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April 20, 2007
This is not my thesis.
I took this photo today in the "California Style" exhibit at the Autry National Center.
Posted by rosenblj at 5:07 PM | Comments (0)
April 11, 2007
Internet Outrage: Activism or Entertainment?
Tycho of Penny Arcade comments today:
"People seem to think that by posting in threads and agreeing with other people they are changing the world. They are not. They are posting in threads online. The universe will not be altered by forum threads, even those which are very wry. Being outraged online is a form of entertainment, and refreshing a thread to receive a hit of consensus packs the thrill of genuine activism without requiring any sweat. I'm afraid this test may require more from the community than a sardonic jpeg."
Tycho is referring specifically to outrage over Todd Goldman's plagiarism of an art piece by Dave Kelly, but obviously his observation has much wider implications. The Internet as a tool for anyone to blow off steam in front of an audience is an incredibly double edged sword as far as real world ramifications are concerned. While many stories and opinions are shared online that the mainstream media would never pick up, the catharsis of self-expression and the high of public agreement acknowledged by Tycho serve to kill energy and momentum for real world activism. Many of the villains decried by Internet communities care only about real world costs and benefits - from this perspective eloquent and compelling rhetoric that remains confined to cyberspace has no real meaning, and the authors, having vented their outrage, go on with their daily real world lives.
Posted by rosenblj at 10:28 AM | Comments (2)