"Everything Bad Is Good For You"

For the fourth and final book to read and summarize, I chose "Everything Bad Is Good For You" by Steven Johnson. In the book, Johnson uses our current culture to try to break down the 'myth' that current generations are dumber/less sophisticated than previous ones. He tries to prove (sometimes successfully, sometimes not,) that everything that surrounds us- from video games to movies, music, etc, aides and not detracts from our cognitive abilities and overall knowledge and IQ.

I enjoyed reading the book for a variety of reasons, but mainly because it is a positive look at pop culture, which is something rare. As Johnson outlines, many look down at video games, etc and try to say that various forms of entertainment lead to breakdowns in our society (just look at when violent video games were blamed for Columbine and countless other examples). It was refreshing to hear a different take.

Johnson explains everything in a breezy manner and presents some very complex ideas in a very accessible way. "Everything Bad Is Good For You" reminded me of another book I recently read called "Sex, Drugs and CoCoa Puffs" by Chuck Klosterman. Klosterman, like Johnson, uses pop culture to illustrate various points about life and society in general. Klosterman's book, though, is much more humorous than Johnsons.

I'm a fan of pop culture in general, so it was an easy and interesting read for me. However, there were some points were I disagreed with some points Johnson made. I thought that he was generalizing too much- at certain points he was light on actual evidence and details and heavy on his own opinion and sweeping generalization. There are exceptions to every rule and to state flatly that "everything bad is good for you" culture wise and to discount how much some forms of media are distractions is pretty silly. Was he trying to say that kids who don't partake in video games aren't as smart as kids that study? If kids that play video games are smarter, does that mean their grades are higher than kids who don't?

At one point, Johnson writes:

" The interactive nature of games is that they inevitably require more decision making than passive forms like television or film".

It's arguments like that which make some ideas in this book come off as flimsy. At another point, Johnson writes that junk TV (like Joe Millionaire or other reality shows of the like) make people...

"following the narrative .... you are asked to analyze."

I think this is kind of like saying eating an entire pizza cures your hunger. Sure it does- but you're still consuming junk.

All in all, "Everything Bad Is Good For You" showcases a variety of ideas, both good and bad, and should be read and considered by everyone.

Thanks!

Ingrid Dahl Response

Dahl presents some solid ideas and thoughts concerning the use of MySpace and Youtube in relation to youth activism. Unfortunately, many of her ideas are A) already out of date or B) have been said a million times before.

To say that MySpace is still considered an important tool is to totally forget about Facebook, which has taken over MySpace's power tenfold. If you ask the youth of today about MySpace, guaranteed they will laugh and say they haven't used it in a few years. Groups and businesses have shifted their entire online precense to MySpace. In order to become as relevant as it was, MySpace should totally rebrand their site and change a lot- right now it's very confusing and noisy. As a joke on "Saturday Night Live" recently went: 'MySpace is like the abandoned carnival park of the internet."

Dahl writes:

When in dialogue with youth about the fact that News Corporation, owner of Fox broadcasting channels and other major media outlets, owns and operates MySpace, many youth frown upon the news. Nevertheless, this does not stop them from usingMySpace as an accessible tool of connecting, researching, and mobilizing their communities.

I think this is off the mark as well. If Dahl is trying to say that youth today get their news from social networking sites, I would have to disagree. They definitely use it to rally others and get the word out about various issues, but to compare MySpace to FoxNews is a big stretch.

It'd be interesting to see what Dahl would have said if that article were written yesterday. I would bet she'd at least changed the title of it to include Facebook as well.

Thanks!

Final Project: Video

Here's my final video! Hopefully it goes viral and I make millions.

Viral Videos and You: A Final Project @ Yahoo! Video

"Life on Screen" Response

Sherry Turkle's book "Life on Screen" is an interesting and intriguing look at modern day life in the age of the Internet and how the Internet is changing everything about ourselves and our world. Turkle, who is an MIT professor, breaks down the effects of the Internet and showcases activities that are unique to it, including role playing games (which she calls MUDS,) in which someone can electronically make believe they are someone else and trek around a fantasy world. Many people can be playing together, but every one of them can be in a different state, time zone or even hemisphere- it's a communal experience without the actual community.

