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Entangled SocietyObservatory of Consequences

COMPARATIVE CASE C08

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Ostalgie

When Remembering Becomes Editing

← Back to Language-Born Culture

Observation / Hypothesis

Shared Frame

Language to Protocol

  1. 01

    Language

  2. 02

    Emotion

  3. 03

    Body

  4. 04

    Community

  5. 05

    Style

  6. 06

    Protocol

Language → Emotion → Body → Community → Style → Global Protocol

Case Variation

Past to Reconstructed Meaning

  1. 01

    Historical Past

  2. 02

    Memory Traces

  3. 03

    Selective Remembering

  4. 04

    Idealization / Omission

  5. 05

    Collective Narrative

  6. 06

    Present Identity / Meaning

  7. 07

    Historical Reinterpretation

Historical Past → Memory Traces → Selective Remembering → Idealization / Omission → Collective Narrative → Present Identity / Meaning → Historical Reinterpretation

01. Historical Past

01. Historical Past

Three Temporal Relations

Natsukashii / Saudade / Ostalgie

  1. 01

    Natsukashii: Past → Re-entry → Present

  2. 02

    Saudade: Absence ↔ Present Longing

  3. 03

    Ostalgie: Past Trace → Selection / Framing → Reconstructed Past

02. Traces

02. Traces

  • consumer goods
  • packaging
  • furniture
  • television
  • food
  • vehicles
  • household objects
  • everyday routines

Hypothesis

Objects as Memory Infrastructure

Objects as Memory Infrastructure

  1. 01

    Object

  2. 02

    Recognition

  3. 03

    Memory Activation

  4. 04

    Narrative

03. Selective Remembering

03. Selective Remembering

Not Selection Candidate

Memory Selection ≠ Form Selection

  1. 01

    Memory selection: what is remembered / omitted

  2. 02

    Selection Candidate: form choice in a pragmatically available repertoire

04. Forgetting

04. Forgetting

05. Framing

05. Framing

06. Idealization

06. Idealization

07. Material Culture

07. Material Culture

08. Collective Narrative

08. Collective Narrative

09. Present Identity

09. Present Identity

10. Historical Meaning

10. Historical Meaning

Three Memory Models

Preservation / Editing / Entangled

  1. 01

    Preservation: Past → Memory → Preservation

  2. 02

    Editing: Past → Selection / Omission → Framing → Reconstructed Past

  3. 03

    Entangled: Past ↔ Objects / Records ↔ Memory ↔ Forgetting ↔ Present Needs ↔ Narrative

Comparison

Past ≠ Memory ≠ Narrative

History

Memory / Narrative

Comparison

Object ≠ History

Object

Complete Historical Record

Comparison

Selective ≠ Fictional

Selective

Fictional

Comparison

Familiarity ≠ Historical Accuracy

Familiar Narrative

Historical Accuracy

Memory Can Conflict

Memory Can Conflict

  • Past → Narrative A
  • Past → Narrative B
  • Past → Narrative C

Multiple Editors

Editing Happens on Both Sides

  • State / Institutions → Narrative A
  • Families / Communities → Narrative B
  • Media / Market → Narrative C

Biography ≠ Regime

Biography ≠ Regime

Memory → Market

Memory → Market

  • Memory → Cultural Value → Market Value
  • Memory → Productization → Simplification / Amplification / Mutation?

Three Ways the Past Remains

Natsukashii / Saudade / Ostalgie

  • Natsukashii — How does the past return?
  • Saudade — How does what is gone remain present?
  • Ostalgie — How does the present reconstruct the past?

Mechanism Test M01 — Naming

Mechanism Test M01 — Naming

  • Initial hypothesis: Present / Secondary
  • Ostalgie label can make a memory phenomenon discussable

Mechanism Test M02 — Framing

Mechanism Test M02 — Framing

  • Initial hypothesis: Strong
  • Function candidate: Retrospective Framing
  • Present → Frame → Past Interpretation

Mechanism Test M03 — Compression

Mechanism Test M03 — Compression

  • Initial hypothesis: Present
  • everyday memory / loss / identity / commodities / social transition

Mechanism Test M04 — Repetition

Mechanism Test M04 — Repetition

  • Initial hypothesis: Strong / Present
  • stories / objects / brands / media / commemorative practices

Mechanism Test M05 — Boundary

Mechanism Test M05 — Boundary

  • Initial hypothesis: Present

Mechanism Test M06 — Embodiment

Mechanism Test M06 — Embodiment

  • Initial hypothesis: Secondary / Present
  • taste / sound / interiors / television images / objects

Mechanism Test M07 — Norm Formation

Mechanism Test M07 — Norm Formation

  • Initial hypothesis: Present
  • Memory → Public Evaluation → Acceptable / Unacceptable Narrative

Mechanism Test M08 — Transmission / Mutation

Mechanism Test M08 — Transmission / Mutation

  • Initial hypothesis: Strong / Present
  • objects / films / television / exhibitions / media / commodities / family stories

Language-Born?

How Language-Born Is Ostalgie?

Cause / Infrastructure / Symptom / Amplifier

Four Positions

  • Cause — Ostalgie label / memory practiceが現在のidentityを生む
  • Infrastructure — objects / media / languageが記憶共有を可能にする
  • Symptom — post-reunification disruptionがnostalgiaとして現れる
  • Amplifier — market / media / repetitionがselected memoriesを強める

Do Not Create Memory / Forgetting Mechanisms

M01–M08 First

Research Anchors

Research Anchors

Mutation Model

Origin to Circulation

  1. 01

    Origin

  2. 02

    Recovery

  3. 03

    Mutation

  4. 04

    Circulation

Market

Material / Media Circulation

Memory Path

  1. 01

    Historical past

  2. 02

    Selected traces

  3. 03

    Collective narrative

  4. 04

    Present meaning

Market Path

  1. 01

    Recovered object / representation

  2. 02

    Recognition

  3. 03

    Cultural value

  4. 04

    Market circulation / redesign

Counter Hypotheses

Counter Hypotheses

  • AOrdinary Nostalgia

    Ordinary Nostalgia

  • BMaterial Familiarity

    Material Familiarity

  • CIdentity Repair

    Identity Repair

  • DMarket Production

    Market Production

  • EMedia Framing

    Media Framing

  • FPolitical Interpretation

    Political Interpretation

  • GSelective Memory

    Selective Memory

  • HCounter-memory

    Counter-memory

  • IEntanglement

    Entanglement

Current Case Axis

Historical Past → Selective Remembering → Collective Narrative → Present Meaning

Connected Observatories

Connections

Research Questions

Research Questions

When does remembering become editing?