General Comments
Fame and Consequences
06/Mon/2009 10:40
Susan remains front page news.
Bright and early this morning we were greeted by the announcement Susan has been hospitalized. This news is not unexpected. We suspect Susan is suffering from “instant fame syndrome” now exacerbated by World Wide Web exposure epitomized by YouTube. So many seem to revel in building up just to pull down again.
It is the same YouTube that provided millions a chance to see and embrace Susan that now allows seemingly unrestricted license for site visitors to post vile and often profane comments solely intended to hurt and demean.
Hopefully, the Susan Boyle effect will focus much needed attention on the need for the YouTubes of this electronic world, to revisit posting policy and put in place simple language filters and prohibit postings by individuals with blatantly offensive nicknames . All of this can be accomplished without throttling free speech. The electronic media must reexamine the issue of how to balance freedom of expression and the need to ensure some semblance of respect for the sensibilities of individuals and cultures.
Bright and early this morning we were greeted by the announcement Susan has been hospitalized. This news is not unexpected. We suspect Susan is suffering from “instant fame syndrome” now exacerbated by World Wide Web exposure epitomized by YouTube. So many seem to revel in building up just to pull down again.
It is the same YouTube that provided millions a chance to see and embrace Susan that now allows seemingly unrestricted license for site visitors to post vile and often profane comments solely intended to hurt and demean.
Hopefully, the Susan Boyle effect will focus much needed attention on the need for the YouTubes of this electronic world, to revisit posting policy and put in place simple language filters and prohibit postings by individuals with blatantly offensive nicknames . All of this can be accomplished without throttling free speech. The electronic media must reexamine the issue of how to balance freedom of expression and the need to ensure some semblance of respect for the sensibilities of individuals and cultures.
0 Comments
Susan's Second Win and A YouTube In The Gutter
05/Wed/2009 12:39
Although winning the latest round in Britons Got Talent, Susan’s shaky start to singing Memories from the Webber musical Cats has started an unfortunate backlash of very negative comments with the most offensive to be found under the YouTube video of her latest performance.
Others, including pop singer, Lily Allen have jumped on the Susan “a flash in the pan blogging band wagon”.
Susan’s second effort was shaky and less than I had expected but I could not keep from cheering for her and swelling with pride as her performance improved.
As an aside, it is apparent that YouTube needs to do a better job of monitoring video comments. They are now allowing blatant racists slurs and comments to be published without challenge. Comments that serve no purpose other than to inflame, insult and hurt and ultimately diminish YouTube. The comments are so crude we will not add the link to our site.
Others, including pop singer, Lily Allen have jumped on the Susan “a flash in the pan blogging band wagon”.
Susan’s second effort was shaky and less than I had expected but I could not keep from cheering for her and swelling with pride as her performance improved.
As an aside, it is apparent that YouTube needs to do a better job of monitoring video comments. They are now allowing blatant racists slurs and comments to be published without challenge. Comments that serve no purpose other than to inflame, insult and hurt and ultimately diminish YouTube. The comments are so crude we will not add the link to our site.
Only a Matter Of Time
04/Thu/2009 11:01
I assumed it would only be a (short) matter of time before cynical blogs surfaced suggesting the Boyle rocket ride to fame was scripted. I have not been disappointed.
John C. Dvorak at Dvorak.org has posted “The fix is in. Let’s be real here.” For those of you unfamiliar with Mr. Dvorak, a.k.a. the Cranky Geek, he is a well know writer traditionally focusing on technology whose career now seems be almost completely dependent on his image as a Doubting Thomas and curmudgeon.
Even if we accept his claim the show was a setup, the reality remains that it was Susan’s performance and persona along with the reach and power of the Internet that made the “fix” possible.
I can and have often played the role of curmudgeon and pessimist, and am familiar with the elitist buzz you can feel when taking that stance. However, until proven otherwise, I prefer to adopt the view that the Internet makes over night success, without the fix suggested by our cranky Mr. Dvorak, possible and indeed inevitable if the story rings as true as did the Boyle performance.
John C. Dvorak at Dvorak.org has posted “The fix is in. Let’s be real here.” For those of you unfamiliar with Mr. Dvorak, a.k.a. the Cranky Geek, he is a well know writer traditionally focusing on technology whose career now seems be almost completely dependent on his image as a Doubting Thomas and curmudgeon.
Even if we accept his claim the show was a setup, the reality remains that it was Susan’s performance and persona along with the reach and power of the Internet that made the “fix” possible.
I can and have often played the role of curmudgeon and pessimist, and am familiar with the elitist buzz you can feel when taking that stance. However, until proven otherwise, I prefer to adopt the view that the Internet makes over night success, without the fix suggested by our cranky Mr. Dvorak, possible and indeed inevitable if the story rings as true as did the Boyle performance.
The Boyle Effect
04/Sun/2009 12:51
The Boyle Effect.
Susan Boyle’s meteoric rise to fame is so engaging not simply because her success illustrates the need to open books regardless of their cover, but because it is undeniable confirmation of the power of the internet to influence the way fortunes are made and lost.
Susan’s sprint from obscurity to fame is so intriguing because it literally happened overnight and was driven by a YouTube video and millions of Tweets. Her transformation from pub karaoke singer to diva confirms we have experienced the proverbial sea change in how real or faux talent can be catapulted to the blinding spotlight of the wired world stage.
There is more to the Boyle effect than a tear jerker story of rags to riches or triumphing over adversity ... this is the kind of event that causes us to stop, take a deep breath and marvel at how quickly one can shift from obscurity to international fame or infamy. Me thinks I see the makings of another book, Mr. Gladwell.
Susan Boyle’s meteoric rise to fame is so engaging not simply because her success illustrates the need to open books regardless of their cover, but because it is undeniable confirmation of the power of the internet to influence the way fortunes are made and lost.
Susan’s sprint from obscurity to fame is so intriguing because it literally happened overnight and was driven by a YouTube video and millions of Tweets. Her transformation from pub karaoke singer to diva confirms we have experienced the proverbial sea change in how real or faux talent can be catapulted to the blinding spotlight of the wired world stage.
There is more to the Boyle effect than a tear jerker story of rags to riches or triumphing over adversity ... this is the kind of event that causes us to stop, take a deep breath and marvel at how quickly one can shift from obscurity to international fame or infamy. Me thinks I see the makings of another book, Mr. Gladwell.