Comments on: Looking forward http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/03/30/looking-forward/ | social justice | higher education | technology | Sat, 30 Aug 2008 05:45:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Reid Parham http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/03/30/looking-forward/#comment-23197 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:24:21 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/03/30/looking-forward/#comment-23197 And yes, my comment did close with a forward-looking statement ;-) And yes, my comment did close with a forward-looking statement ;-)

]]> by: Reid Parham http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/03/30/looking-forward/#comment-23196 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:23:30 +0000 http://ericstoller.com/blog/2008/03/30/looking-forward/#comment-23196 As I have become more aware of the workings of the world I've started to notice similar things about media coverage and scandal. America seems to love the scandal-of-the-week, but it seems to function as a way to pass the time and to laugh at people of privilege (particularly with the celebrity gossip). While some people notice and keep track of the problems, much of the public moves on to the next media sensation. This seems to benefit people (and/or groups) who frequently fail the public. A threshold has been created where frequent failures of small-enough consequence fail to affect the mainstream opinions of such people (and/or groups). Of course, the media is equally involved in this cycle. I wonder if the rise of 24-hour cable news has been a big contributor. It seems new media can solve this through hypertext, cross-references and easy access to archives (see also: "transparency"). As I have become more aware of the workings of the world I’ve started to notice similar things about media coverage and scandal. America seems to love the scandal-of-the-week, but it seems to function as a way to pass the time and to laugh at people of privilege (particularly with the celebrity gossip). While some people notice and keep track of the problems, much of the public moves on to the next media sensation.

This seems to benefit people (and/or groups) who frequently fail the public. A threshold has been created where frequent failures of small-enough consequence fail to affect the mainstream opinions of such people (and/or groups).

Of course, the media is equally involved in this cycle. I wonder if the rise of 24-hour cable news has been a big contributor. It seems new media can solve this through hypertext, cross-references and easy access to archives (see also: “transparency”).

]]>