We have just had an interesting experience in outrage in Australia with the census. Something so boring has been handled so badly that it will take years to rebuild trust with the community. The thing about “outrage” though is why? So the census didn’t go to plan, how did that in any way change the […]
We have just had an interesting experience in outrage in Australia with the census. Something so boring has been handled so badly that it will take years to rebuild trust with the community.
The thing about “outrage” though is why? So the census didn’t go to plan, how did that in any way change the world we live in? Sure it’s an issue for government and an embarrassment but for ordinary citizens – WHY SO ANGRY PEOPLE????
What it comes down to is we as a community have started to outsource even our emotional management. If we don’t have a tool to sooth us, a tool to pep us up, a tool to get us all sexy like we are less and less able to function. We have never been fully rational creatures but then we have never had such an easy means to unleash our emotions on everyone 24*7.
The consequence though of outrage is good things get destroyed and no I am not talking about the target of the outrage.
In the case of the census, most government services will be really gun shy about technology which will only slow the glacial improvements that are being made to making dealing with government simpler.
Onto Ghostbusters.
Now, I get that there were a lot of people who disliked Ghostbusters, and many of their criticisms were genuine, thought out and meant with all good intentions. The sheer volume of those criticisms and the anger levels attached drowns out any good to be had.
This episode we have a look at the reaction to Ghostbusters 2016 which I think is the real story, and it highlights the biggest threat to geek culture moving forward.
Once outrage infects a community too thoroughly and the culture starts to fragment it becomes much harder to “please” an audience because the trust is gone.
Once that happens creatives get gun shy. Everybody wants to be part of success. Nobody wants to go near controversy lest they poison their brand. The DCEU is already running perilously close to permanently damaging their brand right now.
What you are left with is the also-rans that will never deliver the impact of the culture in its heyday.
Previously these wars were restricted to the gaming community via gamergate. Ghostbusters may be that moment war breaks out in geek culture overall.