Today I relished Unflattening by —a dissertation-as-comic on the power of graphic communication to delinearize multifaceted topics, convey nuance, balance the analytical.
It's a great instance of self-exemplifying media: using comics to present complex ideas on comics.
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What are some other great instances of self-exemplifying media?
Understanding Comics by also uses comics to explicate comics
Gödel, Escher Bach presents an exploration of twisting, self-referential representations in twisting, self-referential prose.
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Meaningness.com (by ) uses a fuzzy, non-hierarchical hypertext structure to present arguments about the essential fluidity of everything.
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describes how to present information clearly and efficiently in books whose pages have themselves been meticulously designed to exemplify those practices.
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Also, foreign language classes taught entirely in that language!
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Unflattening is amazing! My friend gifted it to me for my birthday a few years ago.
I followed by recommending he get the first book "Yes Is More" on the philosophies behind BIG. It's also a comic, but such a great example of using the format to teach.
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But anyway, it makes me think of the self-exemplifying nature of many architecture museums and exhibits that I've visited. They often explain and prove principles of space by literally shaping the space in which you are learning them.
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thanks for the kind words - glad it found its way to you and resonated so strongly! For those new to the work - info on Unflattening here & stuff about my comics/teaching spinweaveandcut.com/unflattening/ Good thoughts your way - N
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and, yes, Understanding Comics, Godel Escher Bach were big influences on me to say the least...
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