Atypical Virtual Associates

I know, I know - tackiest blog title ever. I think that the author (Andrew Keen) would say I proved his point solely because I said “crap” in the title of this post.

The guy’s argument (and he’s English…or Australian…or something else with an overstated accent he drawled out..) on Colbert is about the Internet killing culture because it’s all anonymous, and implied really strongly the only people who had any right to write were professional journalists.

Professional journalists are taught to write at about a 5th grade level and make a point in 250 words or less. That’s who is supposed to control the content? I seriously have never been so offended in my life. I’m not saying all the blogs I see on a daily basis are quality sites - FAR from it! I’m amazed sometimes that the people with blogs figured out how to set one up, even if it was a “three steps to the finish line” blogger blog.

But, really, the argument about artists not making money is b.s. because, in my opinion, it’s easier to sell fine art with a strategic marketing campaign online than it is to get some snooty gallery owner (they’re not all snooty, I’m sure) to give you a show.

What’s an elitist? I’ll tell you…the people who want it to only be people who “know people” and are “well connected” to get anywhere. THAT is what makes a person an elitist. When you open something up to everyone, there will be horrible things and beautiful things…but there will be more truly pure and beautiful things when you let everyone have access.

So if someone is scared that they might find objectionable or “low” content on the anonymous, scary ol’ Internet…that’s what an RSS feed is for.

Not that I believe most professional journalists know what that is or how (or why) to use it.

I consider marketing an art. I consider graphic design an art. Guess what? I’ve made money (a lot!) doing both of those things thanks SOLELY to the internet.Since I like doing both…I’d never be able to have a job in a corporation doing what I do. You’re not allowed to do more than one thing if you have a job - you’re supposed to do one thing, every day, the same thing.

This, really, is a post about the “Old Guard” - the people who don’t like change and were perfectly happy publishing their books made of paper that go through a publishing house that’s been cherry picking the books we have an opportunity to read since 1800 (or whenever the printing press was invented, I’m tired and don’t want to look it up on Google). The controlled flow of information, the bubble world we’ve been living in where we only know the information the “professionals” decide we should be allowed access to.

I believe in the “New Guard” - a (non-Aldous Huxley) Brave New World where we have access to ALL the information, for good or bad. The knowledge that there are WAY more dumb people than we were hoping for, but also the knowledge that there are people on the other side of the world that can change the way we fundamentally see the world. People and blogs and art that most of us would have never had access to without the Internet.

The Internet is inherently good! Not because the Internet has the ability to be good or bad…it’s electrons and plastic and metal. It’s inherently good because people are inherently good.

My Bloglines tells me so *grin*

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I just thought of something…all the people who write all those BS stories in tabloids are professional journalists. Yeah, that’s who should have control over content on the internet…I can’t get enough of the Weekly World News dontchaknow!