Stepping out of the two-party box

"Yes," he answered to no one in particular when the question appeared in the room; staring off into the open space that connects us all, "it is a challenge. But it is also extremely entertaining. Perhaps because it is just so damn interesting."

He was referring to the question, more of a statement it was really, regarding how difficult and challenging it must be to handle the constant influx of comments and mail both good and bad, both slobberlingly gracious and downright nasty, that one receives or reads online about oneself when one places himself out THERE in the public domain. Especially in such a personal and potentially vulnerable manner in which our hero has made a habit of over the last fifteen years. The internet has made it all the more overwhelming now of course because to give an interview in the Times is one thing. To post your latest rant on the internet as fair bait for everyone and anyone takes a brave soul, or perhaps just an insane one. But truly, and this just might be the greatest benefit of it, it eventually reaches a point where there is no conceivable way to actually read all of it, let alone personally answer it.

But every now and then I do. Truth is, for better or worse, thoughtfully complimentary or insanely rude and hateful, I enjoy scanning through Youtube comments especially. Real human dialogue is almost always instantly and immediately created. And again it is not a practice for the faint of heart. Not only am I just as addicted to the revolution we call YouTube as the next guy, I see it as a very exciting harbinger of what's to come. In essence, that which we now call YouTube is the future, our future.

When I can find the time, which is becoming less and less available and more and more valuable these days, I will sit down and shoot off as many replies as I can when a community has cropped up around a particular video. It always amazes me how regardless of what the actual video is about people will still find a way to turn the dialogue that begins to mushroom around a particular video into these little bickering arguments amongst themselves. How quickly one or more will jump to ad hominem attacks of perfect strangers right there online for all the world to read - rather than simply staying on point or on message. When the video in question is one of my own I will on occasion attempt to jump in and add my own two cents in order to quench a few fires and get people back on track...

Such is the case often in relation to the political or social commentary vidoes that I post. And remember the whole Transcendent Television on YouTube project started out as a social experiment that i was only meant to conduct for a year. A way to explore and monitor what got people's attention, what motivated them, what excited them, what keywords they typed in the most, what would attract the most views, and what would attract the most comments. The results were predictable and at the same time surprising at times.

To answer another question, no, I do not take the comments or emails personally. I learn what I can from a business and artistic perspective and move on. If I can't help myself I will chime in if for anything to either say "thank you" or to just lend a bit of light to the ongoing debates...

Such was the case with the comment below. Unfortunately I do not remember what specific video nor which comment this reply belongs to. I just felt it important enough to copy and paste to use in later work, which we are now doing this very minute. This, in effect, is just one of the many powerful benefits that YouTube and the vibrant community that has sprung up around it has given us all. A good laugh most of the time, and every once in a while true inspiration.

Dear Rev1,
That was actually funny. dude. funny! Ok so i beg to differ with your somber and frightfully hateful appraisal of me, especially seeing that we have not even had the pleasure of meeting face to face yet. But seriously do you really acknowledge 'liberals' versus 'conservatives?' I mean, are you just kidding? -- playing into the whole charade for the sake of humor? Or are you really that brainwashed that you believe that there is a difference between the two parties? Do you not realize that both parties are in the end slaves to the same few who control the system? Now that you're a raving fan (LOL) see my video series entitled FIGHT THE POWER which addresses this scam in more detail.

Same thing to you my friend: It has nothing to do with republicans or democrats. Nor with whites or blacks. Please wake up and start studying what has really happened and what is happening and stop attacking each other. It is simple: good or smart or ethical people versus lame racist imperialist assholes. They come in all shapes and sizes and colors and political affiliations. Please stop attacking each other and start fighting for humane causes that TRANSCEND political party lines. Some republicans have been assholes. Some democrats have been assholes. Conservatives are nice as hell sometimes. Other times they're murdering thieves. Liberals are great when it comes to caring about others sometimes - at least that's what they want us to believe. But they are just as greedy as anyone else -- depending on WHO it is. Get out of the two-party box that they have you jammed into. You don't deserve "five thumbs down" because your comment was freaking hilarious by the way. But if you're serious, bro, you have to spend some good quality time studying some history books. Turn off the TV for good and learn what's really going on. It has nothing to do with liberals versus conservatives. It has a lot more to do with US versus THEM.

Yours,
The Raconteur