Oh, hey Ted!

So, for our final project in my communications class, we'll be giving TED talks. For those of you who are unfamiliar with TED talks, they're little speeches packed with information about technology and--wait for it--communication! I'm not completely sure what I'm doing, but I have an idea.

So, any Facebook users out there? Yeah, I thought so. Facebook has revolutionized my generation. It's invented new ways to keep in touch with people you don't see very often (and the people you see everyday, because constant communication is apparently as necessary as air). However, Facebook also gives a whole new meaning to creeping.

Yes, you know what I mean. Facebook stalking. We all do it; don't lie. That cute guy in your English class puts up a questionable status: what does it mean? Quick, check his relationship status to make sure he's still single. While we're on the page, let's look at his pictures for the umpteenth time. Oh, he looks so cute in that shirt. Back to the wall. Wait, a girl likes his status? Who is she? Damn, her Facebook is private. We have a few friends in common, though. I should ask those people about her. Is she single? Is she interested in him? God, I hope not. Ugh, this sucks. I'm going to bed. Oh! A notification.

This is the thought-process of your average, everyday Facebook stalker. It's not a crime, nor is it as creepy as it looks typed out. But it's far too common on these types of sites. The more friends you accumulate, the more profiles you can view. And let's be honest, you don't really have 659 friends. No one's that popular. Get over yourself and stop looking at your arch rival from 8th grade's profile. Unless you truly care what that person is doing. In that case, I feel very, very sorry for you.

Facebook has its strong suits, but it also can detract from real human-to-human contact. You can keep an entire relationship afloat through messages and wall posts. You don't have to actually know or see somebody to know what they're doing, how they're doing it, and who they're doing it with. It's completely impersonal and a little strange. That's where I'm going with my TED talk. More to come....

How Far is Too Far?

That's the question a lot of people are asking after Adam's Lambert's racy performance at the American Music Awards last night. It's one of the top headlines on every news website right now, and everybody's talking about it. Which I'm sure Adam loves.

But here's the thing. I watched the show live. I saw the entire performance, in all its crotch-grabbing, thrusting, make-out session, oral sex-simulating glory. I also watched Adam on American Idol, where his "revolutionary" performances on that stage look like a church music pageant compared to last night.

I'm all for standing out, proving a point. I'm a fan of Adam's, flaming gayness and all. I think he's extremely talented and extremely unique.

But he went too far. I mean, fall-over-the-edge-because-you-went-too-far too far. This was prime time television. Those on the east coast saw the entire performance live before it was edited for west-coast audiences. It was rauncy. There's no other word to describe it. To say it was inappropriate would be an understatement. Not only were the movements and innuendos completely uncalled for and over-the-top, but Adam's heralded vocals were nothing to get excited over. Everyone was so busy having a WTF moment while he was gyrating, nobody paid any attention to him as an artist. The song was mediocre and his vocals were no better. And, should I mention the fact that he fell? Major, major oops.

This was the first time Adam's been on TV since Idol. His album hits stores soon, and this was his chance to pop back up on everyone's radar. In a positive way. This was his chance to remind everyone why his loss to Kris Allen was the biggest Idol upset ever. Instead, he turned off a lot of people. Let's face it; you either love Adam or you hate him. He could have taken many people off the fence last night with a rousing performance. Instead, he puts on a show so insulting to many Americans that he could have just ended his career.

Adam's defending the performance, of course. He says the west-coast editing was wrong and discriminatory. He believes he has the right to express himself as he wants. And it's true, he does. But America's not going to change overnight and suddenly accept a performance like that. He knew he was going to piss people off. But he did it anyway.

He's free to be the artist he wants to be. But he should expect, and accept, the backlash. Let's hope, for his sake, that after the stage smoke clears, he still has a career to talk about.

Twitter Presentation!

Twitter Presentation

View more presentations from guestf035dc.