Comment, Judge, Particpate

This past Tuesday night, March 9^th, I was sitting at home watching The Daily Show with John Stewart, as I usually do Monday through Thursday nights. This show was particularly interesting because of the guest speaker that Stewart had on, Marc Theissen. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Thiessen. Theissen is the author of the book Courting Disaster: How the CIA Kept America Safe and How Barack Obama Is Inviting the Next Attack, in which he essentially defends the torture techniques used by officials at Guantanamo bay. He defends the use of torture because he thinks that these techniques have provided the US with valuable information, which in turn have stopped future terrorist attacks. As per usual Jon Stewart provides opposition to this view, which in turn leads to a heated debate. Throughout the interview the two constantly interrupt each other, leading Theissen to believe that he did not get his point across. Stewart then turns to the internet as a way to continue on the debate.

What is important here is what Stewart said when stating that the interview can be carried on using the internet. He made direct reference to the interactive participatory nature of the internet, where people can judge and comment on the video, thus expressing their own unique opinions on the subject. The interview can be watched on this link http://www.thecomedynetwork.ca/Displayblog.aspx?bpid=e18d08ca-8621-4322-bbe6-f860dbee413d, also on this link is the extended interview that only aired over the internet. The internet as a medium is extremely useful in this case because it allowed for a continuation of the show, in which uncut, uncensored material could be viewed and commented upon.

The fact that Stewart turned to the internet as a medium is important to note because it marks a transition, in which mainstream media is starting to realize the capabilities the internet provides. The participatory nature of the internet is important to shows like The Daily Show because it is political in nature, and everyone has their own opinion when it comes to politics. The internet, through sites such as YouTube, allow viewers to express their thoughts through the comment function, and as such allows for the formation of distinct communities where people with the same outlook on life can meet and share ideas. The connective style of writing inherent is blogging is a prime example of this. I found a blog posting on the huffington post discussing this same issue. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/10/marc-thiessen-jon-stewart_n_493218.html.

The internet is also interesting to observe in this regard because of the quick response time. Literally right after the show people on the internet where discussing the extended interview, which was posted immediately after it was completed. This quick response time and the participatory nature of the internet has stirred an interest in conventional media outlets, such as television, looking to reach a new generation of viewers that want to become active participants rather than passive receptors. The active participant is a defining feature of our current society, and this is being realized by mainstream media outlets that are trying to tap into this new generation of internet savvy citizens. This instance on The Daily Show only marks the beginning of a transition that will be happening right before our very eyes.

Until next time keep Expanding Societies Regulations

- The Ubiquitous Civilian