being interesting
"how to be interesting": this is fucking pretentious. Not that I don't aggree that it's really important to observe, process, and engage with the world: I think that people being fully engaged with their world is one of the most important things. But it's narrow minded and blindly privileged to suggest that the best way to engage is to take digital pictures, blog, and podcast. It's also dangerous to think that "interestingness" is, as it's portrayed, a superficial goal, intimately connected with being a creative professional, and you choose to "become interesting" for the admiration of others (or the blog readership, or career boost).
blogging can be a great way of processing information, but it is by no means the only way. taking photographs isn't the only way to look more closely at the world. creative professionals are not the people who most need to know that they way they percieve and process the world is valid. I think it's really important for people to analyze their experiences themselves, rather than using other filters—companies/advertisers, tv, magazines, music, newspapers—to define how they think about things. but what's the good of blogging it if you don't talk about it with your mother? why take a photograph of something when you could point it out to whoever you're walking with? how will you podcast your discussion with your grandmother if your only internet access is at the library?
uh, and, that wasn't the intended audience at all, was it. I guess the insecure bloggers who might take this to mind without taking the underlying idea (engagement) to heart are all set up for this list. also: do shit because you're interested in it, not because you want to be interesting. holy shit, that is obvious. and beyond that, it's radical and Important to be engaged. but the internet as the absolute engagement? as the panacea?
I need to go buy raisins.
