I recently visited my local bookstore and saw a title that offended me to the core: The Cult of the Amateur: How blogs, MySpace, YouTube, and the rest of today's user-generated media are destroying our economy, our culture, and our values by Andrew Keen. I was going to do a little research on Keen to gain some insight into who he is, as I’d never heard of him, but the info on Wikipedia leads me to think he isn’t worth any effort. See for yourself, he's truly uninteresting. Also, I think the reviews posted by readers on Amazon do a better job then I could at defining the many flaws in Keen’s theories.
The internet fascinated me from our very first introduction back in the early ‘90s because it provided new opportunities for self expression. Suddenly there was this tool that allowed me to connect, build a peer group, express my thoughts, and read from a fresh perspective. Blogs are powerful and have led me to support the online community in any way I can. I’ve worked in various roles, in an array of capacities, all in hopes to learn everything I can about the platforms that cultivate freedom of expression. I believe that every single person deserves an opportunity to express themselves and experience the powerful self-esteem boost by attracting a following.
On the flip side, it’s quite flattering to be considered such a threat by someone like Keen. I don’t think he’s an elitist as he claimed on the Colbert Report, instead I’d say that he’s scared of being seen as something of a charlatan. In my experience, there is no such thing as a professional artist. There are commercial artists, but that isn’t the same thing. To say that one person has value because they generate revenue and another does not because they share their work for free is ignorant to say the very least. I don't believe earning money equates to having talent.
There are lots of wonderful books out there regarding modern technologies and their effect on our culture. Understanding web 2.0 and the tapestry created by its many collaborators will perhaps reveal a more realistic view on where we're headed, check out: Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida, The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki, Groundswell by Charlene Li, Here Comes Everybody by Clay Skirky, Small is the New Big by Seth Godin.
A final thought to consider is the historical legacy of self publishing. For example, Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass was published in 1855 and continues to have a profound effect on the American psyche. I would assert that self publishing is as vital to Democracy as voting. It would be interesting to know what Whitman would do if he were alive today. I think he'd be extremely active on Twitter. Being able to communicate and provide unique personal insight is not new and could not possibly destroy a culture that is founded on individual freedoms and self expression. More recently Iran and South Korea are able to communicate with people outside of the country because of social media. More and more technology can go where 'professionals' can not lending to a truly independent voice corresponding what is really happening on the ground.
