In 2006, Time Magazine named me “Person of the Year”. It’s true. Google it. They named you, too. 
Had I realized that I was so important, I would’ve let you all know long ago. I am a filmmaker. I am a media mogul. My videos have been seen by hundreds. The one about the frightened hamster–by millions. Perhaps you’ve heard of my success by means of youtube and myspace. I am Tela Tequila. I am skateboarding dog. I am Al Gore and Tipper. I am all of you. I am us.
Old media like Time want to lump us all together. Damn you, Time. I am not Tela.
I am Ryan. No one has heard of me. I am not person of the year. But I do have several social networking sites, a youtube channel, a blog, and recently, I got a free dog. I am in the process of teaching him to skate.
Only time (not the magazine) will tell whether or not New Media will unite the masses and divide the monolithic old-media pangea into a new world of bold personalities and undefined market audiences. “You” are not me. I am. So back off Time, and give it…well, time.
However, I do revel in the possibilities of new media to help drive us into a more participatory culture. Will it increase democracy, or just turn us all into light-saber wielding, mya-la-hee singing freakazoids? I suppose we won’t know until Tron-guy tells us.
That’s a good blog. It’s funny, but what are you saying?
Do you think new media will pave the way for increased participation and democracy in the future?
So are you teaching the dog to skate so you have something good on your Utube and MySpace?? Just making sure you are not succumbing to the need for popularity on the net! Sometimes I wonder if our society will become more participatory in the hopes of popularity. Now days you can become famous by having an original idea on Utube, so maybe one day a dog on roller skates will not be so popular. Maybe our society will become desensitized to true videos because of the glut of them on TV and Utube. Who knows but I agree you are not Tela Tequlia!
One more thing….
Be glad you are not Tela if anyone is a true tv slut (excuse me cannot think of a better term!)she is the queen! Has our society become so over rawed from reality TV that we end up watching people like Tela come close to porn porportions??? Has our society sunk so low that smart people watch dumb people acting dumb? I appreciate a well constructed plot like Heros or a movie like Sliding Doors when I now see the trash TV and Utube promote! I appreciate we are the YOU in Time but if reality TV reflects what our society can produce somewhere God (or whatever u believe) is weeping!
If you figure out the answer to your final question, let me know too, will you?
Hey! YOu’ve seen “sliding doors?” Ha. I just saw that recently. Pretty good flick! Thanks for the reply, Laura. Take it easy,
-Ryan
Wow! I most certainly will, Tron-Guy!!!
I must say, you gave me quite a buzz, posting on my blog like that! The internet IS a real place, after all!
Thank you for taking the time to read my post, Mr. Maynard. I hope things are well for you.
As far as the internet creating a more participatory culture–I don’t see Tom Hanks replying on here. I suppose “we” really are the “people of the year”!
Thanks again, and take care.
-Ryan
Ryan, you seem to assume that increased democracy/participation and turning into freakazoids are mutually exclusive.
I present the following example as evidence that in fact they often go hand in hand:
http://www.burnerswithoutborders.org/about-us
LOL. I know. After Jay’s reply, I felt bad about using the term Freakazoids. I was just writing in that voice, y’know. If I wasn’t against labeling myself (I don’t feel it’s necessary to make everyone aware of me), I’d have one of those bumper stickers that reads, “normal people worry me.”
The BWB group seems very cool, and is a great example of how “freakazoids” and participation do go hand in hand. In particular, we’re often “freaks” becuase we have the capacity to see whats wrong with the “main” sector(not that there aren’t right things as well). In this case I refer to the “main” sector as common, accepted norms in our society (blind consumerism, no research opionions, etc.)
(However, I don’t want to give the impression that I know anything by saying all this, I really don’t. That’s why I said we should ask Tron-Guy!
Who is normal, anyway? I’m sitting her at the college cafe (or whatever they call it) watching the geese fly overhead (in formation, honking) and watching a beautiful sunset and I’m thinking am I normal? Probably not, but who is normal? Normal is whatever we want it to be. But none of us are abnormal, are we? As Pepermint Patty says, “The more I learn, the more I realize the less I know.” It seems to me that this humble approach is worth considering.
P.S. Ryan, great job of writing!