Culture

An Experiment In Media Awareness

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Awhile ago I got rid of cable.  For what I paid there was little that interested me, and most of what I did watch was online, availabe on Netflix, on Hulu, etc.  I rather liked the idea of freeing myself from cable and also wanted to see what happened.

I actually found myself quite happy without it, and as I’ve been watching all the (legal) options out there for getting content – the web, netflix, etc. it’s made me ask just why we consume media the way we do.  Sure we all have theories, but they’re usually theories about other people.

So I’m trying an experiment in being aware of how I use media – games, television, the web, and so on.  My goal is to understand why I do what I do, look for patterns, look for ways to improve it, and look at how I can leverage technology to get more of what I need media-wise.

The technique is simple (and you may recognize it from other psychological techniques): I keep a notebook and write down why I consumed the meida that I did and what it was.  The goal is not to judge (but believe me, that’ll happen), but to understand and observe.  I’m interested in seeing why I do what I do, and what it tells me.

I think this is important in an information age (especially one where so much ignorance seems to be prevalent), information technology, and for people with related careers.

If you feel like joining me, let me know.  Let’s see what happens.

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.fantopro.com/, nerd and geek culture at http://www.nerdcaliber.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/.

The Kinds Of Greedy People

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Greed is a disease.  It cannot be sated, it consumes and consumes until there is nothing left.  Greed knows no boundaries.  Because of this the wise and sane recognize its dangers and proscribe limits on ambitions.

There are those who have given themselves over to greed, who can never have enough, whose cravings know no end.  There are two types of these greedy people.

The foolish and greedy, enslaved to their drives, grasp and seek more, often without plan or prudence or forethought.  They defeat themselves more often than not.

The clever and greedy are shrewd.  They wish much, but they know that their efforts can easily be defeated, and that their greed is an obvious flaw.  Even if they do not acknowledge such things in their minds, they do so in their hearts.

The clever and greedy find naturally allies in the foolish and greedy.  The foolish and greedy can easily be led to support the clever and greedy in their campaigns, in their graspings, in their crusades.  The foolish and greedy, led by their desires constantly, are thus easily manipulated by those whose greed is paired with shrewdness, even though the foolish and greedy are but tools to the ambitions of those smarter than they.

It takes little to entice those with greed but little sense.  They are easily led by being told they are like those who are greedy but clever, that they too will be as well off as they, that they will also acquire much.  They forget that the greedy have no allies or loves, merely tools.

The clever and greedy may even say their sickness is a virtue, and the foolish and greedy will agree with them.

Thus the clever and greedy require the foolish and greedy to feed the fire of their desires, and the foolish and greedy never realize they are but fuel until all is ash.

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.fantopro.com/, nerd and geek culture at http://www.nerdcaliber.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/.

 

No Freak Out, Just My Geek Out

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Over at Nerdcaliber I discuss how being an “outsider” shouldn’t (and isn’t) core to being a geek, nerd, otaku and the like.

Join the ranting.

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.fantopro.com/, nerd and geek culture at http://www.nerdcaliber.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/.