Do you remember life before the internet?
Yes? Then you will agree that the human media universe has somehow gone out of control. The data overload and speed of information onslaughts seems simply amazing to anyone who remembers transistor radios and chain letters and chess by mail. Just as strange, but harder to read as to meaning, is that the internet has unleashed possibilities of weird and unexpected connection heretofore not possible. The fact is, now YouTube “sensations” and viral video bring micro-level expressions to viewers who are located outside of our own worlds, but towards what significance?
Why am I recounting this now? Because I was surprised to check my Vimeo page after a couple weeks away to find that the Kubideh Kitchen video had logged seventy-five views, most of them in two days. The vast majority of the views originated from points in Turkey, where I know no one. Understanding that the video is being seen in another country, in the context of another society, by people I will never know makes me feel a little nervous. But for a Vimeo page that usually gathers plays by the single digits, it also was oddly exhilarating to see a mini rush of views. This happened thanks to the video being embedded on this site, about which I know nothing. Except that there are some pretty funny ad videos also posted to the site.
Oh, and if you do not remember the pre-Netscape days, then let me assure you, the difference between human media and animal media once didn’t seem nearly so great.
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