Mixed or Misperceived Reality? Flusserian Media Freedom through Surreal Me

Aven Le Zhou; Lei Xi; Kang Zhang

doi:10.1145/3689050.3705992

Mixed or Misperceived Reality? Flusserian Media Freedom through Surreal Me

Aven Le Zhou^*, Lei Xi, Kang Zhang

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference Proceeding/Report › Conference Paper published in a book › peer-review

Abstract

This paper delves into Vilém Flusser's critique of media as mediators that distort the human perception of reality and diminish freedom, particularly within the Mixed Reality context, i.e., Misperceived Reality. It introduces a critical inquiry through Surreal Me, which engages participants to experience a two-phase virtual embodying process and reveal the “Misperceived Reality.” The process examines the obfuscating nature of media; as the Sense of Embodiment inevitably breaks down, users can discover the constructed nature of media-projected reality. When users reflect on reality's authentic and mediated experiences in MR, this work fosters a critical discourse on Flusserian media freedom addressing emerging immersive technologies.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery, Inc
ISBN (Electronic)	9798400711978
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3689050.3705992
Publication status	Published - 4 Mar 2025
Externally published	Yes
Event	19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025 - Bordeaux, France Duration: 4 Mar 2025 → 7 Mar 2025

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025

Conference

Conference	19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025
Country/Territory	France
City	Bordeaux
Period	4/03/25 → 7/03/25

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Copyright held by the owner/author(s).

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

Embodied Interaction
Embodiment
Flusserian Media Freedom
Flusserian Media Studies
Misperceived Reality
Mixed Reality

Access to Document

10.1145/3689050.3705992

Cite this

Zhou, A. L., Xi, L., & Zhang, K. (2025). Mixed or Misperceived Reality? Flusserian Media Freedom through Surreal Me. In Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025 Article 87 (Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025). Association for Computing Machinery, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1145/3689050.3705992

Zhou, Aven Le ; Xi, Lei ; Zhang, Kang. / Mixed or Misperceived Reality? Flusserian Media Freedom through Surreal Me. Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025. Association for Computing Machinery, Inc, 2025. (Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025).

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title = "Mixed or Misperceived Reality? Flusserian Media Freedom through Surreal Me",

abstract = "This paper delves into Vil{\'e}m Flusser's critique of media as mediators that distort the human perception of reality and diminish freedom, particularly within the Mixed Reality context, i.e., Misperceived Reality. It introduces a critical inquiry through Surreal Me, which engages participants to experience a two-phase virtual embodying process and reveal the “Misperceived Reality.” The process examines the obfuscating nature of media; as the Sense of Embodiment inevitably breaks down, users can discover the constructed nature of media-projected reality. When users reflect on reality's authentic and mediated experiences in MR, this work fosters a critical discourse on Flusserian media freedom addressing emerging immersive technologies.",

keywords = "Embodied Interaction, Embodiment, Flusserian Media Freedom, Flusserian Media Studies, Misperceived Reality, Mixed Reality",

author = "Zhou, \{Aven Le\} and Lei Xi and Kang Zhang",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Copyright held by the owner/author(s).; 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025 ; Conference date: 04-03-2025 Through 07-03-2025",

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series = "Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025",

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Zhou, AL, Xi, L & Zhang, K 2025, Mixed or Misperceived Reality? Flusserian Media Freedom through Surreal Me. in Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025., 87, Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025, Association for Computing Machinery, Inc, 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025, Bordeaux, France, 4/03/25. https://doi.org/10.1145/3689050.3705992

Mixed or Misperceived Reality? Flusserian Media Freedom through Surreal Me. / Zhou, Aven Le; Xi, Lei; Zhang, Kang.
Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025. Association for Computing Machinery, Inc, 2025. 87 (Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference Proceeding/Report › Conference Paper published in a book › peer-review

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T1 - Mixed or Misperceived Reality? Flusserian Media Freedom through Surreal Me

AU - Zhou, Aven Le

AU - Xi, Lei

AU - Zhang, Kang

PY - 2025/3/4

Y1 - 2025/3/4

N2 - This paper delves into Vilém Flusser's critique of media as mediators that distort the human perception of reality and diminish freedom, particularly within the Mixed Reality context, i.e., Misperceived Reality. It introduces a critical inquiry through Surreal Me, which engages participants to experience a two-phase virtual embodying process and reveal the “Misperceived Reality.” The process examines the obfuscating nature of media; as the Sense of Embodiment inevitably breaks down, users can discover the constructed nature of media-projected reality. When users reflect on reality's authentic and mediated experiences in MR, this work fosters a critical discourse on Flusserian media freedom addressing emerging immersive technologies.

AB - This paper delves into Vilém Flusser's critique of media as mediators that distort the human perception of reality and diminish freedom, particularly within the Mixed Reality context, i.e., Misperceived Reality. It introduces a critical inquiry through Surreal Me, which engages participants to experience a two-phase virtual embodying process and reveal the “Misperceived Reality.” The process examines the obfuscating nature of media; as the Sense of Embodiment inevitably breaks down, users can discover the constructed nature of media-projected reality. When users reflect on reality's authentic and mediated experiences in MR, this work fosters a critical discourse on Flusserian media freedom addressing emerging immersive technologies.

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KW - Embodiment

KW - Flusserian Media Freedom

KW - Flusserian Media Studies

KW - Misperceived Reality

KW - Mixed Reality

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BT - Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025

PB - Association for Computing Machinery, Inc

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Y2 - 4 March 2025 through 7 March 2025

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Zhou AL, Xi L, Zhang K. Mixed or Misperceived Reality? Flusserian Media Freedom through Surreal Me. In Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025. Association for Computing Machinery, Inc. 2025. 87. (Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, TEI 2025). doi: 10.1145/3689050.3705992

Mixed or Misperceived Reality? Flusserian Media Freedom through Surreal Me

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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Cite this