Revealing and the Punctum: Man’s Call to Action

In "The Question Concerning Technology," aside from the main argument Heidegger is making on the essence of technology and our relation to it, I noticed several times that he mentions that humans are called upon by the revealing he introduces. For example, he says “the unconcealment of the unconcealed has already come to pass whenever it calls man forth into the modes of revealing allotted to him” (19). Also, “man in the technological age is, in a particularly striking way, called forth into revealing” (21). In addition to these statements, throughout the piece Heidegger implies that man is not actively seeking out the act of revealing, but instead responding to its call. Therefore we are kind of hailed but it and prompted to do this act.

Also, Heidegger examines the essence of technology and humanity’s role of being with it. He argues that it is our understanding of technology prevents us from understanding more fully our relationship with technology. We are informed by our "instrumental conception" of what technology is and concerned with mastery of it. Therefore, in order to  grasp a fuller understanding of humanity’s relation to technology, we need to consider this. He also mentions that enframing endangers man in his relationship to himself and to everything that is. He says “In truth, however, precisely nowhere does man today any longer encounter himself, i.e., his essence” (27). Therefore man can never encounter only himself. By examining ourselves in relation to technology, we can get a better sense of our relationship to everything.

            Heidegger’s illustration of this response to a call reminds me of a part of Gregory Ulmer’s book Electronic Monuments. Within it, Ulmer explains to the reader something he calls a “punctum.” The punctum is closely related to Lacan’s gaze. Both the gaze and the punctum encourage the viewer to look back at him or herself into interrogating what is seen (103). This punctum challenges a viewer to make sense of what is seen because they feel as if they are under scrutiny (102). The punctum can be related to a sting, or something that is bothersome. It can be irritating or troubling, yet ultimately memorable (118). It is often triggered by abject issues in society that the viewer feels compelled to address and call attention to. One does not seek out the punctum, but it instead calls out to them, hailing and interpellating them. However, once received, Ulmer encourages the viewer to use this punctum to construct a MEmorial in order to better understand one’s role in this issue and relation/contribution to it.

            This relates to Heidegger for me because while he argues that we will better understand the essence of technology if we consider our role to it, Ulmer says we will better understand the ignored or abject issues in society if we consider our roles in them. Even further, we can get a better idea of our essence. Additionally, Heidegger describes revealing as something we are called out to do, not something we actively seek out to do. This is similar to how Ulmer describes the punctum. We do not seek out the punctum, but it calls out to us, urging us to act. Both the revealing and the punctum call us to act and help us better understand our place in the world in relation to other things.