Star

Ding! Another star! Woo hoo! I figured they'd like it.

Break a Nail!

I think it's a good thing to go from monologue to dialogue. Theater actors, stand-up comics, and live bands have had to deal with that kind of instant feedback for centuries, and I think they've come out alright. Sure, there are lousy audiences and hecklers at times, but perhaps the writer just needs to have a thicker skin, and not let it get to them -- the good folks will get it, and the trolls will be out there, too. In showbiz, they say "break a leg" -- so, for you, I'd say "break a nail!" to reflect the different demands of a keyboard-driven gig.

For too long, the culture creators have come from a particular social class, embodying a standard set of values (you know, Ivy League-educated, upper-middle class background, etc.) -- meritocracy in action, or so we're to believe. And as a result, it shapes not only what they write about, but what they see, too, what they're even able to perceive (I'd loosely term that the David Brooks Effect, given his astounding cultural myopia). I think it reflects the lack of real diversity in the American intellectual class -- the Best and Brightest simply don't have all the right answers, but don't try telling them that! They matter, because, well, because they're content providers, that's why!

That disconnect between meritocrat and audience is probably why polls consistently show the American public to be ahead of their representatives on issues. So long as they're all hunkered down in DC, they're okay, but outside the Beltway, they're lacking, forced to deal with the rascal multitudes, and afraid of it -- no wonder Bush's handlers never have unstaged appearances for the man; he's afraid of that instant feedback.

Similarly, the culture creators operate from East and West Coasts, twin poles, and too often like to pretend that there's nothing in between. The voiceless majority are supposed to shut up and be passive recipients of received wisdom -- that's how it's been for too long. It's been done to death; the Net lets us all participate, and I think you shouldn't fear it or worry about it, just enjoy the ride. The medium is the message, right?

-- Slackie Onassis