Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/08/01

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Millimeters and Milliseconds
From: "Rob Appleby" <rob@robertappleby.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 11:47:23 +0200
References: <FF57673C-A52B-11D6-A276-003065D4DE46@mac.com>

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Allan Wafkowski" <allanwafkowski@mac.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2002 10:52 AM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Millimeters and Milliseconds


> idiots who put on happy
> faces for one story, and sad faces for the next, while relating story
> after story of meaningless chatter. Quality had been left out of the
> equation. So much of what passes as PJ is meaningless filler, but it has
> taken on a kind of symbolic meaning that stands for caring and activism.
>

And so long as the symbol is provided for consumption, the actual content
can go to hell. Look at the marketing of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, for
instance.

When "news" becomes a commodity, then its appeal to the consumer is the
overriding citerion of acceptability - and this means that confirmation is
favoured over information and insight. Who wants to know what really goes on
in the mind of a Palestinian suicide bomber, for instance? Who's interested
in his reasons (in terms of marketing "news" for the highest possible viewer
ratings)? Virtually no-one - we need to be confirmed in our belief that this
is someone we can safely despise for his beliefs and actions. He's just a
token, and to treat him as anything else is to risk losing market share.

> Rob,
> last time I attempted to get to your site, I was unable to. Is it up?
>

Westhost, my provider, is a bit ropey at times, but the site is still there
(see signature).

- -- Rob

http://www.robertappleby.com
Mobile: (+39) 348 336 7990
Home: (+39) 059 303436

See City of Crows online at The Digital Journalist:
http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0204/city_intro.htm


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In reply to: Message from Allan Wafkowski <allanwafkowski@mac.com> (Re: [Leica] Millimeters and Milliseconds)