Mimesis, magic & technology

"In the grey region between illusion and the perceived real lies a region of magic. Walter Benjamin suggests that technology can be imbued with the power of magic. When that which looks or behaves real and is not, or breaks the assumed laws of reality, it becomes magical. Benjamin talks about the importance of recognising the social and cultural implications of technology in the age of mediation and reproduction, outlining the danger of being seduced by the power of mimetics." (from a presentation by Richard Brown)