Evenin' all.
Just listened to a fabulous discussion on Radio 4. Please please check it out, I think you'll find it genuinely interesting in view of everything that was said yesterday in our splendiferous presentations. http://andrewkeen.typepad.com/
It's a bloke called Andrew Keen, who has been called the anti-Christ of Silicone Valley.
I wish I'd heard the programme 48 hours earlier, as it would have made a really interesting counter argument to our digital journalism presentation, which basically argued in favour of the web 2.0 revolution.
However, I am now genuinely confused as to what I think and would value some brainwashing in either direction. Honestly do have a foot in both camps. I hate sitting on the fence, it's for wimps and I'm getting splinters!!
Andrew was saying that what we have in front of us now is cultural chaos and moral decay. He said the culture of blogging, citizen journalism and general plethora of online communities is replacing the wisdom of traditional experts with the innocence of online amateurs.
Apparently, it's "democracy gone mad."
Keen sees the burgeoning communties as a cacophony of worthless opinion. Everyone is talking simultaneously, with no-one listening to anyone else. However, is it just a case of those voices were always there, but there was no medium for them? Perhaps Keen doesn't like that someone can immediately, publicly retort to articles now, eloquently or not. Not sure what his background is. Is he a journo, does anyone know?
He is dismissive of what he calls a "pervasive culture of digital narcissism", with everyone scrambling to survive, spouting any amount of nonsense to do so.
It raised in my mind an interesting tide of change that Clare mentioned in the presentation sessions yesterday - one that says content may no longer necessarily be king, and it's all about generating rapport, discussion and honesty. This disregard for content is what really needles Keen, and he fears severe cultural consequences.
Anyway...not much point me saying any more when you can read the thing yourselves. I'm taking to this stuff with the ferocity of a convert.
Tara
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