why can't we all be as smart as andrew keen?
i have to say i didn't much like the tone of his "digital emperor" article and when i watched additional interviews of him, his arrogant tone and demeanor did nothing to sway my opinion.
basic searches of his name reveal many others who share this same sentiment. and how could they not?
seems like mr. keen is really concerned about "our culture" being destroyed by the content posted by anyone without ivy league degrees who is not part of the priveleged elite. the United States was borne as a country to fight these principles...to give anyone a chance. (ironically, keen is english)
the problem is not that non-traditional outlets of expression exist or that those without traditional background and expertise create content. those with long academic backgrounds and piles of degrees are free to use these mediums as well. they just are not using them as efficiently as others so this "tremendous knowledge" is, in a sense, being wasted. those who complain their messages are not being heard i think are forgetting one of the most important rules of all communication: know your audience. if you want your work to gain some respect outside the ivory tower, make it available, make it understandable. google results are not generated arbitrarily or by chance. they are determined by algorithms that find the most popular results. are people like andrew keen really disturbed by the "loss of integrity" they assoicate with new media, or are they more upset their work is not topping the charts?
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2 comments:
Although I did not read the piece on Keen, I think you make an excellent point about user generated content. If you want to get your material out where people can see it, then it certainly has to be accessible and in a form that people will want to look at. If academics are upset about what is getting attention then it is time that they change with the times.
I also think that having a different perspective on the writing can be important. Not everyone wants that academic, structured, formal writing as a way to get information. UGC, having a variety of people inputting information, can provide an interesting and different writing style that overall, may be more effective than just "experts" writing..
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