_Invention
_on_Economic_Growth_02-28-14.pdf .
4
“Economic Growth and the Early Industrial Revolution.” U.S. History Online Textbook.
Independence Hall Association. Accessed December 9, 2019.
https://www.ushistory.org/Us/22a.asp .
5

information, and allowed people to connect at near real-time speeds, even though the messages
only consisted of beeps and pauses. In terms of communication, newer technology led to the age
of the newspaper in the mid-1800s. Due to mass production of the newspaper and the success of
evermore distribution channels, people began to read the news on a regular basis, and they
became increasingly accustomed to seeing advertisements throughout their papers. The news
5
articles and advertisements found new power in being able to regularly influence the minds of
many people, and these institutions were able to control the narratives and people’s opinions.
Most historians and economists agree the beginning of the second Industrial Revolution
took place in the late 1800s. Defined as a “science-led” industrial phase, this period is
characterized by the invention of steel, chemicals, and electric motors. Technological leadership
shifted away from Britain, and mass production became a staple of American urban
development. According to Joel Mokyr, “the second Industrial Revolution turned the large
technological system from an exception to a commonplace.” It greatly increased the range of
6
applications from discoveries of the first Industrial Revolution, but it also led to an
unprecedented rise in economic growth (see table 1).
5
O'Barr, William M. "A Brief History of Advertising in America." Advertising & Society Review
6, no. 3 (2005) doi:10.1353/asr.2006.0006 .
6
Mokyr, Joel. “The Second Industrial Revolution, 1870-1914.” The Second Industrial
Revolution, 1870-1914 . Evanston , 1998.
https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.northwestern.edu/dist/3/1222/files/2016/06/The-Second-In
dustrial-Revolution-1870-1914-Aug-1998-1ubah7s.pdf .
6

Table 1. Created by Reamer, Andres. [2014]. From Portland. accessed December 3, 2019,
https://gwipp.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2181/f/downloads/Reamer_The_Impacts_of_Invention
_on_Economic_Growth_02-28-14.pdf .

This sudden economic growth continued, and was further exaggerated by the emergence
of computing technology. The computerization of mass production led to a third Industrial
7
Revolution, which is also called the “Information Age.” This phase marks yet another significant
change of production and civilization. Today, scholars argue that we are in the midst of a fourth
Industrial Revolution, one that features breakthroughs featuring artificial intelligence, quantum
computing, and technology that allows even our kitchen appliances to be connected to the
internet.
8
7
Reamer, Andrew. p.6.
8
Thunderbird School of Global Management. “Studying the Fourth Industrial Revolution to
Harness Its Transformative Power.” Knowledge Network. Arizona State University, August 27,
7

With all of these advances in technology, human interaction evolved in either keeping up
with the needs of communication at the workplace, or helping people stay connected without
having to visibly or physically interact with one another. Temporal and geographic constraints no
longer exist. During the phases of the Industrial Revolution, communication evolved from Morse
code-based telegraphs to smartphone video chat sessions and obsessive following of each other’s
lives on social media. On the surface, it seems that these technological advances bring us closer
together, but the superficial and artificial nature of today’s communication has led to a decrease
in authentic connection and has negatively impacted human interactions.
In an article titled, “ Research: The Industrial Revolution Left Psychological Scars That
Can Still Be Seen Today, ” Martin Obschonka combines historical data of regional industry
structures with an analysis of the psychologically adverse effects on people within these regions
to measure industry-induced emotional instability, anger, and levels of extraverted social
engagement. To summarize, he writes, “While massive industrialization brought unprecedented
technological and economic progress, it also left a psychological legacy that continues to shape
the personality traits and well-being of people currently in these regions.” To drive his point
9
home, he refers back to a quote from Adam Smith in the year of 1776 (when the country gained
2019.
https://thunderbird.asu.edu/knowledge-network/studying-fourth-industrial-revolution-harness-its-
transformative-power .
9
Obschonka, Martin. “Research: The Industrial Revolution Left Psychological Scars That Can
Still Be Seen Today.” Harvard Business Review. Harvard Business Publishing, March 26, 2018.
https://hbr.org/2018/03/research-the-industrial-revolution-left-psychological-scars-that-can-still-
be-seen-today .
8

independence) in which Smith states that the repetitive work tasks and the factory-based labor
model resulted in detrimental psychosocial social effects for the workers.

