The images that define us.

There's a movie coming out from Clint Eastwood called Flags of our Forefathers. I don't know if it warrants a recommendation or if I'll even go and see it (mostly out of fear that it'll turn into another opportunity to wave the stars and stripes around on film for a couple of hours). But it triggered a thought that I've been sitting on for a couple of days.

It goes unsaid that pictures have the ability to inspire us. The entire premise of Eastwood's movie is that the picture of the men raising the flag on Iwo Jima inspired the Allies on to victory in WWII. It pretty much goes without saying that this picture is the most famous photograph ever taken. It not only inspired and glavinized an entire world, it defined the struggles of the millions of men and women around the world at the time.

So what image will define us here in the 21st century? Will there be a photo taken that will capture some eternal moment and sear itself into our collective conscience? The smart money is on Time magazine running the image of the plane slamming into the second trade tower on September 11 as the first tower can be seen engulfed in smoke and flame behind it's doomed twin.

But while this image evokes a strong emotional response it will not be the image that defines us as the first generation of the information age. It will not be one specific photograph that will forever demonstrate and show who we were to future generations. Instead, the image that says the most about who we are as humans in the year 2006 is one that is taken on a daily basis by millions. Hell, it's probably not hyperbole in the slightest to say that this picture has been taken by billions. With the advent of the digital camera, internet hosting, personal blogs and ultimately the juggernaugt that is myspace.com, the image that will be forever associated with who we are can be summed up in a pose.

This pose says it all. Everything you need to know about who we are is laid bare in this picture that we've all taken, all seen, all uploaded at some point. The camera, one of the most incredible devices ever created for capturing life itself is not being pointed outwards at our surroundings or at our environment. The picture of the lone subject photographing themselves, this image that is on millions upon millions of websites and cameras, tells us that we are no longer as interested in the world around us as we are interested in us. This picture defines us as the people who's priority and focus has shifted away from the external and onto the internal.

This image that defines us does so not by capturing who We Are but who I Am. The picture of Iwo Jima shows us the power and strength that is inherant in all people when we are together. This new defining image tells me one thing...

We are becoming more and more, the shadows of our former selves.

*This blog was published image free after the server wouldn't let me put any pictures on it. The irony here is so thick you could butter 7 pieces of toast with it and have 2 pints left over for dinner later on...

This is a...

... guy who's going to be retardedly famous. I say famous because he's retardedly talented with film making and screenplay writting (not simply retarded as the picture may suggest).

Everybody has that one friend who is "going places". And regardless of whether they work at Best Buy, the local video store or the top floor of the financial building, you know that out of all your friends this is the one person who's going to go on to win friends and influence them in ways you thought was only capable by Carribbean Psychics with their own 900 numbers.

But I realize that not everyone's as lucky as I am to have a friend who's as clear cut a "meal ticket" as my buddy Shiggs here. So here's a little visual demonstrationbased on the above photo so you can possibly pick out your own "ride to easy street".

1. Oversized Glasses

Is that Bono? No it's my good friend Shiggy.

Your prospective meal ticket must demonstrate aptitude in the

"Act As If" department.

Cause if they act like a rock star and look like a rock star, they probably aren't but when was the last time that mattered? (bonus points for smelling like a rock star)

2. Custom T Shirts

I was going to call this a phase but the fact of the matter is, the cool, retro tee shirt

that either looks like it's been around forever or looks like it's one of only 4 worldwide has and always will be cool. Your meal ticket should have an ample supply of cool looking tee's with obscure graphics with even more obscure meanings or cryptic texts referencing locations and/or events you and the rest of the "common folk" will never live to experience like, "Ernie's Shrimp Shack" or "I heart Delaware". (Odds are, your friend hasn't experienced it either but hey, he's got the tee shirt, you don't.)

3. Long Hair

If you have to ask why, you don't deserve your meal ticket.

Get to the back of the line...

4. Media Recording Devices

Now let me qualify this one. If your prospective meal ticket always has the recording device in hand, move on and find another target. That person isn't destined for fame, only for a long stint in the therapists chair since they obviously have some very deep seeded social insecurity issues that are going to manifest at a later date in some pretty nasty ways. Rather, the true meal ticket is one that produces the camcorder/camera in random and seemingly innocuous occaisions only to produce pure gold from them later.

5. Throng of People Always in the Background

... might have to work on that one a bit.

The moral of this post is, that was far too much effort just to see if one particular person reads this blog.

Who are the people in your neighbourhood?

One of the best things about blogspot is the little "Next Blog" button in the top corner. I amuse myself for far too long looking at the other blogs that pop up randomly next to mine. The first time I looked, I was bordered by a 21 year old mother who apparently had a child named sharkey and had a crush on his grade school teacher... classy. Other neighbourly encouters have included an Israeli hate site, a community theater's production of "Wizard of Oz", Chief Joseph Eagle's high school history class notes, a bunch of spanish people, one girl's attempt to find self esteem on the internet through lame emo poetry writing (which I'll give her props for because at least she's not flashing her boobs for a hat. I just thought the blog title of "Mediocre Poems That aren't Very Good Unless You Like Them" was hilarious.) There was also 4 Steve Erwin memorial blogs, a life insurance quote blog (that ironically came up right after one of the memorial blogs) and one Icelandic girl's blog that was written entirely in Icelandic but for some reason I was compelled to read every single word of it, and understood none of it.

But the best blog I've come across happens to be one that typifies and sums up ever so... bluntly, the reason why I don't like blogs is this little number right below this paragraph. They will be the death of us. I'm serious you guys. Blogs, myspace, xanga, lavalife... all of it. It's gonna kill us all. You need proof? Read this and argue with me.

I'm going to put a disclaimer on this for oh so many reasons...

http://deathwishsblog.blogspot.com/

Wow. Just wow. I think I'm going to keep updated on this guy. I also hope he gives us links to "Smash Dood's" and "Bert's" blogs.

PS And still, for every 10 times I hit the "Next Blog" Button, 4-5 of them are still porn. You've gotta respect the kind of market domination that makes Rockefeller look like a philanthropist. I think Marge Simpson said it best when she said "When did Fox news become a hardcore porn channel? It happened so gradually!"

A Welcome of Sorts...

Dustin and I have a new roommate as of today! We rolled out the red carpet today to this guy:

Welcome Rory.

Before y'all judge and make your first impressions based on photo evidence though, I'd just like to point out that we all had first impressions of, and ended up loving, this guy:


And this guy:

It took a while, but we even came around for this guy:

And it seemed to turn out ok? Yes, I will end that sentence with a question mark.