Blogs: Jumped the shark?

I was just rooting around in my parents' vinyl record collection. The funniest thing about those old records are the jackets, some of which have rediculously eclectic pictures of other albums on one side (Jim Nabors Sings the Lord's Prayer, Janis Joplin, The New York Philharmonic performing selections from 2001) and enthusiastic endorsements of the medium of vinyl record on the other: "Everybody's familiar with records, too...Every album is a show in itself...Everything is on record these days...This is not so with any other kind of recording"

But aren't we always overly enthusiastic about every new medium? Have I been this way about blogs?

I've found that I'm obsessed w/ finding out what's new. I was never a trendy person, but now that I'm supposedly making a career out of studying something that's constantly changing (media), I consider it my responsibility to know what tools are being used. And it would seem that tools are becoming more like trends - here today, gone tomorrow.

I'd bet that blogs are today's Freindster (or any other social networking site). Not that friendster went away, but the initial buzz has worn off. If you want to concern yerself w/ what's permanent and lasting on the internet, maybe you've gotta look at blogs, friendster, and their ancestor, the personal webpage (I still say HTML is for dorks ) as the same thing, serving the same function, w/ a little bit of the function of a message board or a chat room thrown in.

I still have faith in the internet as "feeder league" for creative mass communication (you hear that, editors of major publications? Notice me!). But seriously, its not like the existing form of finding writers/directors/etc is perfect or efficient. In fact, its pretty goddamn arbitrary. This is already happening w/ mashups - a couple of laptop DJs remixed some Brittany & Christina, produced good stuff, became word-of-mouth hits and ended up working for B & C.

The system of deciding what gets played or shown to mass audiences is based on physical proximity, chance encounters, nepotism and imperfect opinion polling. There are serious flaws in marketing surveys, and since this way of gathering data is based on the public's willingness to volunteer, there will always be significant biases towards certain opinions and certain people.

We know that everybody and their brother has a screenplay or is in a band that they think can conquer the world. With the internet, there's no reason a grass-roots darwinian entertainmosphere can't evolve which will either render marketing obsolete or so integral to the entertainment itself that you won't be able to detect it (whatever's after product placement). Members of the current system of entertainment marketing & advertising can't be blamed for trying to smear new technology as a mere breeding ground for illegal bootlegs - they're just trying to save their hides. For everyone who isn't in old-school marketing & advertising, this is a terrific opportunity to help built the more efficient system that replaces it.

BTW - the term "Entertainmosphere" - copyright 2005 goshdurnit. Yeah, yeah, some other jackass used this word on his/her blog, but he/she failed to copyright it! Violate my copyright and I swear I will CUT you!