Dehumanization and Design

Current design practices have impacted the ways in which technology has led to today's
dehumanized society. The body of work that I completed in the last two years addresses four
specific themes that have evolved and which significantly link to my research regarding
dehumanization and confirmation bias. The four themes are as follows:
1) Propaganda and the power of manipulative media
2) Limited perspectives and exposure to limited narratives
3) A collective false sense of togetherness (connectivity), when drifting apart in reality
4) Individual responsibility to tackle the dehumanizing forces in society.

The first project describes a major cause of dehumanization, while the second and third
depict its effects on society through an artistic lens, and the fourth project offers a solution to
how we can utilize technology to undo its negative effects on human thought and behavior.

9

Project 01: Propaganda and the power of manipulative media

Inescapable Shortfalls (Limitations) of Informational Surplus presents the visual impact
of a series of political propaganda posters sequenced in a human-sized maze. Upon first entering
this installation, the viewer encounters a dusty cement gray wall with a narrow entrance. Moving
further into the maze, the viewer is confronted by a series of chronological propaganda posters,
one of which is the iconic “We Want You” poster from World War I. Immediately after viewing
the poster from a distance, the viewer faces a wall that is taller than the height of an average
person. Full of propaganda posters that are roughly attached. This creates a claustrophobic
environment that heightens the sense of “overwhelm.” When following one side of the wall with
wildly composed posters, the viewer encounters and observes propaganda posters from all
around the world. Rather than working as independent representations of individual countries,
the posters merge and all relate to one another. From Vietnam and South Korea to Germany and
the United States, all the posters are arranged and layered on top of contemporary newspapers
whose text refers to politics and technologies. When the viewer goes around the corner, the
narrow alley that is fully covered with propaganda posters begins. The viewer then starts to
explore what appears to be a never-ending maze.
Wherever politicized images are sequenced or arranged in groups of two or more, the
message is forceful and confrontational. In this experience, not one image is singularly
remembered. A sense of “overwhelm” builds with time spent in the maze. This is almost as if the
viewer is under attack, and that creates a type of social anxiety.
10

Fig. 3. Narrow alley that’s facing a wall. Created by Sebin Song. [2019].
Inescapable Shortfalls (Limitations) of Informational Surplus was held in a guided space,
allowing the participants to perceive and navigate the space. Participants were able to verbally
communicate with one another in the maze without seeing each other. Within the maze, the
materials and props consisted of a stack of newspapers, 2 bottles of white Gesso, plenty of spray
glue, a ton of tape, sixteen foam core pieces (40 inch x 80 inch), 600 international propaganda
posters, and a fishing line. My process was: Step one, measure the space of the installation (see
fig. 4).

11

Fig. 4. Chapel Gallery Illustration, Dimensions: Walls = 9.75’ tall. Designed by Sebin Song.
[2019].

The success of this piece was dependent upon five walls that have extremely narrow
pathways that allow only one person to enter and exit at a time. To have the walls high enough to
exceed an individuals' average height, each panel was 80 inches by 160 inches. Pasted on four
foam core boards (40 inches by 80 inches) was a background of contemporary newspapers. The
foreground layers that are reminiscent of old alleys with Wabi Sabi were covered with
international propaganda posters. The plan was to create a wall utilizing posters that oddly
blends with the contemporary newspapers in the background. This peculiar and overwhelming
experience physically demonstrated the subconscious way ideas are influenced by the images
and messages in an environment - in this case, a physical one (see fig. 5).
12

