Interaction-With-Interference (I∩I): Unconcealing The Illusion of Media Spectacle in Quantum-Like Society

Abstract

In the digital age, media spectacle relies on images and illusions to shape perception and judgement, yet interactive interference in communication remains underexplored. UNESCO’s promotion of art-based quantum literacy has reshaped Scientific Aesthetics. The metaphor of a Quantum Society, rooted in superposition, entanglement, uncertainty, and emergence, offers a critical lens on social structures and behaviours but has rarely been integrated with media-spectacle studies, leaving gaps on how interactive media and interference shape social dynamics and aesthetic experience. This research advances Interaction-with-Interference (I∩I) to examine how interference modulates information flow, exposes the illusion of spectacle in a quantum-like society, and characterises interactive spectacle, including user participation, immersion, and quantum-inspired design, while foregrounding the creative potential of interference aesthetics in interactive animation. Methods combined theoretical analysis of spectacle’s evolution with an empirical programme: a one-minute PDTM (Preference and Dwell-Time Measurement) comparing dynamic for A/B Choice, quantum-inspired elements (uncertainty, randomness, superposition) to static controls; a questionnaire probing quantum concepts as artistic inspirations; and qualitative interviews on media interaction and interference. Results show increased interaction time in the dynamic environment, with 67.1% preferring it; the survey identified Uncertainty and Superposition as top inspirations; interviews highlighted addiction, filter bubbles, and misinformation, alongside creative affordances of interference aesthetics. We conclude that I∩I offers a novel interdisciplinary perspective in which interaction and interference are inherently integrated, reframing interference as vital to creativity and guiding interactive design that harmonises technological advances with humanistic values.

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