Andy Warhol was a prescient purveyor of pop kitsch - a modern era Nostradamus. He predicted the future when he opined that at some point everyone would be famous for fifteen minutes. He was totally on target. He just didn't know what it would look like. He predicted the fame, but he couldn't have begun to imagine the digital/information revolution. Fame? Yes. But fame that comes in bandwidth, not minutes. Perhaps it's 15 gigabytes of bandwidth, or terabytes, or Hershey's Bites. I really have no idea how bandwidth is measured. I just know that, like electricity, it's there when I flip the switch on.
I call this fame, Me-Gocentria. It's all about me, me, me. Enough about me, let's talk about you. What do you think of me? Everyone wants to see themselves (and have their friends see them) on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, FourSquare, or read their blog. Our culture seems to have an overwhelming desire to be noticed, recognized and most of all "followed." Hey, I am guilty as a preacher in a cheap motel room. A couple of you are reading my blog right now. One person actually follows my blog - bless you Teresa. I debuted on YouTube a couple of weeks ago singing a Dylan song. Of course, I Facebook and FourSquare. Linked In? You betcha. I tweet, therefore I am (someone). In other words I'm not here to pass judgement. It's just the way it is.
There is another phenomenon I call Me-opia. Many of us are so consumed with being Me-Gocentric that we show signs of Me-opia. For example, walk into a restaurant and chances are you will see at least one table (probably more) where everyone at the table has their mug in their smartphone. I was introducing the superintendent of a large school district at a breakfast meeting recently. As I looked over at her sitting at her table I noticed she had her hands in her lap, head bowed. How sweet, I thought, she's praying over her meal. As I got closer I realized she was checking her phone for e-mails. But back to those people at the restaurant. The irony is they may actually be communicating with each other as they apparently ignore each other. One is checking in on 4Square or changing their status on FB while the others take note on their smartphones. Communication in today's digital universe. Me, me, Me-opia.
That's it. Just a couple of random observations from Me. My next observation will deal with something I call Phonar. Stay tuned.
Johnny B
Can't wait to see what you "plant" in Johnny's Garden next. I agree with your point about Me-Gocentricity, especially having been caught up in my own version surrounding our son's wedding. We have checked Facebook and Twitter, e-mail and texts with vigor looking for any post of photos from the wedding, well wishes and comments. It's fun, but also me-gocentric!
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