OUTRAGE In The Internet Age
Damned If You Do, Don't, And/Or Anything In Between
Once upon a time, Max Headroom was advertised as “the first computer-generated TV presenter.” This was, like most advertising, a lie. He was a character, played by an actor, shot on a blue screen, and produced like most 1980s entertainment: on video in a studio.
Like George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four (and Apple’s “1984” commercial), Max Headroom was intended as both a cautionary tale and satirical commentary. He was a digital trickster with a strange sense of humor who always seemed to be laughing. And glitching. More Rhyme than Rhythm Is Gonna Get You. O eh, o eh, oo, aah!
I first became aware of Max Headroom through tv commercials around 1985, usually aired on MTV. I was also a fan of the two-season ABC series.
By the end of the 1980s, Max Headroom’s 15 minutes of fame were over almost as quickly as they began.
If only the same could be said of the glitches who’ve come after him.
Max Headroom’s zany dystopia has become increasingly become full of Mad Maxes and Maxines and politically-correct Karens and Darrens.
While human nature is full of complexity and often requires critical thinking to decipher, activists and extremists across the socio-economic-political spectrums loudly (and proudly) practice disagreeable debate over civil discourse. 24/7/365.
Ultimately, the tendencies and tenor are deplorable and disgraceful in my opinion.
While I considered writing an in-depth, personal account of all I see as wrong with what passes as “civil discourse” these days, in real life and online, I decided it’s both more efficient and effective to share a few of my favorite quotes on the subject:
"Everyone is in favor of free speech. Hardly a day passes without its being extolled, but some people's idea of it is that they are free to say what they like, but if anyone says anything back, that is an outrage."
Winston Churchill
“This idea of purity and you’re never compromised and you’re always politically woke and all that stuff, you should get over that quickly. The world is messy. There are ambiguities. People who do really good stuff have flaws. People who you are fighting may love their kids and share certain things with you…. If I tweet or hashtag about how you didn’t do something right or used the wrong verb, I can sit back and feel pretty good about myself. ‘Man you see how woke I was, I called you out.’” But “that’s not activism. That’s not bringing about change.”
Barack Obama
Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game because they almost always turn out to be—or to be indistinguishable from—self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time.”
Neal Stephenson
“Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Reasonable minds can differ.
Unknown (also Richard Hoeg)
Personally and professionally, I’m often outraged by the actions and attitudes of both individuals and groups. As well as the general state of the world. As founder of Collide Press, I’ve even helped create the politically-themed Outspoken collection. “WOKE” doesn’t work for me personally, but “AWAKE” definitely does.
That said, I’m both exhausted by and tired of the conflict and constant outrage. They are not amusing not amusement park rides.
Frankly, I find most outrage to be amplified and/or manufactured by media outlets fighting to survive and by social media users big and small vying for attention, clout, community, and engagement.
This isn’t me just wagging the finger at “them.” I’ve been as guilty as anyone. I’ve taken the bait hook, line, and sinker, and raged against many a machine and tool.
But going forward, I aim to be more mindful of how, when, and where I spend my already-meager fuck budget.
Fighting the “good” fight requires you to pick the right battles and hills to die on.
So I’m going to do my personal best to do that.
Starting today, less reactivity is my goal.
And, when necessary, becoming more responsibly responsive.
Best wishes for peace…
Clint
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(ARTnews)
Well said - the "pile on" is my least favorite. Twitter and Facebook, notably, have become almost unusable for the amount of negativity...