Read in Paul Virilio, The Vision Machine:

"But by way of conclusion, let us return to the crisis in perceptive faith, to the automation of perception that is threatening our understand- ing. Apart from video optics, the vision machine will also use digital imaging to facilitate recognition of shapes. Note, though, that the synthetic image, as the name implies, is in reality merely a 'statistical image' that can only emerge thanks to rapid calculation of the pixels a computer graphics system can display on a screen. In order to decode each individual pixel, the pixels immediately surrounding it must be analysed. [...] As a mode of representation of statistical thought today dominant thanks to data banks, synthetic imagery should soon contribute to the development of this one last mode of reasoning."

Why do I blog this? As usual, there's always a French philosopher to refer to something we're discussing nowadays. Although I'm not necessarily a big fan of Virilio, I'm often fascinated by some insights one can find in his essays. The above quote struck me as interesting with regard to the New Aesthetic meme.