Hellooooo everyone! So I'm blogging this at school since I know I'm not going to be at home hardly at all today.
So earlier today I was sitting in English, and I was not amused. Why? You may ask. Oh I'll tell you why. Firstly, my class seems to be composed of mutes, or people with moot points. It drives me mental that me and three other people have to pretty much carry the entire class in discussions. It's irritating. Secondly, all we do is discuss points about how the world sucks, and how our generation sucks, and how we're ruining the universe. Today's downer topic was an essay by Neil Postman telling us we're all dumb because we watcth TV, and use media communication. He said that we're all pretty much illiterate and stupid and dumb. I was NOT AMUSED. I suppose that's a tad exaggerating, but it's pretty much what it said. Except longer, and more annoyinger.
He referred to TV "trash"... but there is literary trash too! Jane Austen [I love Pride and Prejudice but you have to admit this] isn't exactly "intellectual." It's a period romance. Wah wah wah, Mr. Darcy doesn't love me, wah wah wah. So how is that any different than Gossip Girl [the TV show version]? Wah wah wah, Chuck/Nate/Dan doesn't love me, wah wah wah. See? Exactly the same.
He also mentioned how TV doesn't actually give us information, or correct information or something dumb like that. I should refer back to the paper... but it's in my locker. Anyway, TV and the internet both inform us just as much as literature, or even more. All that Charles Dickons, Shakespeare jazz was written with such a limited knowledge of the world; but the internet and basically all media now provides such a variety of sources from different countries, cultures, and people.
And the argument of his that amusement is taking over information? Whatever. Information is disguised in all sorts of amusement. Who wants to sit down and read a textbook on women's rights when you can watch amazing people talk at a conference where some of the world's brightest are speaking in the comfort of your own home? That's entertaining, and informative. And there are graphics. I love graphics...
Then we get into people saying that blogs are just people ranting about things no one cares about. Why do so many people read blogs if no one cares? I'm sure every blog out there has someone that follows it and cares what that blogger has to say. The blog community is such a fantastic way to get different world views from a vast number of different people with different experiences and feelings.
So you know what Neil Postman? Get a blog. Maybe someone would actually care about your opinions then.