Fig. 5. Behind the scene shot . Created by Sebin Song. [2019].
Visual calls-to-action exist everywhere. From the billboards that lay adjacent to the roads
most travelled, to the subtle advertisements that are woven seamlessly into popular smartphone
applications. Organizations and institutions are competing relentlessly to gain attention and
engagement. This familiarity is believed to drive society into action, which can result in
something as small as a sneaker purchase or something as powerful as a vote for a political party
that can change the way countries are governed.
The world where information flows through 'advertising' is just a 'smoothly functioning
society'. In such a society, we lead our lives unconsciously guided by the manipulation of good
and reasonable elite groups. In 1916, Woodrow Wilson, who was elected president with an
anti-war slogan under the slogan "peace without victory," decided to bring the United States to
13

war. His first step was to persuade people who did not want to participate in a war in foreign
countries. The first federal propaganda agency in the history of the United States was the United
States Committee on Public Information. Led by a man named George Creel, the committee used
a variety of strategies to incite people and to make them angered with militant patriotism. The
committee's propaganda strategy was a hit. The anti-German sentiment skyrocketed, and the
anti- public opinion quickly turned around. Uncle Sam, with a stern look, pointed his finger and
said, "It's you!"

Fig. 6. Collection of international propaganda posters. Composed by Sebin Song. [2019].
Propaganda is defined as information that is biased or misleading in nature and used to
promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view (see fig.6). This exhibition
created a unique pathway that gave participants an experience of how the ideas are
subconsciously influenced by the images and messages present in the environment. Historically,
in times of war throughout the world, advertisements and visual propaganda have influenced
14

millions of people to pay the ultimate price and consequently to lose their lives in support of a
galvanizing message.
In her definition of “Installation,” Natasha Hodnett believes that installation usually
discards a qualified frame of art, blurring the distinction between art and life. The following
quote describes the significance of installation in the information age:
The installation is an all-encompassing challenge to orthodox art… This is of utmost
importance considering that the installation is the creation of an environment: its
subjection to space and time creates an isolated world. As an installation artist, Ilya
Kabakov describes the installation as a reorganization of space in which a collection of
objects “attempts to encompass all the levels of the world…that describes everything that
happens to it." Thus, the objects of the installation seek to invade upon our reality,
abandoning the frame that normally qualifies an artwork, blurring the separation between
art and life…
The audience is actually installed into the work, is part of the environment. Of course this
kinesthetic demand reverses the subject-object dichotomy and the spectatorship that we
are familiar with in viewing a painting. In other words, “The authorship of the work
passes from the artist to the viewer.” This, of course, changes the way that artwork is
apprehended altogether, further tangling the installation’s place as an artistic genre.
10

10
Hodnett, Natasha. “Installation.” Theories of Media. The University of Chicago, 2007.
https://csmt.uchicago.edu/glossary2004/installation2.htm .
15

According to Hodnett, just as an installation breaks the traditional way we view art, User
Experience (UX) designers build environments that redefine how we view the world. Ultimately,
the targeted and/or end-user have the powerful role of redefining the experience’s outcomes.

Fig. 7. Aerial shot of the maze . Created by Sebin Song. [2019].
The takeaways from the participants revealed pre-existing belief systems and the
underlying power those beliefs had in forming their conclusions to this installation which
represented propaganda from all nations. Some discussed the controversy of the contemporary
news versus the historical propaganda posters in the foreground. They seemingly co-exist in the
same timeline that transparently represents our tunnel vision and thus the confirmation bias
begins. Sometimes what we don’t remember seeing is in fact the source of our ideas or opinions
about something. It is so subtle and shows how self-awareness is so necessary to fight the
hypnotic mesmerism of advertising.
16

The outcomes revealed that people subconsciously bury the facts to align with their own
beliefs. According to a new study found by Jason Coronel, a doctoral student in communication
at The Ohio State University, the test participants were given specific numeric statistics on a
controversial issue and then tended to misremember those numbers in order to match their
common beliefs. The m ajority of the participants usually got the numerical relationship to match
up with their expectations rather than the facts of the data. However, when the data was the
opposite of participants’ beliefs, they tended to flip the numbers in a way to agree with their
prejudices rather than the truth. Coronel said, “We had instances where participants got the
numbers exactly correct – 11.7 and 12.8 – but they would flip them around, ... They weren’t
guessing – they got the numbers right. But their biases were leading them to misremember the
direction they were going.” Similarly, the participants of this project seemed to be interpreting
11
the information from the propaganda posters in a way that supported their pre-existing beliefs .
Anecdotally, the strong imagery from the labyrinth impacted the thoughts of all participants, but
the feedback that they shared was consistent with previous views that they already held. For
instance, when someone thought that Russia was malicious, they interpreted the imagery in a
way that would support their position, but someone looking at the same image with a more
positive perception of Russia would use more positive words like “nationalism” and “strength”
to describe the poster.

