$#!% I Say

What I did during my Spring Break was work and have family outings and get togethers. My time, as mundane and lack luster as it may seem, incorporated new media aspects. Of course our presentation group met and discussed not only our presentation but also new media in general. We taught each other about things on the web that we didn’t know already. We also delved into the technology to be used in our presentation.

When I had a birthday party for my daughter I downloaded “The Woman in Black” for them (legally, of course **) and then played it from a USB on the TV using my Roku 2. We spoke to my wife’s family in Israel using Skype. My son and I watched some videos on Youtube about troubleshooting wireless connections as well as some movies on Netflix. My baby used her iPad to do puzzles by herself and watched Yo Gabba Gabba and Mickey Mouse videos on Netflix and Youtube. I read articles on my iPad using apps like Wired and Flipboard.

Come to think about it, new technology and the new media that results has permeated society more than we actually think. We use it without even flinching. That’s why if you ask someone “What did you do during the Easter vacation” they’ll answer “Nothing”. Because to them they do these things utilizing new media with a blissful ignorance.

MacArthur is an understandably mad individual becuase his profession’s strnaglehold has become loosened for the first times in many years. But what is not understandable is the way he pouts and throws a tantrum like a little baby.

His comments are without reason and nonsensical. What he needs to do is take a lesson from the New York Times. What the Times learned was that old credo: “If you can’t beat them, join them.” The Times has successfully been able to trash their business model  to create a new one which fit more with the times and technology. To address MacArthur’s article would be a waste of time since reasoning with the man would be impossible.