Who me? Couldn't be
Congratulations, readers of this esteemed blog. The venerable Time magazine has deemed its Person of the Year to be You. Well, this blog isn't named specifically, but no doubt they had us in mind when discussing 'user-generated content' - the smug cultural buzz phrase for self expression. That's right - the most significant contribution to the world this year by anyone was, in part, your comments right here on City Slicker. By commenting, adding your unique and special voice to the collection of e-chatter that Time thinks is so awesome you are part of the future. So users who generate content I, like Time, salute your globe beating excellence.Until I ask, is this not just another lame attempt by an old media publication to show that it's hip with the Digital Revolution? Is it not a deliberate sales effort, a move to put 'You' (and me) over the edge? Well, Mr. Time Editor, you may have thought you were so smart, now able to sell the issue to everyone. But there is one person who is not buying your marketing mush or magazine. Me.
Because if we abide by your definition then we would be included alongside everyone. Anyone who was anyone and everyone who wasn't: Time's Person of the Year. If only you weren't so shamelessly desperate, you wouldn't have failed to mention that 99% of user-generated content is rubbish. Everyone who has ever trawled through YouTube knows that the only good stuff is ripped off broadcast TV. And then there's MySpace. Sure, it's big. But is giving teenagers the ability to send inane messages to each other really the greatest achievement of 2006?
What you missed was that "recognition" is not only in the naming but in the instance where everyone is named, in the unnaming. Because as Groucho said, who wants to be a member of a group that would have you?
posted by City Slicker at 11:43 am
24 Comments:
What an insidious move? Surely it should be George-I-Fuck-Up-The-World Bush?
Take that Time!
Nor me.
I vote Kev Federline...
Or Ken Lay? He didn't even need to live out year to make it. But then again if everybody counts!
But commemorating the users of Internet is hardly attributed from the fact that an average user would actually use the Internet to do good deeds. It is for sure the majority of Internet users are much more able to freely voice their opinions and criticisms nowadays, but how many are putting it to good use?
To give some context:
Last year, Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates, his wife Melinda Gates and rock star Bono were named by Time as its "Persons of the Year" for 2005 for their philanthropic efforts. President Bush was named "Person of the Year" for 2004, and the American soldier was chosen in 2003.
What a load of rubbish. So me you and everybody is going to run out and buy a copy of Time magazine bow? As if. Bring on 2007 if this is the best we can do?!
Surely Tony Blair??
City Slicker is on the button, as ever! At least Dave C didn't get it, tho'
I shudder to imagine if it was David Cameron? A fate worse than death! Agree that is short changing the concept though.
But wait - Time go to the trouble of profiling the people they think represent 'us'. Read here.
Person of the Year is a little cheesy.
Still, Time will enjoy a lot of buzz from the web community and we should all be grateful they at least acknowledge the clout we wield in the world of media.
Seriously why didn't the YouTube guys win it? They could of represented the same notion? Can you say sales figures?
spot on post. Time magazine trying to get 'down with the kids' or whatever. I just wrote something on this but it wasn't spurred by the Time article...
CS - who would you have voted for this year?
I would vote for Time Warner. Time/Warner is one of the big msm corps who have been complicit in all the conflagration of evil that you have spelled out here. I'm wondering why you did not single out the msm as being at least as overtly evil in the whole conflagration that you have, otherwise, so eloquently recounted.
It is difficult to imagine america and the world standing idly by during the last 30 years were it not for the clapping seals and open fascist fellaters in media.
Great post.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Honkman - My vote for Time's POTY would have been The Republican Party.
I agree City Slicker. The Republican Party HAS has had the most pronounced effect on the world.
Media professionals who do not explore and expose Bush's severe narcisisstic personality disorder (NPD) and the potential ramifications of it now that he has the authority to define civil conflict and declare martial law, in spite of childish wishful thinking to the contrary.
How Bush treated Webb, regarding Webb's son, is just one of countless, stereotypical actions of an NPD and the only proper explanation for his behavior.
Look at personality disorders. Get the bloggers looking at personality disorders. Serial killers and pedophiles are just anomalies. Where do the majority of narcisisstic and anti-social personality disorders gravite to, what do they do, how do they behave, why can they not be treated with therapy and medication, so forth and so on.
Too Bad the Democrats by and large......failed utterly as the "opposition" party, and were in fact co-conspirators on the Bankruptcy bill, the Military commissions act, the Patriot act, the war in Iraq, and too egregious SCOTUS appointments.
...sad times indeed.
"When the going gets Weird -- the Weird turn Pro". --Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
It appeals to the narcissist in all of us by naming “You” as the person of the year. Unfathomably dorky.
Is this a joke?
i'm shocked!
what a joke this is!
and to have this joke published in Time is just simply mad.
well spot on, CS.
oot (sorry...), i'm leaving the midlands and heading down to london for christmas & new year. any good festivities in the capital worth seeing that you can recommend? cheers. :)
Post a Comment
<< Home