The Obvious?: We get the world we deserve

I did a talk at Manchester Business School today and was surprised by the students' focus on the negative potential of the web in their questions. I am unashamedly optimistic in my workshops and focus on the good things that the web does so maybe it was just a reaction to this. There was also interesting contrasts between those who wanted the authorities to protect them from others and those who were worried about the authorities knowing too much about them. However my main concern is that they were expecting someone else to sort things out rather than assuming that they could have influence and take control themselves.

As to the concern about the scary things in the world this is far from being the preserve of the web. I am sitting watching TV with my wife as I write this and almost every drama on every channel seems focussed not only on violence but sick, twisted violence. Where did the idea that is was what we want from our entertainment come from? Why do we think it is OK to pump this stuff into people's homes?

I am not prudish at all, despite the impression my last post may have given, and want freedom of speech that allows people to watch and consume pretty much whatever they like with very few controls. However this is different from the passive consumption of insidious stuff that erodes our shared sense of what is normal in ways that I believe are ultimately damaging for society.

In the same way as the web let me decide whether or not to watch the execution of Saddam Hussein, whereas TV didn't because I couldn't get to the remote in time, it also lets me decide what violent or sick images to allow into my consciousness in a way that television doesn't. Yes I know I can change channels or turn it off but the feedback from my decisions is much less immediate than on the web. The biggest difference is that it takes an active decision not to watch stuff on TV whereas on the web takes an active decision to watch stuff.

Going back to the students in Manchester we ended up having a really interesting discussion about how to make the web better, how to increase the chances of it being used for good rather than evil and how our current institutions may, or may not, be suited for this purpose.

Comments

Thoughtful post.

"The feedback from my decisions is much less immediate [with tv] than on the web."

It's also interesting to look at this in terms of narrative. The web allows us to mix and co-create narratives through myriad acts of creativity and attention; tv, on the other hand, presents us with a selection of ready-made, "one-size-fits-demographic" narratives.

Now, if you'll excuse me Euan, I just received my Amazon rental DVD of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (Series 2, episodes 7-10). Time to switch on and veg out!

Posted by: weaverluke | March 06, 2007 at 10:43 AM

It would have been interesting to hear how much involvement the students have with being part of a community on the web.

Whether they were using the tools available to generate connections or were just passive receivers of information.

Innovation spins off an inquisitive mind.

Posted by: Craig McGinty | March 06, 2007 at 11:58 AM

Good point Craig. As you would expect after the session they told me that of course they were all over the web and some of the stuff I discussed though interestingly they stayed well away from the attempts by the university to get involved.

Posted by: Euan | March 06, 2007 at 01:58 PM

"The biggest difference is that it takes an active decision for not to watch stuff on TV whereas on the web takes an active decision to watch stuff."

Amen to that. I don't think the significance of this can be under-estimated, and I certainly don't think it's meaning has risen anywhere close to our collective conscious.

I gave up my TV two years ago and since then I have found my life significantly better. I still watch plenty, but it's stuff I go out and seek. iTunes, google video and youtube, bit torrent, and my local DVD rental store. Stuff I choose to see. Stuff that furthers my interests, education, and sometimes just my entertainment.

An example. Last weekend I watched The Prestige, which I paid for and downloaded of iTunes. One character is based on Tesla the inventor. After the movie I wikipedia'd him and read various sites / information about his life. Some of the most inspirational stuff I'd read in a long time. Then I looked on google video and found a documentary about him. The end result was learning a host of things about the early days of electricity and its commercialisation, plus also about a collection of related topics such as synesthesia.

TV has no analogy to this. The movie would have ended and I'd be onto Big Brother re-runs or the news talking about how teenagers are damaging society. Stuff puffed up by 'the media' to get ratings and incite a superficial reaction.

There is something profoundly important in the act of choosing to see something as opposed to having it fed to you. I don't know what the foundation of that difference is, but I'm keen to find out.

Posted by: Olly Wright | March 06, 2007 at 08:15 PM

buy cheap cialis canada online
buy viagra soft tab online
order discount cialis online
buy cheap levitra online
buy generic avandia
buy paxil online
buy zyrtec online
buy female viagra online
buy cheap zocor online
buy cheap hoodia online
buy cialis canada online
buy generic viagra online
buy cheap generic cialis online
buy cheap viagra online
buy cheap cialis canada online
buy viagra soft tab online
order discount cialis online
buy cheap levitra online
buy generic avandia online
buy paxil online
buy zyrtec online
buy female viagra online
buy cheap zocor online
buy cheap hoodia online
buy cialis canada online
buy generic viagra online
buy cheap generic cialis online
buy cheap viagra online

Posted by: tita | November 15, 2007 at 01:15 PM

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

Posted by: |

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Your comment could not be posted. Error type:

Your comment has been saved. Comments are moderated and will not appear until approved by the author. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

The Obvious?

We get the world we deserve

TrackBack

Comments

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

Post a comment

This blog is mothballed