11
Grabmeier, Jeff. “You Create Your Own False Information, Study Finds.” Ohio State News.
The Ohio State University, December 9, 2019.
https://news.osu.edu/you-create-your-own-false-information-study-finds/ .
17

Project 02: Opinions of Social Destruction - Algorithms

Innate Prejudice, a motion graphics video, distorts and uses filter effects to blend visual
imagery from extracted interview videos made by well-known tech industry leaders, discussing
the negative effects of technology on society. From Jack Dorsey to Mark Zuckerberg, the leaders
address social responsibility, and admit that there are abominable uses of technology. This
project emphasizes several quotes of which people need to be mindful and also foreshadows
some of the current tech problems of disinformation, confirmation, bias and groupthink.
Increased access to social media leads to increased biases, often reinforced biases that occur
consciously and subconsciously, eventually becoming innate thoughts.

Fig. 8. Mark Zukerberg with filter effects . Designed by Sebin Song. [2019]. From Vimeo,
https://vimeo.com/336757028 .

The tone and the mood of the video begins with the dark mysterious sound that is
overlaid with the text overlay that says, “There are over 3.2 billion social media users, all of
which are being brainwashed.” This strong post-apocalypse text disappears with the audio of a
mirror-crack and film-rewind. Then the viewer encounters each composed interview excerpts
18

along with an audio track that proceeds by introducing a quotation from corporate CEOs. Each of
the video excerpts is peculiarly locked and trapped within a bubble with layers and layers of
filter effects. From my artistic perspective, each of the CEOs have their own filtered effects that
represent their characteristics (see fig.8). The purpose of this video is to trigger an awareness of
where we are staged and how we have been controlled by online media in our blind faith in the
developers of these technologies.
Corporations create a cycle of brainwashing that contaminates the mind. Many
technology-based companies create a corporate culture in which all employees are expected to
behave as if their work is directly improving humanity or making life more convenient for
millions of people. However, at the helm of some of the most influential and prosperous tech
companies are CEOs that have publicly commented on the prevalence of filter bubbles and the
way that confirmation biases are reinforced via social media.
Fig. 9. Collection of the facial expression from industrial leaders at their conference . Created by
Sebin Song. [2019].
19

In their early years, naive industry tech leaders developed products for fun and for
“good,” but increasingly strong greed-based incentives are the underlying basis for decision
making in the product’s development. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg opened Facemash,
Facebook’s predecessor, in 2004, just to allow the users to compare their face photos and select a
person considered “hot” to objectify fellow students. Forgetting the “pure” purpose of the initial
development, today corporations, like Facebook, create propaganda machines with their
algorithms (even a coder has a pre-existing bias and belief system in writing an algorithm).
Consequently, these algorithms have taken root in social media like a cancer. Furthermore, these
tech gurus are wary themselves; for example, Jack Dorsey, CEO,Twitter, uses DuckDuckGo -
an internet search engine that protects users’ privacy - rather than Google. Industry tech leaders
also have their privacy concerns.
12
In an interview with media, Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey were asked about their
views of filter bubbles. Their responses were controversial. Below is an excerpt from the official
transcript (see fig. 10):
Interviewer- “ I’m actually very interested in your views on this because I feel like
Twitter makes filter bubbles much worse in the world. But I also know Jack Dorsey grew
up in a purple family …”
Jack- “I think Twitter does contribute to filter bubbles. And I think that’s wrong of us. I
think we need to fix it. But you know, there is a possibility for a more global public
12
Mehta, Ivan. “Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Uses DuckDuckGo over Google.” The Next Web,
November 28, 2019.
https://thenextweb.com/twitter/2019/11/28/twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-uses-duckduckgo-over-googl
e/ .
20

