So tonight I was watching the presidential debate, and like many others, I was on facebook at the same time. Though I heard Romney mention that he had "binders full of women" from which to seek cabinet members...I'll be honest....I didn't think too too much of it. At best, I thought he was kissing ass. About a half an hour later, I noticed that that my newsfeed on facebook was filled with binder comments. Eventually I was led to this link. Clearly, I first laughed my ass off. But what fascinated me was the speed in which these were generated. In fact, my partner was not watching tonight. So I paused to tell him what the facebook nation seemed to focus on...this one comment. (And believe me...if we're going to pick at Mittens...there was plenty to pick on.) I even joked with him that this was "bindergate." My partner's response was that there was so much mockery in such a short amount of time.
This got me thinking. We are used to make comments on facebook within seconds. But now we are creating memes. In minutes after a gaffe. Look at the speed in which we can send information. It used to be that we could send e-mails to a selected party...but now we can communicate with ANYONE within moments after an event. Being a multimodal theorist...I worry about this. We tend to use multiple modes to express our thoughts...but...do we really want/need to have them out there for everyone? Or are we impulsive? Have you ever waken up after a drunken facebook night and thought "Jesus....I really didn't want everyone to hear my thoughts?" I'm just worried, because with social networking....and web 2.0...do we think before we post?
i would be lying if i said i was a model example of posting. i mean, look at my facebook any friday am and chances are...if i could take back a post i would. not just because i may have had cocktails...but because when i facebook...which is traditionally at night...it's after a long day of work...and to tell you the truth..i am worked up.
that's what worries me about web 2.0. It's so easy to post without full thoughts. Think about it. I know I will.
I know I don't want to slant my posts...but my God...binders full of women...can't stop laughing!
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ReplyDeleteI thought the same thing after watching the debates..nearly instantly that single phrase was everywhere on the web. Pretty impressive!
ReplyDeleteSee, when Romney said that I took the value of the image over the actual phrase he used- and didn't think any more of it. "Pretty cool imagery, Mittens." Then on FB I saw a picture of Patrick S. that said, "No one puts baby in a binder." I think people enjoy taking things out of context just to get a rise out of others. It's not just politics, it's life.
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