While attempting to define what a cyborg is in class, I was struck with inspiration for a discussion topic on the blog. Fast forward two weeks and I had completely forgotten it, racking my brain for what I wanted to write on. I knew I wanted to write on cyborgs and how people don’t realize how common they are, but I couldn’t remember the specifi-It was memory!
http://www.putlearningfirst.com/br/grape/cyborg1.jpg
Specifically how humans having been crossing technology with their bodies by augmenting their memory for thousands of years through written word. “But written word isn’t technology, it’s a form of communication!” you might say. However, written word requires particular technological advance in order to have a medium to be written on and stored, which in turn can be reviewed later to recall the written information thus augmenting human memory. Now one still might try to claim that this is for communication and not an augmentation of humans to which I say two things: isn’t it still augmentation of human’s biological communicative abilities? And journals? The first is not as important in discussion of memory crossing biological and technological boundaries, but the journal is something that is often private, meant only for the writer and is essentially an external backup of daily events. There are other reasons for journaling, but (unless one does away with the physical draft) this chronicling act allows for recollection of events, feelings, thoughts, etc that may be forgotten by the person’s ‘natural’ memory. However, the augmentation of memory with technology does not end with written word and, if anything, written word is actually just the basis for a far greater augmentation: electronics and digital space.
The explosion of electronics in daily life is what has led to the cyborg becoming extremely common. Through digital space and its access ports (cell phones, computers, tablets, etc) people have gained unprecedented access to nearly unlimited storage to store memories in. These memories may be contact information, appointments, addresses, events, arguments, etc etc… the limit to what people can store and recall is practically limitless and can be nearly effortless. But digital space is occupied by more than just the individual who puts information up. There are millions of other individuals using the digital space for storage as well and this creates vast stores of information. Information that can be called upon by any person who has access to the digital space. Look at Wikipedia, it is created monitored by the users themselves. Creating a vast storage of knowledge that can be, and is, easily accessed by millions of people. With this vault of information that people can access, they have practical access to information that is separate from their ‘natural’ memory storage. They have augmented memory, crossing the boundary between man and technology through an electronic device that fits into their pocket.
Humans have been cyborgs for thousands of years and not even realized it. We often portray cyborgs as these technologically advanced super humans who can fly, shoot lasers out of their eyes, and are impervious to damage. But the truth is that the cyborg is common and plain. They do not appear physically extreme, but instead seem like a ‘natural’ human just checking their phone.
Unruly Bodies 