Turkle argues that these experiences can lead to a new postmodern way of knowing, different than any other before the electronic age of the internet. People are found to respect and become addicted to these games, because they treat them like real life suspending disbelief since they are pretending to be someone else and succeeding at it. Turkle poses some intriguing analysis to this phenomenon- who's to say what's real and what's not? Are these virtual reality games any real or fake than our own actual lives? What's more exciting- the games or life? Also, for the players do the lines blur between the real and the virtual?

Turkles book was most educational when it focused on the actual people that play these games, giving the reader a sense of who these people are exactly and what makes them "tick." She showcases a guy named Doug who comments on the fact his own life is just an extension of his video game life...

"I split my mind, I'm getting better at it. I see myself as being two or three or more.. I go from window to window. And then I'll get a real time message and then that's real life... It's just one more window. Real Life is just one more window.. and it's usually not my best."

Reading that quote is both eye opening and partly frightening- we are now living in a world where some people feel they are more comfortable pretending to be someone else behind a computer screen as opposed to actually living a real life in the real world. The frightening aspect is that this is only the very beginning of this phenomenon- video games in general have only been around for around 25 or so years and computer games for even shorter. If some people have this reaction to video games at this stage, how will it transform over the next 10, 30, 50 or even 100 years?

Another aspect to think about is that many people that are fans of these games are young people. Many are students, whether it be in high school or college. Is it a generational gap that there are few older people playing video games? Is it something about these games that only young people are attracted to? Or is it something else.. Also, how do these young people that are obsessed with virtual reality age? Will they still be interested in these games when they grow old, or is it just a drug out "fad?"

WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE IT'S BEEN PUBLISHED

Obviously there has been a mountain of changes since "Life on Screen" was published in 1997, even though it reads like a book that could have been written yesterday- there's just a lot left out. Since publication, the world is even more obsessed with computers as it was in 1997 and there's been an amazing shift towards all things related to the internet and all things electronic. New inventions like the iPhone and iPad have only aided these shifts by leaps and bounds. Also, video games have become much, much more advanced- not only the graphics of them, but also how intricate they are, and how such a majority of young people play them now- it's no longer a "niche" activity as it probably was when Turkle wrote "Life on Screen," rather now it's on par with watching television or playing basketball outside.

Another change is the amount of money both poured into the production of these games and how many units they are selling. New installments of role playing games such as "Halo" and "Call of Duty" make more money than most big budget films and along with these fantasy and adventure interactive games, there are countless other ones geared toward varying interests, including the "Rock Band" series (where people pretend they are musicians,) or the variety of sports featured on the Wii games package (where people make believe they are athletes).

All in all, the fact that the internet has changed all of our lives is undeniable, but what are the long term effects, both good and bad? Time will tell. Until then, we'll just have to play another level.......

Olberman's Wikipedia Report

On an episode of "Countdown with Keith Olberman," Olberman discusses the story of how Wikipedia, which is a user driven information site that anyone can edit, can be tweaked and modified in accordance with nefarious purposes by specific people and/or companies.

Apparently, someone figured out how to track who edits particular Wikipedia pages and something interesting was discovered- the page on the Exxon Valdeez Oil Spill was edited by.... someone at a computer at Exxon. A page on some Presidents were tweaked by someone from the headquarters of the CIA. Olberman showcased another example of his very own Wikipedia page being edited by someone by his "enemies" at the Fox News headquarters. All of the pages were planted with information that is either positive (the Exxon people putting positive spin on the Oil Spill,) or negative (someone at Fox writing something critical of Olberman).

This is probably something we should all be wary about but not worry over. Wikipedia changes enough and is fact checked enough to be protected in many aspects by wrong information. It's not like the Exxon people can change the history of the spill... or the Fox people making the public critical of Olberman just by using a paltry Wiki page. The truth will always prevail in these instances and if something seems amiss on Wikipedia, it probably is. Also, by now the public knows that Wikipedia may not be the source for 100 percent correct information, and if they wanted to double check something they can always back it up by looking on another site/book/encyclopedia etc.

Lastly, it's not clear who at these companies headquarters are editing the pages. It could be a public relations guy, or it could be some random intern goofing around. There's really no way to know- but I can almost guarantee that editing Wikipedia pages are not the first thing on Exxon's mind and/or mission.

Thanks!

BORN INTO BROTHELS

"...and the Oscar goes to: BORN INTO BROTHELS!"

