The Internet is an awesome place. Within its great vastnesses, we find like-minds, we find freedom of expression, we find resources, inspiration, the answers to many of our questions. We find all that is great about humanity.
But, since all of humanity is on the Internet, we also find all that sucks about us. Here's one of those things that I ran across earlier in the week:
I was trying to find the source of the quote, "We all have a book within us" or something like that. Instead a New York Times opinion piece popped up with the title "Think You Have a Book in You? Think Again". I knew I shouldn't read it. I'm pretty good about seeing the warning signs that here is yet another ignorant person posting something either for self-masturbatory purpose or just to piss people off.
But I was drawn in. I mean, it was the New York Times! It can't be that bad, right? It's not like a Huffpost piece. And maybe it was satire.
Nope. The whole purpose of the article is to talk about how most people (not including the author, as he's clearly above the rest of us) shouldn't write a book. It talks about how arrogant it is to think you can write something good, and how we all need a good dose of humility and realism to prevent us from adding to the "schlock pile." Again, this obviously excludes the author, who is far and above the rest of us talentless peasants.
The best part about this article is the last line proclaiming the title of the author's latest book, "Snobbery." Ha! Well, who better to write a book than someone who's clearly displaying all the earmarks of that trait?
I had some doubts right around this moment. Maybe it was all some huge piece of satire that I wasn't getting. So I went to Amazon to read the book description. Guess what! It's a book about overcoming snobbery. Hahahaha. Oh my goodness. I guess it's a work in progress.
I think the review titled, "I am too good for this book. Sadly, maybe, you are not" summed up the author's overall attitude the best. But I guess to know for sure I'd have to read it. And I think I'd rather pick up almost anything else in the "schlock" pile first.
But, since all of humanity is on the Internet, we also find all that sucks about us. Here's one of those things that I ran across earlier in the week:
I was trying to find the source of the quote, "We all have a book within us" or something like that. Instead a New York Times opinion piece popped up with the title "Think You Have a Book in You? Think Again". I knew I shouldn't read it. I'm pretty good about seeing the warning signs that here is yet another ignorant person posting something either for self-masturbatory purpose or just to piss people off.
But I was drawn in. I mean, it was the New York Times! It can't be that bad, right? It's not like a Huffpost piece. And maybe it was satire.
Nope. The whole purpose of the article is to talk about how most people (not including the author, as he's clearly above the rest of us) shouldn't write a book. It talks about how arrogant it is to think you can write something good, and how we all need a good dose of humility and realism to prevent us from adding to the "schlock pile." Again, this obviously excludes the author, who is far and above the rest of us talentless peasants.
The best part about this article is the last line proclaiming the title of the author's latest book, "Snobbery." Ha! Well, who better to write a book than someone who's clearly displaying all the earmarks of that trait?
I had some doubts right around this moment. Maybe it was all some huge piece of satire that I wasn't getting. So I went to Amazon to read the book description. Guess what! It's a book about overcoming snobbery. Hahahaha. Oh my goodness. I guess it's a work in progress.
I think the review titled, "I am too good for this book. Sadly, maybe, you are not" summed up the author's overall attitude the best. But I guess to know for sure I'd have to read it. And I think I'd rather pick up almost anything else in the "schlock" pile first.
What ridiculous things have you seen on the Internet lately?
