So, there was the time I wrote a question on Quora, and it blew up the whole internet, getting onto io9 and Boingboing:
It was instant bait for being spread around. All the ingredients were there: a shareable form, an instantly thought-provoking juxtaposition, the combination of military tactics and Disney. But it was a far different matter to see it take off as it did. By now over 60,000 people have viewed the question on Quora. Far more have likely thought about it via another site.
Based on the response, I hereby propose a new RULE OF THE INTERNET:
Rule 77: The more specific and/or absurd a request is, the more likely it is to receive expert assistance.
Showing posts with label procrastination. Show all posts
Showing posts with label procrastination. Show all posts
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Three ways of looking at the Broken Leg TD from Madden
This video gained over five million views on Youtube. The player in question, Greg Jennings, happens to be a clutch receiver in real life and went on to catch two touchdowns in Superbowl XLV. But he's probably best known for (sort of) appearing in this video.
(Audio probably NSFW, depending on your W)
How shall we think about this video?
1. It's an example of emergent narrative, whereby the complexity of the game yields unscripted moments of drama and wonder worth sharing. A similar example would be after-action reports, or the tale of the Elven king of dwarves found in one particularly odd game of Dwarf Fortress.
2. It's the video game equivalent of Double Rainbow, where we are as much drawn to the commentator's religious intensity as we are to the subject matter itself. Except in the case of Greg Jennings, it's frightfully postmodern, because it's not the majesty of nature the commentator is holy-ghosting about, it's the determination and will of a figure in a simulation.
3. It's an example of convergence culture: The video game spawns a video, which was referenced by teammates and opponents in the real game. Now we've just learned that "Put Da Team on My Back" is going to be an achievement in Madden '12. Everything flows into everything else.
(Audio probably NSFW, depending on your W)
How shall we think about this video?
1. It's an example of emergent narrative, whereby the complexity of the game yields unscripted moments of drama and wonder worth sharing. A similar example would be after-action reports, or the tale of the Elven king of dwarves found in one particularly odd game of Dwarf Fortress.
2. It's the video game equivalent of Double Rainbow, where we are as much drawn to the commentator's religious intensity as we are to the subject matter itself. Except in the case of Greg Jennings, it's frightfully postmodern, because it's not the majesty of nature the commentator is holy-ghosting about, it's the determination and will of a figure in a simulation.
3. It's an example of convergence culture: The video game spawns a video, which was referenced by teammates and opponents in the real game. Now we've just learned that "Put Da Team on My Back" is going to be an achievement in Madden '12. Everything flows into everything else.
Labels:
football,
games,
geekery,
juxtapositions,
procrastination
Thursday, March 10, 2011
How can you be in two places at once...
I may droop off some for this month of march, but it only seems that way. I'm collaborating with John Raimo on a two-person Book club sort of thing, Tandem Reading. The book we're discussing is the classic 60s paperback of high modern social inquiry, The Lonely Crowd.

Furthermore, if you're interested in a more whimsical and business-oriented flow of thought, I also have a Posterous. So check it out.

Furthermore, if you're interested in a more whimsical and business-oriented flow of thought, I also have a Posterous. So check it out.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Attn.
WATCH THIS SPACE, DEAR READER
for it will soon be occupied
by NEW and POSSIBLY INSIGHTFUL
CONTENT
courtesy of the SPLENDID VAGABOND.
for it will soon be occupied
by NEW and POSSIBLY INSIGHTFUL
CONTENT
courtesy of the SPLENDID VAGABOND.
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