In a recent interview, I was asked what amateurs could bring to areas such as writing and journalism where there were already multiple professional publications churning out similar material on demand. I replied that amateurs, specifically students, whilst playing by the same rules and regulations, could express themselves using their own style and feel less of a need to conform to an archetype specifically designed to increase sales. It's all about the freedom - and expression of freedom (as opposed to freedom of expression), whilst knowing what ought to be kept private is one of the great dilemmas of our time.
The sad truth is that these days, it's rather difficult to air one's hypercritical and often hyperbolic rants without committing libel or slander online, or being the target for online trolls. Even so, many sensible people with interesting views to share find themselves restrained due to bad experiences or shock stories of online users overstepping the mark with comments and being dragged into court. Here however, is what I believe is a piece that both manages (I hope) to avoid such obstacles whilst hitting a good but overrated band directly in the crown jewels (this metaphor is particularly relevant, as it connects the blog post to a certain fad at the moment which hopes to raise awareness for testicular cancer - whilst generally encouraging young lads to flaunt a characteristic that has been used to measure manliness since humankind got up on its two hind legs and looked down).
Of course it could be that this article created on what appears to be a text-and-basic-image-only version of blogspot that looks old enough to predate both Geocities and Bruce Forsythe is just lost in that oblivious corner of the internet nobody really cares about. If so, there's no better time to uncover the treasure trove of boundless and free expression that existed the internet before 2005 (bloody hell I feel old already) and its YouTwitFace nonsense and everyone started taking selfies (I still don't buy it unless it's ironic, which many recent #nomakeupselfies, raising awareness for breast-cancer, undoubtedly are) and sharing their intimate details with the man on the Clapham omnibus and his dog.
Read the post, which is less than kind to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers here.
The sad truth is that these days, it's rather difficult to air one's hypercritical and often hyperbolic rants without committing libel or slander online, or being the target for online trolls. Even so, many sensible people with interesting views to share find themselves restrained due to bad experiences or shock stories of online users overstepping the mark with comments and being dragged into court. Here however, is what I believe is a piece that both manages (I hope) to avoid such obstacles whilst hitting a good but overrated band directly in the crown jewels (this metaphor is particularly relevant, as it connects the blog post to a certain fad at the moment which hopes to raise awareness for testicular cancer - whilst generally encouraging young lads to flaunt a characteristic that has been used to measure manliness since humankind got up on its two hind legs and looked down).
Of course it could be that this article created on what appears to be a text-and-basic-image-only version of blogspot that looks old enough to predate both Geocities and Bruce Forsythe is just lost in that oblivious corner of the internet nobody really cares about. If so, there's no better time to uncover the treasure trove of boundless and free expression that existed the internet before 2005 (bloody hell I feel old already) and its YouTwitFace nonsense and everyone started taking selfies (I still don't buy it unless it's ironic, which many recent #nomakeupselfies, raising awareness for breast-cancer, undoubtedly are) and sharing their intimate details with the man on the Clapham omnibus and his dog.
Read the post, which is less than kind to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers here.
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