272 words -- that's all of the Gettysburg Address. The previous orator went on for two hours. Who better said what the occasion called for?
No lesson learned, though: today's fresh hell is podcasts. Easily available technology has enabled over two million more gasbags to be broadcasting than we ever needed. And the U.S. has about half of the worldwide listeners. I'll admit there are many more blogs, but they're not the hot thing anymore (as this one with between 10 and 20 readers proves).
Joe Rogan's is the number one 'cast, but he's just another in a long line of radio shock jocks like Stern and Limbaugh back to Father Coughlin. Same drivel, different package. The others in the top five are more intelligent, so we can take some comfort in that.
Beyond being another form of self-expression, there is money in this. Podcast ads work: $2 billion in revenue last year, and 60% of listeners bought something.
TED Talks are wisely limited to 18 minutes in length, enough time to make your point without going on and on. Some of what are overlong and pointless: sports talking heads, the screaming money guy, evangelists, and chat shows like "The View" and the many morning and late night ones on each network. And...infomercials, looonng home improvement company ads, and almost everyone you see texting and talking on their smart phones beyond any reasonable need. Of course, people are free to speak and to listen to all this, but I can't understand why.
I am going to do my part and shut up now.
“If you want to get laid, go to college. If you want an education, go to the library.”
ReplyDeleteI once saw an encounter at the Harvard Widener Library where both were going on!
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