That's what was proclaimed during the 2005 Academy Awards, a much deserved win for a heart wrenching and dramatic documentary which thrust the problematic issues of prostitution in India's Kolkata front and center.

The story is centered around children who are literally born into brothels- their mothers are all prostitutes. The writer, director (Zana Briski,) intially travled to Kolkata to photograph prostitutes, but in return got much, much more. Children of postitutes were given cameras and lessons on photography and told to take pictures of their daily life. The poverty of Kolkata's Sonagachi (their red light district) is displayed in sad detail.

The documentary is a grim look at the underbelly of a world many of us in the United States seem to pretend doesn't exsist, or worse, want to ignore. The upbringing of these kids is rediculous, and being the child of a prostitute is bound to spur a viscous cycle of more prositution, which leads to crime, more poverty, etc.

After viewing the film, I wondered what came of the children featured and upon googling the subject, I found that there is some controversy around it. While some went to boarding school, many dropped out after filming was completed and moved back to Sonagachi. There is also controversy over how much the kids made doing this movie & creating a book of their photos. From what I've read, there are conflicting facts about what the kids featured are doing presently- are some in school? Or living again in distress?

BORN INTO BROTHELS is a powerful film that I've always heard a lot about but never watched. The subject matter is so important and powerful, it shouldn't be missed. It also showcases how important a tool a simple documentary film could be to gain some attention to a terrible situation and how kids can take that situation and create art and (arguably) a new life..

Thoughts on "Avatar" & Environmental Awareness

James Cameron's AVATAR is the most popular film ( at least in gross wise,) ever; beating TITANIC a few months ago. While losing the all important Best Picture trophy at the Oscar's (to another film that deals with social change- THE HURT LOCKER,) AVATAR's effects are being felt far and wide. Not only revolutionizing a new era in 3D filmmaking, but raising a plethora of awareness on various environmental issues.

The interweaving of political and environmental issues into the story was not accidental. AVATAR's director, James Cameron, (who also wrote the film,) has intentionally not only built his entire story around them, but his marketing plan as well. The recent DVD/BLU-RAY release of AVATAR coincided on this past week's Earth Day- a day set aside as a reminder to live a more "green" life.

I think AVATAR's effect on the viewing public's environmental awareness is minimal, though minimal is indeed better than nothing. Anyone who has seen the film has memories of scenes where lush rain forests filled with nature loving people are wiped out, burned away and killed. The villains in the film could care less about their effects on the land and people they are destroying, while the protagonists are much more open minded and caring about the earth and natives that inhabit it.

Out of the millions who have seen or bought the film, I don't think many are going to run out and join Greenpeace, or suddenly start recycling, but perhaps they are more thoughtful about harming the earth after having seen it. Having the DVD release of the film on Earth Day was nothing more than a marketing gimmick to stir up discussion. Whether it was a gimmick or not, the Earth Day release was a smashing success- it's currently the title holder of fastest selling Blu-Ray DVD ever.....

Even if the public doesn't go out and change much, Cameron will.... on the heals of the success of the movie, he recently started helming another project, though it's not a film......

"James Cameron attended the Avatar Home Tree Initiative Launch in Los Angeles on Thursday evening. The plan is to plant one million native trees in 15 countries by the end of 2010. Director David Cameron, Avatar actress Michelle Rodriguez and Heroes star Hayden Panettiere spoke to reporters about the cause and why they thought Avatar was such a success. "


SOURCE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8640086.stm

MIDTERM- How to Make A Viral Comedic Video

We've all been there. Sitting at your office desk, hanging out on a computer with your friend, watching the news and an amusing report comes on, reading the newspaper and coming across a description on how one quickly became a phenomenon. Viral comedic videos have been the topics of countless water cooler discussions and "hey did you see the one where..." talks for the past five or so years. It all started back right around the advent of YouTube (we'll get to that later,) and stretched into 2010 where everyone is looking for the hottest, best viral video to show their family and friends. Not all of them skyrocket into the public's eye- as a matter of fact, a vast majority flounder, are unfunny and barely scrape up views. However, when they do 'hit,' it's a force to be reckon with.

PART ONE: STEPS TO VIRAL SUCCESS

Take a look at this handy guide if you want to make the perfect, quintessential viral video. Also, take a gander at some examples and before you know it, even YOU can have your very own viral video phenomenon.