conversation. You know, Yuval Harari said in his recent book, the problems the world is
facing can only be solved by a global conversation and global entities. The organizing
principles of nation-states cannot solve things like climate change, nuclear war or
displacement of work by AI.”
13
Jack Dorsey, in fact, admits that Twitter does contribute to filter bubbles, but, instead of
trying to solve the problem or to discuss about the problem, he irresponsibly sidesteps the issue
by articulating that we have a bigger problem that should be faced with more than social media.
Fig. 10. Jack Dorsey interview . Published by WIRED25. [2018]. Wired. Conde Nast. accessed
April 10, 2019, https://www.wired.com/video/watch/wired25-twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey .

13
Wired. “Jack Dorsey on Filter Bubbles, Twitter Fights and 12 Years of Tweeting | WIRED25 -
WIRED Videos.” Wired. Conde Nast, October 16, 2018.
https://www.wired.com/video/watch/wired25-twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey .
21

Project 03: Limited perspectives and exposure to those narratives - Performative
experience; an anecdotal user experience research

Scroll, tap/tap, scroll attempts to critique the role of design and UX in producing and
reinforcing user bias. The project starts with an introduction of myself wearing a wearable cone
on my face and interacting with strangers surround me. This experiment explores informational
bias and some of the ways in which our beliefs are shaped as we experience the world (see fig.
11). Several things come to mind when experiencing this demonstration. From my perspective,
the actual distance of the object is further than it looks. Also, you can see only one thing at a
time, however, you might get easily frustrated because the volume of what you hear as a sound is
exactly the same. At first, the viewer observes me struggling to adapt to the wearable and
navigate the environment. Eventually I start to interact with other people that are total strangers
to myself. There are four narratives in this introduction, a person who is wearing a cone, a person
who is interacting with a cone person, observers, and a person filming. The objective of this
introduction is to present the project — a critique of the use of social science research in design.
22

Fig. 11. Scroll, tap/tap, scroll - Introduction . Created by Sebin Song. [2019]. From Vimeo.
https://vimeo.com/383877681 .

Scroll, tap/tap, scroll begins with the introduction of the wearables that participants wear
for the performance. In the video, the viewer observes the action and reaction from the short
experience from the participants. After the performance, participants share their thought process
with their performance and what they learn from the exercise. The answers of the participants
can be diverse with their backgrounds and jobs they hold, and their personal preferences.
Today, many people react strongly or even over react after being exposed to tiny bits of
information. A reactive state makes it hard for a user to digest new information and rethink prior
stances. A reactive state is emotional much like anger - not contemplative and reflective (which
is where knowledge building flourishes). The lack of holistic knowledge leads to limited
perspectives, and incomplete solutions to societal, political, and economic problems. This
23

problem is further intensified by the algorithm-based filter bubbles that people experience when
using social media and experiencing other online environments. People view out-of-context
headlines, images, and quotes, and strongly advocate for intense actions to be taken, but how
would this change if people were able to see the “big picture”?
In an artistic (but also literal) approach, the purpose of this performative experience is to
allow participants to choose from a group of narrow-lensed viewing devices, and select one of
two seemingly opposing narratives before being shown a piece of artwork that reflects the ideal
of their choice. After a short viewing period, a hidden part of a photo is revealed, and the
participants are instructed to remove their optical devices, only to find that the additional context
of the image reveals a significantly deeper meaning - resulting in the viewer rethinking the
information already viewed. The result is a broader perspective for the participant, who is left
with two major takeaways: 1) an understanding of how a single perspective may hide the critical
information necessary to make accurate assessments, and 2) an understanding of how social
media shows more of what people choose to see and that the underlying filtration methods
usually exclude competing narratives.
Whether aware or not, the viewing public has a tendency to search for, interpret, favor
and recall information in ways that confirms their preexisting beliefs. “ Memory is always
accompanied with the belief of that which we remember, as perception is accompanied with the
belief that which we perceive...” Human consciousness has long been influenced by
14
technological breakthroughs. The development of big data and search engines reinforces
14
Senor, Thomas D. “Epistemological Problems of Memory.” Stanford Encyclopedia of
Philosophy. Stanford University, September 4, 2009.
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/memory-episprob/ .
24

