Category: Media / Sociology

I’m still thinking about the role of editors in the world…

As anyone who has an iPod, or any other large library of material, knows: sometimes valuable material can get buried. In the iPod example, chances are that unless a playlist is created, a song you like may get played only rarely. The methods of getting a favorite song to play more often include creative uses of metadata, some kind of search, playing a file directly, as well as using a playlist. In other words, short of somehow knowing what file (or kind/attribute of a file in a search) you’re looking for, there needs to be some kind of active step taken to make the item more prominent.

So what does it mean? There needs to be some person or technology which plays a role of helping us know what we may potentially be interested in. Not only does the model save us time, but it also helps create personal connections of interest. From iPods to social cohesion; who’d have guessed.

Meaningless Blogs

It occurs to me today that I read a lot of interesting, but overall meaningless blogs. It’s great to keep up on news and technology, but what about advances in science and academia? Are people blogging about this also, and I just haven’t found it?

I’ve blogged in the past about how hard it is to keep up with all of the various media we have available today, especially in the context of having too many books to read 😉
Maybe the blog/rss model could be extended to the academic world, where we can all quickly and easily see what new ideas and findings are out there. Perhaps this would make academic progress less predicated on “who you know” and more on “what you have to say.

Small Tables

How much does table size matter in your choice of coffee shop. I like to study and hang around, so big tables are fine with me… yet I understand how it might be more profitable to squeeze more (smaller) tables into a small coffee shop. Yet, there’s a statement of American culture in these big-table coffee shops that I like so much. Even when they’re crowded, nobody ever asks if they can join you at your table– they’d rather take the coffee for the road. In my experience, this wouldn’t be the case in many European countries. Perhaps we’re so used to having “our space” here, that we’re unwilling to take the chance of being anywhere near another’s space—especially when they’re a stranger.
Maybe “public spaces” don’t matter that much here unless there’s some sort of structure (like a club) to force interaction.

Laziness…

My first couple of posts were about the proliferation of media choices, and the possible need for an editor. I’ve been thinking more … maybe we’re (I’m) too lazy in this respect. Rather than pick up something difficult or “worthwhile,” it’s easier to plop down and watch something I’ve Tivoed. Rather than take the time to search for an awesome song, it’s easier to be lazy and have the radio select the music.
Maybe, maybe … being lazy isn’t such a bad thing.