**Quick note: when the term "viral comedic video" is used, for this purpose it means a video that can be amusing- not totally laugh out loud. With that being said......

STEP ONE: BE QUIRKY AND ORIGINAL

No one wants to watch something that's been done over and over again, or something you can easily catch on TV any day. The viral comedic videos that really take off have something that sets them apart from the rest of the pack. Maybe they've never been done before? Perhaps they have a relatable factor? Maybe it's something you can only dream of doing, but never had the time, which is exactly why the following video is the very latest comedic viral video. It's a music video that the band OKGO recently released for their latest single. OKGO first came onto the scene with a viral video that featured the band, on treadmills, singing their debut song "Here It Goes Again." To follow up, they wanted to do something epic......

Only posted March 1st of this year, the video for "This Too Shall Pass"has already gotten seven million views and features a Rube Goldberg machine, which is a device using found parts. Taken several months to build by a team of physicists and scientists, including those from NASA, this video exemplifies step number one in the best way possible.

STEP NUMBER TWO: FEATURE CELEBRITIES

While step number two isn't a deal breaker, it will sure help your cause and at least get it initially noticed, but for all the videos without celebrities, there are some that feature today's hottest stars that get passed around the most. Whether it's for a good cause like the "Saturday Night Live" Presidential Reunion that featured Dana Carvey, Will Ferrell, Jim Carrey, Dan Akroyd and Chevy Chase, the ever popular "I'm F***king Matt Damon," or the follow up "I'm F***king Ben Affleck," which featured (among others,) Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and a plethora of other stars. Not getting a ton of celebrities together isn't a deal-breaker either- sometimes you only need one- and a baby. Will Ferrell's "The Landlord" showcased this perfectly and became such phenomenon a that it even fueled a full-fledged website devoted to funny videos owned by Ferrell, writer Adam McKay and producer Judd Apatow.

The Landlord from Will Ferrell

Posted a little over two years ago, "The Landlord" has garnered an astounding 71,000,000 views and counting. This means that "The Landlord" conceivably garnered more views than Will Ferrell's latest movie, the remake of the television show "Land of the Lost," that cost millions to produce and bombed the box office. "The Landlord" meanwhile was filmed over the course of a few hours on a shoe-string budget. That's the power of the internet...

STEP THREE: FEATURE A CATCHY SONG

Videos that feature catchy songs do two things- raise the profile of the song and gives the video an extra remembrance factor- one can get the song stuck in their head and therefore makes it easier for them to remember the video. The clip "JK Wedding Entrance" perfectly illustrates this point. It showcases the Chris Brown song "Forever," and came at a time when Chris Brown needed good publicity the most, since it was posted a few months after he assaulted then-girlfriend, the singer Rhianna. Filmed on a home video camera, this video incorporates steps One and Three in a perfect coupling...

The video, which took off the summer of 2009, became such a hit that it even inspired a parody on NBC sitcom "The Office," and the original dancers were invited to recreate their entrance on a variety of TV shows, including "Today."

STEP FOUR: BETTER YET, DO A MUSIC VIDEO

A good amount of comedic videos that really hit it big happen to be music videos. The one thing that varies is that sometimes they are done by major artists, while other times they can be done by anyone with a boombox and a webcam. One of the first videos to really take off is "Lazy Sunday," which was first featured on the NBC sketch comedy showcase "Saturday Night Live." Filmed in New York over the course of a day, and edited throughout the night, the video stars comedic actors Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell rapping about their quest to go see the 2005 children's adventure film "Chronicles of Narnia" (therefore explaining the chorus- "the chronoc-WHAT-cles of Narnia"- chronic taking a double meaning, to mean marijuana and the title of the flick.) The video was so successful, it is the one that arguably put YouTube on the map, and even gave Samberg a movie deal (in the form of the 2007 film "Hot Rod.") Unfortunately, NBC.com makes it difficult to embed videos in blog posts such as this, so here's one of the countless 'salutes' to the video made by a fan in the wake of the initial "Lazy Sunday's" success.

The video was such a hit, it spawned even more music videos featuring Samberg including 'MotherLover," a duet about loving 'cougars' with Justin Timberlake, "Dick in a Box," a goof of an R&B song about giving the special someone in your life just that (also with Timberlake,) and "Iran So Far Away," a ballad sung by Samberg and Maroon 5's Adam Levine about the demented Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinijad.