people’s tendencies to have less perseverance and deep attention due to the accurate filter
systems powered by algorithms in order that the company makes a profit. However, the more
people rely on search engines, the more personal information they expose (and share) to the
world, and that, in turn, leads people to view the world through a tunnel vision of their particular
interests and self-enforcing vision. This exposure of their personal data actually fuels the
"intelligence" of the filters and the AI algorithms. To solve this prejudice within a design
context, the cone becomes a metaphor to visually explain how the experience of search engines
affect us and “trick” us.
The piece has a number of handcrafted devices made from black paper and tape to
visually illustrate a cone of vision (see fig. 12).
Fig. 12. Five wearables for participants . Created by Sebin Song. [2019]. From Vimeo.
https://vimeo.com/383879308 .

25

The five cones each have different depths and fields of view. Each participant chose one device
that they would like to wear. and then they were asked to choose the partial side of the photo to
see if they could observe and guess with the whole image showed. The participants saw
two-thirds of the photo upon which to draw assumptions. Upon revealing the remaining portion
of the photo, the participant’s perception changed significantly.
Imagine you worked for an administration that wants you to show how soldiers have no
mercy when it comes to war. In that case, you would use the cropped picture on your left.
However, if you worked for the other side , and wanted to depict soldiers as human beings , you
would crop the right part of the original photo (see fig. 13).

Fig. 13. Photos that participants see through wearables . Created by Sebin Song. [2019].

26

In the beginning of the exercise, participants must make a choice that determines a
direction. With this decision made, they view the photo on the screen wearing their “tool” of
choice. Participants are asked to speak aloud to describe what they are observing on the screen.
After each participant gives a full explanation, the remaining portion of the photo is revealed and
participants encounter the “whole” photo or image. When the participants see the remaining
portion of the photo, they are forced to contemplate their previous thoughts and try to understand
the value of seeing the “big picture.”
After the pseudo-experimental exercise, they participated in an interview session and
shared what they perceived from this experience (see fig. 14). Yelim Lee, a visual designer in the
entertainment field, pointed out how prejudice exists and blends casually in everyday life,
affecting individuals and how it shapes future industries. Yankuan (Alex) Zhang, a software
developer in an interface company, linked the story of his daily life with this experience: “In this
experiment what the viewer can see is scoped. If I have to connect it with my background, what
it can remind me of is when writing code for a program we usually try our best to scope the
information as much as possible for each piece of code so that the code can be better maintained
and managed. So I guess when we are scoped with just enough information, we are then more
manageable or more governable.”
27

Fig. 14. Participants’ observations . Created by Sebin Song. [2019]. From Vimeo.
https://vimeo.com/383879308 .

People formulate opinions based on the visual information they observe, and each person
has a tendency to absorb information at “face value.” As a result, the participants fail to seek
deeper context to understand the broader picture. As expected, each participant was surprised
when the hidden part of the photo was revealed, and the revealing moment completely altered
their perceptions of what they had seen.

28

Project 04: A false-sense of togetherness when in a sea of aloneness - Series of visual
narrations

Today, the argument can be made that social media is connecting more people than ever
before. However, the quality of social media-induced connection can and should be questioned
to properly assess the true benefits and consequences of this rapid coalescence.
The visual narrative, Hidden Diversion in Natural Amalgamation, escalates this question
and challenges viewers to look beyond the initial appearance of collective existence. This visual
narration is executed through the lens of a kaleidoscope to metaphorically symbolize constant
change and reflection-driven insight. By aggregating and deconstructing cultural images, this
project raises questions and creates an environment for on-going societal exploration.

