Yeah? Well... that's just -- like -- your opinion... man... I'm still undecided on US elections. I can't say if living over here helps or hinders my decision making process, but this topic was on my mind yesterday when I was reading some news about my favorite band, Radiohead. After finishing the article I found myself perusing the comments left on the message board below the article.
Strange thing, those huge public message boards. I normally avoid them, as they have a tendency to make me angry at people who are as good as imaginary. But I have an unhealthy obsession with the aforementioned band, so I allowed myself to wallow in a bit of internet chatter.
Most of the comments came from people happy to hear about the upcoming US tour locations, but then I came to a comment by 'macseries' who said "Radiohead is boring."
That's all. Nothing more.
I got angry - but not because 'macseries' thinks Radiohead is boring. My wife kinda thinks Radiohead is boring, and I love her just as much as I would if she were a fan.
No, I got angry because the internet is encouraging people like 'macseries' to believe that their opinion is important in and of itself. Too many internet users like 'macseries' believe that their simple undefended opinions mean something to me and the public at large because their two-dimensional view of the world is not challenged in the one-dimensional space they inhabit. The places these people post messages are all "high-fives" or "fuck-yous." There is no nuance, no subtlety to anyone's statements. No one feels the need to back up their views.
I know that the internet is the most democratic method of mass communication ever in the history of whatever, but democracy does not mean that everyone's opinion counts the same. It means that everyone has the right to an opinion AND in a free democracy those people (should) have access to the facilities that can help give their opinion value. But people still need to work to give their opinions value.
As an instructor of composition, I find myself explaining the following to 18 and 19 year olds nearly every day: Until you can prove otherwise, your opinion holds no value whatsoever. I don't care if your parents and your teenaged years made you feel like the most important person in the whole wide world - you are not. Your existence does not make you special. You are just some kid going to school in Hungary.
But... but, if you think about it, that fact is pretty cool in and of itself, and I bet there are other aspects of your life that are interesting. You do have experience and knowledge others lack. The challenges you now face are 1) successfully communicating the value of your experience to the critical world around you and 2) gathering the right kinds of experience to make your understanding of the world even more valuable.
I think it is an important lesson, and I am happy to pass it on to young people. But if the iFolks like 'macseries' continue to spout their tripe and then congratulate one and other for simply having an opinion, then as the world ceases to be critical, experience and understanding will continue to lose meaning. While I'll admit this brand of relativism is not anything new, I believe the internet is giving it a new vitality. I feel like there are symptoms of it everywhere - as pundits dole out unfounded arguments on TV and politicians retreat into the bowels of partisanship in the capitols and the sacred damn the secular while in church and the secular scoff at the sacred from the Ivory Tower and so on...
And this all is hitting extra hard because we're at the beginning of an election year. The 'raise your hand' debates and the sound bites are beginning to grate.
I believe our leaders need to rise above the 'macseries' of the world. I want to hear someone - anyone - acknowledge the complexity of the world and attempt to communicate how their understanding can lead us to better places. Drop the empty phrases.
Don't tell me your the candidate with experience or the candidate for change or the candidate of security. Tell me how your experience will change the world and that will make me feel secure in casting my vote.
And now some Radiohead.
15 comments:
WHile I agree with you...there are way too many stupid icomments being put out there into iuniverse...I think there is something to be said about giving a voice to people, that 10 years ago, may not have had any voice at all, and may not have felt comfortable to state ANY opinion at all--be it even as trite as "radiohead is boring".
D.
While Radiohead is not boring; this blog definitely is.
Apologies for my unfettered opinion that I feel is important in and of itself, and for its lack of subtlety and nuance.
Sorry to have bored you by forcing my blog down your throat, but could you explain to me why your opinion is important?
Do you hold any sway over my life or those I care about?
No?
Well, then maybe you are an expert of some kind. New media? Publishing? Politics? Anything?
No?
Well, then thank you for helping drive my point home, anonymous. I appreciate it.
May I relate what you're saying to comments on blog posts? I read many blogs on a regular basis and often feel conflicted about commenting. On the one hand, if I have some kind of personal connection to the person writing, I often feel compelled to make an inconsequential comment just to let them know I'm there and reading. On the other hand, over at my blog, I appreciate those comments that just let me know someone is reading, but I really enjoy hearing people's more substantive reactions to something I've written.
I read here often Hogan, but don't generally comment because, while you give me a lot to think about, I usually don't feel like I have an opinion that will add anything to the discussion. This is not a criticism (of myself or you), just the way it is.
I love the way elements of the read/write web have allowed so many more people a place to have a voice, but I agree that many of them have put it to no good use.