STEP FIVE: EMBARRASS YOURSELF

If there's one thing we've learned from shows like "America's Funniest Home Videos," it's that when people make a fool of themselves, nothing is ever funnier. At least once a week something like this is passed around- whether it be guy who made a video resume and came off like a loser, the countless news-anchors caught for cursing while on air (who can forget the local New York weatherman who said "keep F***king that chicken,") or a tirade caught on tape (like Christian Bale yelling at a crew member, or Bill O'Rielly cursing out one of his producers on the set of "Inside Edition" in the 1990's. Possibly the best of this crop is the simple fall- it could be when a news reporter falls out of a barrel while stomping grapes live on the air, or this video appropriately titled "Scarlet Takes a Tumble."

The Scarlet in the video became quite a celebrity and embraced her fall, appearing on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," among others, having a good time poking fun at herself. There's something about seeing someone else fall that makes anyone laugh themselves silly. Being the person that does the falling? That's something else all together......

STEP SIX: BE A LIL' KID

We all know that little kids steal the attention in any household, but they also do so online. There are a variety of funny online videos that are passed around that feature little kids in funny situations, they can range many emotions- like being sad (like the girl who is crying because she loves Justin Bieber so much,) or angry (like the boy who gets angry at his video game system and flips out- much to the delight of everyone watching.) Arguably the most popular video featuring a little kid is "David After Dentist," which showcases a young boy named David being filmed by his father in his car after a trip to the dentist's office. David had some sort of surgery done and is still under the effects of the anesthesia when the camera started rolling.....

Featuring such memorable lines as "is this real life?" the video which was originally posted in January of 2009 has garnered an amazing 54 million views thus far. It has also attracted a fair amount of controversy, as has the "Landlord" video, in which detractors say that little kids are being exploited. Whether or not that is true is for the viewer to decide, but what is proven is that controversy can go a long way in aiding the life span of a video. Sometimes the most outrageous (like "David") are the most memorable as well.

PART TWO: MOST POPULAR YOUTUBE VIDEOS: WHERE DO THEY FALL IN?

Let's take a peak at some of the most viewed videos in the history of YouTube, and see what steps they incorporated in order to be on the top of the heap....

NAME: "Charlie Bit My Finger"

LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM

RANK: 1

VIEWS: Over 172,000,000

DESCRIPTION: A little British kid complains that his little brother 'bit his finger."

STEPS INCORPORATED: 1, 6

NAME: "Evolution of Dance"

LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMH0bHeiRNg

RANK: 3

VIEWS: Over 139,000,000

DESCRIPTION: A guy dances to a melody of different songs.

STEPS INCORPORATED: 1,3

NAME: "Hahaha"

LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6UU6m3cqk

RANK: 5

VIEWS: Over 111,000,000

DESCRIPTION: A baby laughs.

STEPS INCORPORATED: 1,6

NAME: "Jeff Dunham- Achmed the Dead Terrorist"

LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uwOL4rB-go

RANK: 7

VIEWS: Over 109,000,000

DESCRIPTION: Comedian Jeff Dunham and his terrorist puppet.

STEPS INCORPORATED: 1, 2

NAME: "Jizz in My Pants"

LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pXfHLUlZf4

RANK: 16

VIEWS: Over 79,000,000

DESCRIPTION: A music video from Andy Samberg about an embarrassing situation. Made for "Saturday Night Live."

STEPS INCORPORATED: 1, 2, 4, 5

PART THREE: IT'S UP TO YOU

Now you have the knowledge in order to make the most popular YouTube video of all time. What steps will you incorporate? Where will you go right- or wrong? As anyone will tell you that uploaded the most popular videos, you never know what will take off and what will flop. The wedding video, for example, was filmed and posted with the sole purpose of showing friends and family who couldn't attend the wedding what went down. The poster had no idea it would be a favorite among a global audience. Also, remember there's little to no money that is guaranteed. Sure, you might be on a few TV shows here and there, but when the glory fades away, it's kind of like having one top 10 song. Sure it's fun for awhile and you'll always be remembered for it, but is that a good thing? Do you want the only thing you're remembered by to be you falling flat on your face, like in "Scarlet Takes a Tumble?" Lastly, remember this- even if you do make a popular video, with the exception of record companies, there are no two comedic videos on the top 30 of youtube that have the same up-loader. Of course some of their follow-up videos were successful, but it's almost guaranteed you'll never repeat the same amount of success- it's like getting stuck by lightning twice.