Project 05: The individual’s responsibility to challenge society’s dehumanization - Phone
Application

This app scans written articles and detects the strength and frequency of biased or
opinionated sentences, allowing the user to quickly identify neutrality and understand the
direct/indirect biases present in various online articles. Once a user understands the biases
present in their preferred articles, they will also have the option to view content from opposing
perspectives. Readers can then see and understand both sides of a critical issue.
Primary persona: Growing up in the age of “fake news,” the need is to access a strong,
credible news source to browse articles. Millennials primarily are highly concerned with
29

receiving fact-based news from neutral perspectives. However, many media companies today
report from either a liberal or conservative point-of-view, polarizing the viewers into two
opposing subsets. So as to target a younger demographic This proposed app is for people that
want the closest thing to truth, or to understand the degree of bias within an article they are
reading. This specific demographic reads approximately 30 minutes of news everyday, and also
tends to leave highly opinionated comments on news articles via Facebook or news videos on
Youtube.
Fig. 15. User flow chart . Created by Sebin Song. [2020].

Conclusion
The Industrial Revolution led to rapid shifts in technology, and these shifts have
“connected” a large amount of people, while negatively impacting the way they experience the
world. To emphasize this negative consequence, I conducted an investigation of the
dehumanization that occurs due to the increased use of technology and what society frames as
30

acceptable thoughts and behaviors. I studied the conscious and subconscious relationship
between humans and technology to identify a humane way to adjust to technological influences
and biases present in the information we receive today from the designer’s point of view. In
terms of my findings, there are two major takeaways: the first is the overall awareness of just
how effective technology has been in causing increased dehumanization, and the second is so
deeply rooted in the constructs of society that it requires civil representatives and key leaders to
creatively find solutions to stop the world from becoming a place where a person forgets what it
means to genuinely interact with another. Individual behavioral change isn’t enough. It requires
social, political, and infrastructural behavioral change to make a difference in connecting people.
My design practice dives deep into society to reveal the many ways that we are being
brainwashed in our everyday lives, and there are even more methods of brainwashing that exist
beyond my investigations and exhibition. Obsession over technology feeds into the machine that
controls and limits our free thoughts. Through my exhibition, I anticipate that people can realize
what is happening, and start to engage in the kinds of discussion that will influence leaders to be
more mindful of the deteriorating quality of human interaction.
Regarding the solution, it is difficult to undo the decades of manipulation and
isolation-inducing media and propaganda to which people have been exposed. However, by
asking the right questions throughout the design of experiences and working with those who
control the means of production, several new solutions and initiatives can conceivable evolve.
It’s the idea of self-questioning and then approaching the problem anew.
31

In conclusion, here are five key takeaways I convey to my audience: 1) Increased
self-awareness and an understanding of how technology has impacted the quality of interaction
with others; 2) A stronger inquisition and investigation into the influence design has on society’s
dehumanization; 3) The need for more research on how to utilize Transformative UX Design to
reduce confirmation bias; 4) Explicit understanding of and training in the impact and effects of
filter biases and the degree of influence that our designs have on others. With these key themes
or calls to action, as designers, we could work with technological influencers to navigate the
challenges of technology’s impact on human minds and interpersonal connectivity, and create
solutions that benefit society moving forward.

32

Bibliography

“Economic Growth and the Early Industrial Revolution.” U.S. History Online Textbook.
Independence Hall Association. Accessed December 9, 2019.
https://www.ushistory.org/Us/22a.asp .

Elwell, Frank W. “Karl Marx: On Capitalism.” Karl Marx. Athabasca University Press , August
28, 2013.http://www.faculty.rsu.edu/users/f/felwell/www/Theorists/Essays/Marx3.htm .

Grabmeier, Jeff. “You Create Your Own False Information, Study Finds.” Ohio State News. The
Ohio State University, December 9, 2019.
https://news.osu.edu/you-create-your-own-false-information-study-finds/ .

Hodnett, Natasha. “Installation.” Theories of Media. The University of Chicago, 2007.
https://csmt.uchicago.edu/glossary2004/installation2.htm .

Mehta, Ivan. “Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Uses DuckDuckGo over Google.” The Next Web,
Nov ember 28, 2019.
https://thenextweb.com/twitter/2019/11/28/twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-uses-duckduckgo-over-googl
e /

Mokyr, Joel. “The Second Industrial Revolution, 1870-1914.” The Second Industrial
Revolution, 1870-1914 . Evanston , 1998.
https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.northwestern.edu/dist/3/1222/files/2016/06/The-
Second-Industrial-Revolution-1870-1914-Aug-1998-1ubah7s.pdf .

