In the last 50 years the majority of freedom sucking skinbags have also been empowered and it's not easy adjusting to power for everyone.
For some people it's awkward and kinda sticky but for others that maybe hadn't noticed it and are just now getting into the whole idea, it's pretty neat. But it can get to be too much! ZeFrank started as a video blog and was intended to only last a year but as time lurched on and zefrank got better at talking to nobody that nobody would turn into somebody. And he got better at it. I caught the buzz right in the middle of the year long extravaganza and became addicted. I'm still saddened by the loss (yes, it did end in a year as planned); the guy was funny, highly entertaining and there's now no more of him. But as he became more empowered, he found it odd; he didn't expect so much and started to worry whether he could keep going at the same pace (with the same success).
Thank god anonymity takes off a lot of that pressure. So many of us are/can be heard while never even considering that who we're speaking as isn't who we are. Perhaps the power betters some of us and even worsens others (think: internet addictions that break up relationships/marriages or stunt life choices) but in the end it is this tool, the Internet that we can use as we please. It is a multifaceted tool at our ever present disposal which can not only make us celebrities (internet royalty) but can also tear us down under the weight of its power.
As has been mentioned, this blog is a part of my Media & Communications Studies course (370) and because of that I get a lot of topics that I comment on from here. It's one of the more interesting courses I'm taking because it's based on material such as whether or not Wikipedia and other such toolings of The Interbutts are good or bad? Have people gotten dumber? Is it this newfangled series of tubes that's ruining America? And what the hell is a Washington Post?
To everyones surprise, the founder of Wikipedia (Jimmy Wales) thinks his e-child is awesome and can kick your e-child's ass. Not only that but he also thinks that his e-child is the future of the WORLD WIDE WEB and is singlehandedly making our lives better. And while sucking your own cock isn't masturbation and is, in fact, homosexual, I think Jimbo Wales has a point. Being a narcissist doesn't mean that you're inherently wrong. Because I'm almost always right. And modest.
Jacoby is wrong and Wales is right but the greatest thing is that their argument is on The Internet (ironic, eh Jacoby?) where anyone and everyone can get informed to any degree they want (or that's available to their ability to use a web browser) and weigh in. Like me, right now. Even though no one reads this blog, they could very easily; how easy would it be to find an essay I wrote on paper 2 years ago? And why are you going through my garbage? And in this way, one could say that The Internet is a flea market of intellectualism.
I don't think more people have really gotten any smarter in the last 50 years, in that there are roughly the same percentages of people around the world as smarter or dumber than the rest of the populations. For example, let's say America was 70% dumb and 30% smart in 1958; I don't think these percentages have changed much at all. There are more people to compose that 70% and/or 30%, certainly, but overall there are just as many smart jerks as there are dumb jerks. Have most of them become smarter? Of course! That's progress. What? You don't believe in progress?! Anti-intellectual.
I go to Google all the time for all my immediately information gratification. It usually brings me to Wikipedia and since it loads faster than Wikipedia's browser I just take the connected flight. I do not, however, use imitative crap like Encyclopedia Dramatica (as referenced above) for any other reason than explaining The Internet to outsiders and to a less indoctrinated audience because Google doesn't scrape the bowels of The Internet like a single user can given a few cold beers and an hour alone. E.D. is a cancer to the shadowy underbelly that makes The Internet so exotic because it exists to inform others of an area that should not be taught; it should be discovered. However, I am safe from being a big hypocritical jerkoff because no one reads my blog. And that's O.K. because it's better than a private journal and people used to do those things back in the 50s. What a buncha morans! if you don't get the joke then you lose the game.
In keeping with this theme against democracy, please enjoy this film.
I'm going to assume you watched that video. Isn't that neat? A full documentary at your fingertips and it's all for free. Though, it's funny how big mean organizations try to hide information from us. This video makes several perfect examples of how information about events and news from South America and Central America is manipulated to impress upon us, the audience, an agenda that exudes money and power. Did I say funny? I meant faggy (no offense real fags*). People who have motive to gain additional power or maintain power should not be trusted. The Internet is the most powerful communicative tool for democracy and if you're not digging into the deep dark soil then you're missing out. Stop going to the same places that you usually visit and start exploring everywhere else because the web is an ever expanding landscape created by mostly us. And porn. But you and I could make some porn. I like where this is going.
*I'm a firm supporter (no pun) of homosexuals. Go team!
I discovered the issue of fluoridation a few months ago and found this recent development interesting. Hard not to fold up a tin hat when you read this sort of news. When I see things like this I sometimes think of Sicko. Despite what you think of everything else in the film, you have to love Tony Benn-- the guy is wicked smaaht.
I was surprised that his interview and name weren't more popularized after Sicko was made popular. Then again, most people know about TED Talks but how often do we discuss them. Well, I try but then no one talks back. Assholes. I mean, really, when smart people come around and their brilliance or deep thoughts are broadcast and/or made available to the masses, what happens? It feels like nothing. Damn system, keeping me marginalized and oppressed! Well, fuck 'em. These are questions and thoughts you should be having as to "why are things the way that they are?" And sure, maybe we'll all break out our Reynolds Wrap by the time we reach our conclusions but at least we'll have something more to say. There's not enough real argument today. The dynamics of argument range from complete belligerency to supreme apathy with very little in between. It's a bimodal mess. Tony Benn is just a big wooden spoon that gets the pot stirring. TL; DR:
