Friday, May 23, 2008

New, new, new, new media - the philosophy of doubt

I was going to call this post: "Why New Media sucks?"

Which in fact is a play on me: "Why New Me, David-In-Awe, sucks!" but I thought better of it.

I presented at a gig couple of years ago. I was a bit of a newbie and I was truly dreadful.

So dreadful I could have covered my head with a damp cloth while self flagellated with thorns.

What happened? I did not know my audience, and as such did not deliver what they would have wanted to know.

I vowed from there on that anytime I present I'll ask the producers to produce me. And if I am left to my own, will have to be a better judge of the conference and the space.

Self confession finally.

Is it practical work, theories of New new media, my journey etc that is of interest and how should the argument be articulated?

Should I be sitting down, standing up or free-flowing across the stage

All of these have some merit, but overall it's about what the audience seeks?

Last evening I attended a very well to do conference featuring some very brainy people, but at one point when the debate revolved around notions of truth and that only professional reporters were ordained to deliver, my mind threw back to my stage faux pas.

Conceivably the two may have been unconnected. I recall thinking about the trash can/ rubbish when I was 50m underneath the Dardanelles (Turkish waters), a report for the BBC World Service and thinking I'm about to take my last breadth. [ Will change the interface soon to make the video controllable]

"We're doomed" I scribbled on one of the attendant's notes. Why was I here?

It's difficult enough producing a conference and worrying about overheads and balance sheets, and the fact there lies a forum which might spew any number of ideas: good, bad or indifferent, still has merit, otherwise I wouldn't be writing now.

So I tip my hat to the organisers.

First impressions too can be deceptive, and yes the talk did warm up, though there were pockets where I felt like a 13 year old in a class of quantum physics.

No worries I know it's me - just not that clever.

So where are we in this new new new new new media debate?

The more I know, the more knowledgable I become, the more knowledgable I become the more confusing it gets, the more confusing it gets the more trouble shooters emerge, the more trouble shooters emerge the more theories are produced, and thus the more I know, the less I know.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The very interesting business guru, Charles Handy, said of a business tycoon: "The man has no decent doubt."

Decent doubt is what makes us human.

alison williams

Dr David Dunkley Gyimah said...

Indeed, to err is human, to forgive divine
Thanks alison