I agree completely that all the posts on this list have great value.
The theory that this book presents is very interesting. Is it true,
however, that people read a newspaper front to back? Do they not just pick
and choose the headlines they wish to read? (Do they not toss out the sport
section all together *Smirk*?)
I think it is a fallacy to argue that we are fractured because we _have the
ability to_ pick and choose what we want to see/read on the Net. I imagine
that many of us continue to read things that we don't wish to see, as the
case on this list. Indeed, those who are asking people to limit/censor
their posts are asking for their own (as well as others) choices to be
limited. That to me supports a "shrinking world view". Besides, the notion
that the "Old Town Square" model worked better or was somehow less fractured
assumes that people actually listened to one another and attended said
meetings with an open agenda, not a personal one.
I'll have to check out that book, it sounds fascinating!
Incidentally, I've had several people mail me and ask about that movie I
mentioned, "Dirty Pictures". I saw it on ShowTime, I think it was a
ShowTime picture... you might be able to find it in an independent or art
video store, but I doubt Blockbuster carries it.
But, to bring this back to a MUSEUM discussion, I'm curious as to how many
of you have ever had to defend an exhibit against censorship? Have you ever
had a run-in with local law enforcement, or perhaps an activist group for
what you have exhibited? Would you ever consider NOT displaying something
for fear backlash?
--
"Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not
to think at all." - Hypatia
--
Robyne Miles
Director of Operations & Volunteers
The Science Factory
www.sciencefactory.org
phone: 541-682-7882 fax: 541-484-9027
reply to: [log in to unmask]
> From: Alessandra Phillips <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 12:18:34 -0500
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Republic.com (was: Can we censor you, too?)
>
> This made me think of a book by U.Chicago scholar Cass Sunstein,
> called Republic.com.
>
> In it Sunstein argues that online communities are causing a
> fracturing of american society, rather than providing a communal
> space. He cites evidence that people in online forums tend to become
> more extreme in their language and behavior --using both scientific
> psyche experiments and u.s. militia examples.
>
> Sunstein says that the ability to filter stories and content on the
> Internet is actually one of its greatest dangers, as when you are
> exposed only to the content you want to read about, your worldview
> shrinks. He argues that the very act of reading a newspaper helps the
> social fabric survive, as people are exposed, on streetcorners and in
> the media, to another point of view. He says the old town square
> model of societal governance was actually more helpful for towns to
> survive, as people saw their neighbors close up, affluent, indigent,
> etc.
>
> This could have an interesting application to museums.
>
> I find this list immensely useful, not least because people bring in
> other things that enrich my thinking about how I should improve my
> non-profit or museum work.
>
> Ale
>
>
>> I would like, too, for my newspaper to only have stories in it that
>> I'm interested in. Not only does it waste valuable newsprint, and
>> therefore make my paper more expensive, but I sometimes have to turn
>> the pages several times before I find something I want to read.
>> Thanks.
>> --Todd Happer
>> Scientific American
>>
>>
>> On 1/29/02, Robyne Miles <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>> It's always so amusing to me when I see people complain about the
>>> number of
>>> postings, etc. on these lists. I find it especially amusing coming
>>> from
>>> Museum folk. Can I come in to your place and tell you that you have
>>> way too
>>> much text on your signage, or that I don't like the content of your
>>> exhibits
>>> so please, cut back?
>>>
>>> Here's the "duh" statement: If you don't like something, don't read
>>> it...
>>> use your delete button often. Read the subjects and simply read
>>> what
>>> appeals to you... And for crying out loud, if you actually have time
>>> to read
>>> every single thing on this list, then I don't see how on earth you
>>> are doing
>>> the rest of your job!
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>>
>>> Robyne, who has 518 unread messages from this list in my inbox, happily
>>> waiting to be read or purged at my leisure.
>>>
>>> PS- Speaking of censorship, I watched the movie/documentary "Dirty
>>> Pictures"
>>> last night, on the Cinncinati/Robert Mapplethorpe scandal. This
>>> is a
>>> fabulous watch, and a must-see for ANY museum professional!!!
>>> --
>>> "Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better
>>> than not
>>> to think at all." - Hypatia
>>> --
>>> Robyne Miles
>>> Director of Operations & Volunteers
>>> The Science Factory
>>> www.sciencefactory.org
>>> phone: 541-682-7882 fax: 541-484-9027
>>> reply to: [log in to unmask]
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> From: Melinda Simms <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 13:33:17 -0500
>>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>>> Subject: Re: Job seekers, frequency of postings and the meaning
>>> of life!
>>>>
>>>> You know, it's interesting to me to watch all this unfold. Sadly,
>>> I too, who
>>>> am usually a lurker am adding my two cents.
>>>> I am currently a graduate student in Museum Studies. Many of you,
>>> I'm sure can
>>>> remember being in grad. school and how important the
>>>> access to information becomes. I use this list and it's mesages
>>> and
>>>> information as a tool, every day. I print off posts of interest
>>> or those with
>>>> material or information I think will prove helpful in the future
>>> and keep them
>>>> all tucked away in files that I can access when needed. I refer
>>> to this
>>>> information for research papers, class discussions, or for guidance
>>> when
>>>> looking for a job, an internship, or different perspectives on
>>> the
>>>> profession. I have found all of Indigo's posts interesting. Frankly
>>> I'm also a
>>>> bit surprised by the folks out there who choose to comment
>>>> negatively on the number of posts they receive- this is a listserv,
>>> and as
>>>> such, all posts, regardless of the number should be welcome. I
>>> receive
>>>> my posts in digest form, would that be an alternative for some
>>> of you who are
>>>> feeling bombarded by the number of e-mails clogging your
>>>> mailboxes? The new messages come, once a day, nicely packaged in
>>> one e-mail.
>>>> There is also the option of viewing the messages online. I'm
>>>> sorry someone who had so much information to contribute, that is
>>> in many ways,
>>>> applicable to us all, has been driven out of a forum to which she
>>>> provided so much.
>>>>
>>>> =========================================================
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>>> Important Subscriber Information:
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>>
>> =========================================================
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>>
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>
> Alessandra C. Phillips
> Web Editor
> EM Creative Group
> Drexel University
> Phone: 215-895-1558
> [log in to unmask]
>
> =========================================================
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>
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=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
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