Don't let any of that stop you, though! Take that camera, think of a good idea and go for it. Even if you're video doesn't take off to get astronomical views, at least some of your friends will get a kick out of it....

"Wisdom of Crowds"- Part 1

Onto the next book in our reading series- "Wisdom of Crowds," written by James Surowiecki and first published in 2004. Before enrolling in Beyond iCelebrities and glancing at the syllabus, I had never heard of "Wisdom of Crowds," and honestly would have never read it if it weren't assigned. However, judging by our past book by Malcolm Gladwell,"The Tipping Point," (which I really enjoyed,) I was excited to delve into "Wisdom," figuring it has to be at least on par with "Tipping."

The basic gist of the book is this: Surowiecki is trying to prove

(using a plethora of examples and discussions) that, simply, groups are better off at making

decisions than one or two people (hence the title- "Wisdom of Crowds,"- in crowds lie wisdom.) Surowiecki does a good job illustrating this point by citing the "Who Wants to be a Millionaire," in his explanations- which in turn gave a better idea of what he was saying. The 'Ask the Audience' portion of the

show, where contestants can ha

ve the entire audience poll a question, is what Surowiecki talks about specifically. Most of the time the audience answers the question correctly, which in turn lies their collective 'wisdom.'"

Other specific examples cited in "Wisdom of Crowds" aide Surowiecki's argument greatly, including the idea of Google- when you search for something, the result is a mass of information which you can then boil down and swift through to find just what you are looking for (i.e. the right answer.)

Something Surowiecki delves into for a good chunk of "Wisdom of Crowds" is the idea of diversity (in fact, he devotes the entire second chapter to this idea.) In large 'crowds,' diversity is an easy thing to find- in a mass of people, there are different ideas/opinions and more generally- different type of people. In a small, like-minded crowd, this is much harder to find- so instead, you'll get a lot of the same ideas/opinions rather than just one. The idea of "groupthink," relates to this as well. The more everyone influences one another, the more like-minded everyone becomes- which has it's pros and cons. Pros, because every can agree- but con's because that like-minded group is inclined to make the same mistakes over and over again.

PART ONE TO BE CONTINUED....

Tipping Point- Part DOS!

Sorry this "Tipping Point" response is so late! Anywho, onto part two of my response- or as I'd like to call it "Tipping Point' Response: Tip With a Vengance.*"


Continuing on with the book, I just have to reiterate how much I absolutely was enthralled with it. Gladwell is a great writer who brings up a TON of great points. It's interesting in a very unique way- he makes the reader think about life/the world in a way he/she never has- and that, in itself, is special. I'm calling the entire experience "Gladwellian."


Having said that, I thought the next half of the book was pretty redundant. He touch on some new stories, anecdotes, etc, but for the most part what he was trying to prove was already proven. Perhaps if he restructured the book a tad differently it wouldn't feel like he rehashed a lot.

Gladwell has an interesting idea about the number 150, which seemed a bit of a stretch to me. He explains that groups/fan bases under 150 people have a different quality than if they are over 150 people. Once a group/fan base goes over the 150 mark, the fan base which once was tight nit and starts to change into something that can launch something into success- the "Tipping Point," in this case. He cites the book "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood " to state his case.



The next dissection is that of AirWalk shoes, and how they skyrocketed from a niche brand (A la "Ya-Ya Sisterhood" book readers,) to a national success. I have to admit, I had never heard of AirWalk shoes, until reading this book. Maybe the reason why I had never heard of them is that the "cool" level of the shoes declined significantly after a series of mistakes by their publicity and management team. Gladwell writes that they were once available to small stores and then "sold out," after being sold in Department stores- and then only started offering one line, in a greedy effort to save money.