O'Barr, William M. "A Brief History of Advertising in America." Advertising & Society Review
6, no. 3 (2005) doi:10.1353/asr.2006.0006 . https://muse.jhu.edu/article/193868

Obschonka, Martin. “Research: The Industrial Revolution Left Psychological Scars That Can
Still Be Seen Today.” Harvard Business Review. Harvard Business Publishing, March
26, 2018.,
https://hbr.org/2018/03/research-the-industrial-revolution-left-psychological-scars-that-
can-still-be-seen-today .

Reamer, Andrew. “The Impacts of Technological Invention on Economic Growth – A Review of
the Literature.” Portland, 2014.
https://gwipp.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2181/f/downloads/Reamer_The_Impacts_of_In
vention_on_Economic_Growth_02-28-14.pdf.
33

Senor, Thomas D. “Epistemological Problems of Memory.” Stanford Encyclopedia of
Philosophy. Stanford University, September 4, 2009.
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/memory-episprob/ .

Thunderbird School of Global Management. “Studying the Fourth Industrial Revolution to
Harness Its Transformative Power.” Knowledge Network. Arizona State University,
August 27, 2019.
https://thunderbird.asu.edu/knowledge-network/studying-fourth-industrial-revolution-ha
rness-its-transformative-power .

Wired. “Jack Dorsey on Filter Bubbles, Twitter Fights and 12 Years of Tweeting | WIRED25 -
WIRED Videos.” Wired. Conde Nast, October 16, 2018.
https://www.wired.com/video/watch/wired25-twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey .

Wolff, Jonathan. “Karl Marx.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Stanford University, April
12, 2017. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/marx/ .

34

Abstract (if available)

Abstract My thesis research has led to the exploration of the following topics: Developing individual self-awareness and an understanding of how technology has been deeply rooted into the quality of interactions with others

Linked assets

University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Conceptually similar

PDF

Qìn

PDF

Reconnecting with nature

PDF

Fragments: communication in contemporary techonology

PDF

Transplant: examining culture clash through linear storytelling and non-linear storytelling

PDF

Post modern UI/UX, an anti-design manifesto for 21st century

PDF

Past imagination, present creation and the reality of tomorrow: explore the impact of Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR) design

PDF

Visualizing text as storytelling

PDF

Mobile applications as a communication space: playdate application case study

PDF

Memories of the scent of orange blossoms

PDF

Perceiving the environment through sound

PDF

The crying project: understanding emotions through an investigative eye

PDF

Object stories for social connectivity: a digital service that improves social interactions through object’s storytelling

PDF

My spaces (2020-2021)

PDF

Co-dressing: designing across cultures

PDF

Foodable: a voice to fight food waste with digital design solutions and sustainable minds

PDF

Using fantasy storytelling to raise awareness on environmental issues

PDF

Accept yourself, respect yourself, love yourself: a film letter to myself

PDF

Keep the faith - systems design that stimulates self-actualization

PDF

Shadows in socialization

PDF

Digital pollution: social media's carbon footprint

Asset Metadata

Creator Song, Sebin (author)

Core Title Stream of subconsciousness

School Roski School of Art and Design

Degree Master of Fine Arts

Degree Program Design

Publication Date 04/30/2020

Defense Date 03/01/2020

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag algorithm,alienation,argument,audience,Capitalism,confirmation biases,dehumanization,filter bubble,hidden diversion,humanity,Industrial Revolution,Information,innate prejudice,Isolation,Marx,narrative,OAI-PMH Harvest,performative,propaganda,social destruction,Technology,UI/UX,user experience,visual narration

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Wojciak, Ewa (committee chair), Burruss, Laurie (committee member), Greiman, April (committee member)

Creator Email sebinson@usc.edu,songsebin7@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-291764

Unique identifier UC11663344

Identifier etd-SongSebin-8385.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-291764 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-SongSebin-8385.pdf

Dmrecord 291764

Document Type Thesis

Rights Song, Sebin

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA