So obviously there is more blogging, e-videoing, flickring, selling of original stuff, etc. going on right now than ever before.
I could see this as either a really great thing or a really bad thing.
On one hand, there seems to be more artisic expression and stated opinion on everything and anything. This means there are more ideas and creativity, more creation, and greater potential for change and invention. All the creative types out there can use the internet to get an audience for their writing, art, photos, fashion - virtually anything.
Has that made us more ambitious? likely in some ways. We have motivation to create in ways we never had before because we are almost guarenteed an audience (and people love attention).
I wonder what it's doing on the flip side. For one thing the "all about me" mentality. While I'd like to believe we put ourselves out there for the benefit of theres, cyberpace is a lot like the Me Generation on crack. Back in the day, when people said they were going to work, it usually meant an ACTUAL job that makes an ACTUAL income. Now we say, "I'm going to get a lot of work done today. I'm going to work on my blog, then my flickr, then I'm going to post one of my videos and upload my new song which was composed on the computer. Then hopefully I'll work on my site. then, if there's any time left, I'll look for a paying job or walk my dog."
Somehow, the new currancy of work seems to be popularity- getting validation that our selves and our personal work iis meaingful, cool, worth checking out. the market that is never really saturated, sometimes entertaining (at least we're keeping ourselves busy), and affordable.
Is there a point when we are actually cheapening our work by throwing it into the abysmal hodgepodgue of ideas floating around?
All these self-promoting cyber tools also create a network of awesomeness among artists and friends. That's great. In fact, that's probably the best thing about it. But let's not forget that people are more than cyber images, words, and identities- and also that creation can occur UNPLUGGED as well.
Good reads:
Generation Me vs. You Revisited
How the Me Generation ruined modern conversation
2 comments:
I think it's a little of both. I'm not sure there are two worlds any more--an online one and an offline one. For some of us those worlds intertwine. Obviously I'm admitting to this, but I don't feel guilty about it. The jobs I want and people I want to work for and with are all intertwined in this strange reality that is having an online identity and an offline presence.
Getting work done doesn't just mean actual income either. My parents say they're doing work when they're outside gardening, moving stones, putting up a wall. I've always considered sitting down to write an article and a journal entry alike "work." The fact that I use an intangible medium shouldn't make a difference. work is work: unpaid or not. I agree that what constitutes work varies person to person, but that's all semantics, no?
I agree that creation can occur unplugged, but of course that is what many people are doing. They are creating photos "unplugged" and then uploading them online to share, they are taking pictures of artwork or scanning in artwork... to share... sharing and commenting is a big part of Web 2.0... and then yes... that creates an online community.. but I'm thankful for that at times. I wouldn't have met the dude in Japan and the woman in San Fran and the teenage boy in Mexico would I? Maybe I would have..
You're right... everything has it's pros and cons...
Oh- I wanted to say- you have two links there. If the second one is supposed to go to another article you need to change the link. It goes to the same article as the first. I was curious to read it :)
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