Deafening Silence
“I think our job is to represent all the submerged cultures in the world. I mean, you and your CBS and all the big amusement industries represent a way of silencing everybody. Communication was supposed to be two-way, but it turned out to be basically one-way. From those people who can afford to own a transmitter, which costs a few million dollars, to a little guy who can afford to own a receiver that costs a few bucks. So there are millions of receivers and people at the other end, and only a few transmitters. I think that is one of the major—if not the major—human problem now. Because everybody is off the air.”
—Alan Lomax (1915-2002), ethnomusicologist, in 1991 CBS interview.
(Thanks to alert WORDster Alan Kania)
Editor’s note: But what about the Web, where everyone’s talking all at once to himself...?
It’s Bill O'Reilly’s birthday (66)! Send “Papa Bear” a nice fruit basket.
NOTE: New Journalism Faculty Wanted
The Journalism & Communication Department at Utah State University is searching for two new fulltime faculty/professionals-in-residence to teach 1) public relations, and 2) video journalism. Professional experience and teaching background required. Start date: August 2010.
• Click here for the link to the Broadcast/Video search.
• Click here for the link to Public Relations search.
Queries: Ted Pease, JCOM Department Head, Utah State University • ted.pease@usu.edu; 435-797-3293
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you could insert in your Editor's note (between "talking" and "all"): "full of pomp and circumstance signifying nothing"
ReplyDeleteThe Web is wonderful, but it takes dogged determination to plow through the clutter and chatter to items of substance, such as Today's WORD.
ReplyDeleteCovering South American news for AP and U.S. News, I learned that miners must remove tons of rock and dirt called overburden to reach small deposits of copper, tin, zinc, gold, silver and precious or semiprecious stones. Similarly, the 'net has what might be called electronic overburden; though my day is just beginning, I've already deleted countless words that were worthless to me and would, I daresay, be of little or no value to any thinking person.
Lately, I'm being bombarded with messages urging me to become active in Facebook, Plaxo and other so-called social networks. I find them at least as anti-social as social; returning to my earlier analogy, they have vast amounts of overburden and few gems. The last time I looked at Facebook, I was delighted to see that entries included a greeting from a long-lost high school friend whom I hope to see before long. On the other hand, one acquaintance reported having taken his wife to lunch and another gloated at length on her success is playing something called Farkle. Hoo, Boy! How would I ever have managed without those tidbits?!
I get an occasional text-message of value (usually from one of my children), but I also see a growing number of reports on fatal and multi-fatality accidents blamed on persons distracted by text messaging from their responsibilities operating autos and even buses and passenger trains! AP had a piece the other day on a conviction being challenged because jurors were seen text-messaging during testimony and while the judge was instructing them. I hope that the appeals court overturns that one -- and reprimands the judge for allowing that abuse during a trial.
End of rant.
I'm glad to see that the dean relented and is allowing you to hire new faculty members. To coin a phrase: Miracles never cease.
Keep up the good work.
Joseph
Ted:
ReplyDeleteIf Alan Lomax had lived to see the consequence of the world-wide web he might think, "Be careful what you wish for . You might just get it."
Obviously we are at a transitional moment., cacophony. But is it really unusually transitional? Could be that every monument is transitional to those who are in it.
New hires! In 2009.
Peter
Lomax was a national treasure. Imagine if no one had gone out and preserved the traditional music like he did. His point was well-taken, too.
ReplyDeleteAs for YOUR point, also well-taken. The Web is not so much about everybody communicating with each other as it is about everybody indulging their narcissistic tendencies.
Hey, I could come out and teach that PR course, but only if your football team improves.
JS
If everyone is talking, no one is listening. Then again, I do not own a cell phone or have a Facebook or Twitter account. So I spend most of my time observing and listening, bored to tears. It often reminds me of the expression "Better to remain silent and be thought the fool than to speak and remove all doubt."
ReplyDelete--Lois