Apparently it is "delurking week" so I will let you know I have dropped by today and do so often. The fact that there even is a "delurking week" means that there are many like Kelsey and I that rarely comment on the blogs we read, whether ours are trite opinions or not.
On the other hand, I think that some posters like "macseries" - if not macseries him- or herself - post statements such as "radiohead is boring" solely to bait others into the "fuck yous" and more subtle defenses of Radiohead in this example. There is even a name for them (which is escaping me now) - these people whose entertainment is to start a cyber-rumble, large or small.
Maybe "anonymous" above is one of those people. Or maybe "anonymous" was taking a stab at humor. Who knows? Which is another issue with this medium of communication - unless you engage emoticons, which are rather limited in conveying subtlety themselves - the intent of the communication often gets lost.
Sorry to have bored you by forcing my blog down your throat, but could you explain to me why your opinion is important?
It is you who assumes that my opinion is important. It isn't.
Do you hold any sway over my life or those I care about?
No.
Well, then maybe you are an expert of some kind. New media? Publishing? Politics? Anything?
No. Not an expert in anything. But I can tell you, your argument above is predicated on a logical fallacy known as argumentum ad verecundiam.
Well, then thank you for helping drive my point home, anonymous. I appreciate it.
I think you need to come to terms with the quality of your blog. Your are much too verbose and indulge in sloppy thinking that makes use of excess verbiage, resulting in a boring blog.
I wish it weren't so.
This is fun. Kind of a battle of the witless (myself included).
I don't know which is more precious:
A) the fact that she (PC pronoun use) came back to defend a dismissive blog comment
or
B) that she threw in a misinterpreted bit from her days as an undergrad in Intro to Logic.
I'll admit, for a blog host to respond to bait the way I did, that might expose some of my insecurities. But for the readers who know me (most of the readers), my insecurities have long been laid bare.
For a comment poster, however, to come back and defend a half-assed ironic burn... Well, that's a special kind of pathetic.
And then to throw some Latin in there? It's such a cute little cry for attention. I just want to scoop you up and cart you off to therapy.
But seriously, the premises of my argument are (roughly):
1. an assertion made without either proper defense or authority stifles critical thought
2. the internet is loaded with such assertions
3. the rise in such assertions encourages others to make similar assertions
____________
Therefore the internet is encouraging people to turn away from critical thought
I assume the reference to argumentum ad verecundiam (so cute) is an objection to premise 1. Which means my rival does not accept that an assertion requires a defense or authority. My problem is that accepting such a position turns every argument into a elementary school shoving match:
"You blog is boring."
"Is not."
"Is to."
"Na-uh."
"Yah-uh."
Why would I want to engage in such foolishness? Well, it is kind of fun. Not to mention my dog whelped last night. Nine puppies. So I'm kind of in the mood to help the helpless right now.
radiohead listened to whilst driving through mountains is highly enjoyable. also while out in the wilderness at night with a canopy of stars, radiohead is good background music for star gazing.
internet comments are not doing in well thought out and backed up opinions i feel, they just bring to the surface what was hidden before the cheap access to the net came about i think.
i have no research to back this up, just a hunch.
"Anonymity used to attack or manipulate springs from cowardice and/or malice. It is the antithesis of integrity. It is the enemy of authentic discourse."--Tom Belford
Hey man!
So sad to have missed you at Christmas this year... need to figure something out.
So, although it's not quite as eloquently put as you've outlined, I ran across this:
http://www.jonathancoulton.com/2008/01/22/
haters-you-are-so-boring/
and figured you'd like to know you are not in the minority with this sentiment. (You may need to copy and paste this link as your comment column isn't allowing the whole address to display properly)
Hope all is well and drop me a line when you get the time
Cousin Patrick
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
It's this culture of "C U L8R" People don't take the time to think.
It's easy to give a lame opinion when you are anonymous.
Coward.
I dismiss you completely.
Well I must argue with you as a "critical thinker", anonymity is useful sometimes:
i)It is more intresting to be anonymous, it offers u the chance of being mysterious
ii)Maby u dont want to make u're name public on this blog, one of the reasons would be u're not qualified to have a opinion on different issues
iii)Grammar & spelling :)
lol i'm macseries. i still think radiohead's boring.
exceptional post! you have caused me to see the error of my ways and i will henceforth cease to have any opinions about anything. unless, of course, i have read what you think about any given thing, in which case i will adopt your opinion as my own. if challenged by a third party, i will merely provide a link to your BLOG and let your highly formulated and well-articulated reasoning speak for itself. thank you, mighty blogger, for making my life easier on this day.
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