Tony Pierce does this "Twenty Minutes with Tony" thing every once in a while were he just tries to go completely stream-of-consciousness for twenty minutes just to see where it all goes. I'm not sure if I can a) limit myself to twenty minutes or b) maintain an actual stream of consciousness without being interrupted or losing interest or wondering how long I've been writing. It's kind of funny to think that I couldn't do it because it's either too much time or too little. One of life's little contradictions.

I was reading an article earlier today about how movie theaters are starting to deploy these kiosks that transmit on Bluetooth frequencies to any nearby phone that is Bluetooth enabled, offering to download movie trailers and ringtones and stuff to your phone while you're in the theater. I love this stuff. Invasive though it may be, I love reading about how technology and new trends and frontiers in information exchange change the face of my business. It's been a project of Scott's and mine to try and become more tech-savvy and educated, and to constantly be on the lookout for new things to discuss with our client. We know that if we keep her informed, and she brings these things up to her superiors, we all look better for it.

I remember about a year ago I sat for a presentation by our agency's interactive agency partner, and he was talking about all kinds of innovations and gadgets his company was exploring for their marketing and advertising potential. Things like DVRs (Tivo), wireless phones, Google pay-per-click, blogging, and innumerable other options. It's a little scary to think we may someday end up in a Minority Report-like world where everything reads your retinal pattern and greets you by name. But at the same time, it fascinates me. The sci-fi-ness of it all. All I could think of for the whole presentation is I need to get this guy my name. I never got a chance then, but I've gotten in contact with some other guys there on some of our client business. At least they know my name and hopefully, know I'm smarter than the average account guy when it comes to this stuff.

It may be a little self-servng of me to say it, but I think blogging is great. Where everyone argues that it's just a symptom of a fragmenting world, I think it's just the opposite. What's amazing about blogging to me is that no matter how much we are different- different links, interests, desires, hopes, etc... we're all so much the same. At a basic level all these blogs say the same thing. I'm valuable. My perspective means something, and I won't be marginalized. Sure, some people spend their time as pundits, some as pranksters, some just chronicling ordinary and extraordinary lives. But the thing I think is most fascinating about all of it is that despite the many variations, they all return to that basic premise. Listen to me if you want to.

It's beautiful. I'm a huge advocate of free speech- all free speech. I'm also a huge advocate of changing the channel. The point being, if you ever look at this "blogosphere" in its totality you'll see the voices that are stifled, have always been stifled, by the illusion of conformity that is the "American Experience." Each is as unique and distinctive as any strand of DNA- clinging to little more than the basic fact that they're all published on the Internet to unite them. And it's a total meritocracy- interesting blogs are read, uninteresting ones are left to posterity and the fulfillment of the individual writer. We all gravitate to the things that interest us, disgust us or inspire us.

And somehow, it seems that we suddenly have a tool to help us grasp the basic truth of all media- changing the channel is the ultimate expression of free speech. In a medium where it's not impossible but very difficult to stifle someone else's voice, people are left to protest in a passive way that is ultimately under the control of the publisher. If I don't like your comments, I won't support them. And I am under no obligation to listen to anything you have to say. So, the protestor is left with two options: a) continue to protest and be ignored or b) change the channel.

Change the channel. It's the lesson no one wants to learn. Now, I'm not an advocate of broadcasting hard-core porn and slasher movies at 4pm on a weekday, when the only people watching are kids just getting home from school. That's going a little too far. But what's wrong with hearing "shit" on a tv show at 9pm, if there are proper warnings offered? What's wrong with blasting your company's policy of hiring pretty white girls with perfect teeth to be receptionists? (I'm not talking about my company- we don't have a receptionist.)

For that matter, why should a company have to apologize for everything that anyone thinks is objectionable? Whatever happened to that old adage, "you can please some of the people all the time, but all the people only some of the time?" If you have studies that prove that having an attractive, pleasant receptionist puts people at ease and provides a favorable image for your company, why would you apologize for that? If you think the hippie chick with the nappy dreadlocks, henna tattoos and the studs in her tongue, nose and lip is off-putting and doesn't portray the professional image you would like, why should you apologize for firing her? People are not entitled to jobs. Jobs are earned. Or should be.

That's a lot of crap to say that every time I read about these things, every time I hear a news clip about this "new medium," I'm excited. Because I see all these things that make our country great being stifled by a moralistic minority (which is different from a "moral minority") which I've explained before as what I believe to be a generation that feels desperate to make a positive mark on the world but has never had any real concept of how to do so. It's all about ostentation and conformity, and it's rooted in hypocrisy that is reflected in their history. How can the flower children of the Sixties legislate the morality of their antecedents onto a generation, descended from them, that is drifting away from that traditional view of the "American Experience" I mentioned earlier? They can't, of course. At least, they shouldn't be able to. But a generation who has never show any restraint doesn't believe in personal restraint as a method of maintaining social standards. And doesn't believe that people are capable of self-regulation.

It's a fascistic mode of thought, but understandably reached. People (often rightly) believe that we are all products of our own experiences. So if your experience is that you tried everything and smoked everything and bought into every dumb thing that came your way for the first forty years of your life, from 'coonskin caps to pet rocks to Bowflex, how could you not believe that the next generation will be just as credulous as you are? The very concept of parental responsibility to prepare your child to live in the world has been corrupted by an "It Takes A Village" mentality that is both irresponsible and reprehensible. How can you trust a world of such infinite diversity to raise a child in a way that you find acceptable? Inoculate your children. Teach them your values. Don't expect CBS or MTV to do it. (Sorry, Viacom)

Again, the concept of "personal responsibility" is lost on a generation that chose to abandon it. I will not deny it took a generation of extremists to break us out of the staid, antiquated patterns of society that kept minorities, gays, and women down, but enough is enough.

Anyway, there were some major distractions along the way and I obviously did take a circuitous route. So much for "20 Minutes with Swamp D." Start with "nerdtech," end up with "fuck the Baby Boomers" yet again. I'm not really an ageist or some kind of class warrior, really. There are lots of Baby Boomers I like and respect, including my parents, but I've seen too many other bad examples to believe that they're not the exception.

So I leave you with my new caveat-

More than likely, I don't really care what you think. Listen to me if you want to. Or change the channel.

hey little fella, how are you doing today?: contemplative
soundtrack: Barenaked Ladies - Brian Wilson