Tuesday, May 01, 2007

The Depth of my Convictions


So I'm working on this paper on radical democracy and contemporary American politics. At about the same time I've transitioned over to using a google portal homepage pretty extensively. Thus abandoning my resistance to using such tools as they are closed-source, server side applications that entice users to abandon distributed, democratic internet practices for ultimately controlled, corporate spaces and tools (blogger, sadly, is another of these tools). What should I be doing, to be consistent between rhetoric and practice? Using my own webspace to participate in open source tool-building and internet-enabled participatory culture... but no, watch my theory and practice diverge. Ack.

And you know what really hooked me? Its pathetic. Google lets you theme your homepage with a little cartoon picture that changes to reflect your local time and weather. My choice this cute little froggy and ladybug seen pictured above toasting marshmellows by the fire. Of course, you have to reveal your zip code to your friends at google for the picture to synchronize correctly. This is the price google paid me to surrender information to the grand network subject formation process: a cartoon of a cute little froggy and a ladybug.

Aren't I a badass motherfucker of a revolutionary?

The saddest part of all? My emotional reaction to cartoon froggy and ladybug is one of adoration and tenderness. I love big brother. Why, I have always loved big brother...

Signing off from the electronic high frontier of hypocrisy,

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Awww but it's a ladybug!

Still, I wouldn't install that crap on my computer. Weather Underground can tell me the weather, and has the advantage of a counter culture name.

Andy said...

well, you don't have to install it... it's all web-based and I have a google account anyway....

Unknown said...

I know it's a little late to voice my apporoval, but here it is anyway: Yay! Frog!