Finally, Gladwell tries to dissect the confusing teenage mind and uses the juxtaposition of teen suicide and teen smoking. Both, he says are risky things that teens do (which would make for a great anti-smoking PSA.) Gladwell states that teens are much more eager to copy one another, and the reason for a spike in suicides and a spike in smoking is just that these teens are trying to emulate on another. The downside is- when they start smoking cigarettes, they become addicted and when they commit suicide.... they die. I loved the juxtaposition of cigarettes and suicide in this chapter and thought it was Gladwell's most effective. Suicide and smoking are both harmful things to do your body and their relationship to one another should be examined more. It can even be said (though it's sort of a stretch,) that every time you smoke a cigarette you're committing suicide in a small way.


The last chapter is more or less a wrap up and delves a bit into breast cancer and African-American women. He chronicles a case of where they were given info about breast cancer at a hairstylist, instead of at a doctor's office or on the street- and how women are much more perceptive to hear such information with a hairstylist- where they are most comfortable. Gladwell states that this is more of a "band-aid" solution to the problem and while effective, doesn't fix the fact that breast cancer kills many, many women. Overall, the entire last chapter was a redeeming and great way to wrap up the book.


*"'Tipping Point': The Squeak-uel" works too.

COMING SOON: My look at "WISDOM OF CROWDS."

Favorite Comedic Social Change Video

Hey!

I know I'm jumping the gun on this assignment, but I figure I get it out of the way before I post my next Tipping Point response and "Wisdom of the Crowds" response.

The v

ideo I chose is no surprise to anyone that knows me. I am an avid fan of comedy, particularly SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.

My video is...

Amy Poehler's Palin Rap!

http://www.hulu.com/watch/39808/saturday-night-live-update-palin-rap#s-p2-sa-i3

(I would have embedded it, but Hulu doesn't allow embedding on blogs- weird!)

This rap and the Palin, Tina Fey, SNL firestorm was a great lesson between the relationship of comedy and politics, and comedy and technology. These videos spread like wildfire after they i

nitially aired and did a variety of important things- made people aware (and introduced them) to Sarah Palin and gave the public a perception (albeit somewhat distorted,) of who she is as a person.

It also showed that Palin had a sense of humor (judgin

g by the fact she appeared on SNL TWICE in the run-up to the election, compared to Obama who never appeared- aside from a lone appearance in 2007.) Lastly, SNL's started getting their best ratings in years and show became as culturally relevant, reminding everyone of the days of Will Ferrel's Bush impression, the mocking of the Clinton Sex scandal, Dana Carvey's Bush Sr. Sketche

s and Chevy Chase's goofs on President Ford- all great in their own right.

Thanks!

Tipping Point- Part Uno

First off, I am so glad that Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" was chosen as one of the books to study and discuss. I had heard about how interesting all of Gladwell's (the crazy looking man with the odd hair to the left)books were in the past (including "Blink," and "Outliers," the latter of which I plan on reading next,) but for some reason never picked any of them up to review myself. I'm glad that this class gave me an excuse to.

Right off the bat, I love Gladwell's style of writing and the ideas that he presents are totally fascinating. In a nutshell, all of Gladwell's books are about life and how things work out and why. Further than that, they are hard to explain to someone who never read them what the underlying idea or thesis is. For "The Tipping Point," it centers around trends and why some things "hit" at the right time and become smashing successes, and how some things "miss" and why that is.

The cool thing about "The Tipping Point" is that Gladwell tries to make his cases for his various theories by using real life examples. In the first few pages, he discusses the success of Hush Puppies- weird shoes that set off a crazed fad in the 1980's and then later fizzled away.

The tipping point from the title comes into play where he tries to explain the key moments of exactly WHEN and WHY certain things happen- such as the Hush Puppies craze, or something darker like the spread of syphilis. He goes onto outline three rules of these tipping points, which include Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor and the Power of Context. In reading about these rules, I couldn't help but think to apply it to certain fads and things that are "hot" today including Facebook and Twilight. In looking at those specific examples, one can find exactly how and why they "hit" using Gladwell's there rules.

Gladwell employs various other examples to illustrate his point, including SESAME STREET (which, according to him, was a change in the way children's television was produced,) and the decline of violence on the mean streets of New York City throughout the 1990's (where he says small changes made the difference, instead of sweeping ones- arguing that sweeping change doesn't always work like a charm.)

Thanks so much for reading. PART TWO coming in the next day or two...

RL

Beyond iCelebrities

Going to start using this for assignments for the New School online class "Beyond iCelebrities." Woohoo!

Stay tuned....