All the Buzz

There was a certain comfort as a consumer of media in the old days. Lest I simply sound like every other aging boomer, let me explain in more detail. Because of the frightening lack of media options, one could be relatively certain others knew what you watched or listened to. We had common exposure to many cultural references. I'm not so sure that knowing how Gilligan prevented the stranded folks from escaping the island was crucial. At least there was commonality in that banality.

Now of course, media outlets and options continue to explode. I have very little hope that your world will mash up with mine. It's highly likely that today we will not have listened to, watched, or read any media in common. Other than this blog, in fact, I must assume that you probably did not.

I guess having choice is good. News, music, and information itself is becoming ever so more personalized. I do feel that the enormous variety may lead to cultural loneliness, a term I thought I had invented. Of course googling it turns up countless references of a different sort. My definition means to be alone within one's own culture because of the deluge of unshared media. You may not want to listen yourself, but I do have a need to include something which I listened to when driving home from work earlier. It's not an extraordinary episode but I want others to be able to experience some of the ideas which affected me today. I regularly listen to Buzz Out Loud from the folks at CNET. I first listened because of the subject matter but continue due to the personalities involved.

Buzz Out Loud 708: Meat Parade