Friday, January 20, 2012

Why Sensational?

Because I want to make an effect on the public through the sharing of information. Engaging. Exciting. Provocative. Aggravated. Curious. Enraged. Shocked. Stunned. Inspired. Informed. Awed. Moved to Action.

Contrast this with the 'everyday' for so many people: tepid small talk in a white noise environment. Bland melts into a hum and we go from work to home, repeat...drones in a somnumbalist nation that allows Fox News to tell us what is sensational under the guise of real news.

Enough! I aspire to use social media to reframe the issues that we consider important and compelling and to share true facts that will, indeed, move us into a sensational state -- one that moves us to ask questions, collaborate and feel moved to action...sensational.

Here's the dictionary.com definition of 'sensational':
1.
producing or designed to produce a startling effect, strong reaction, intense interest, etc., especially by exaggerated, superficial, or lurid elements: a sensational novel.
2.
extraordinarily good; conspicuously excellent; phenomenal: a sensational quarterback.
3.
of or pertaining to the senses or sensation.

I appreciate that sensational can be exaggerated or superficial. But a headline/tweet/FB posting is just the shell to draw you in. In this day and age, where we are bombarded with so much information, it is the exaggerated that catches people's attention. This doesn't mean that the contents of an exaggerated message are untrue; rather, the gift inside the brightly wrapped package can be "extraordinarily good", "conspiculously excellent", intelligent, and verified information with which *you* become an informed and contributing member of the kind of society, i.e. "a sensational quarterback" for the issue that matters most to you and your supporters (see definition #2).

Remember: If you don't engage in the dialogue of society, others will form society for you. It's happening...right....now...

So, I ask you, what blogs or tweets or videos have you seen lately that were so sensational that they moved you to action?


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