Toward a New Future of Whatever, with Michael Wesch

Michael Wesch's talk, Toward a New Future of Whatever (see below), lays out the recent history of the word whatever and discusses various changes in our culture that have caused us to rethink the ways we communicate and attempt to uniquely present ourselves in the world. He stated that in the 1960s whatever was as, "Whatever you say; I don't care." In the 90s, it became, "I don't care what you think, whatever." At the close of his presentation, he revealed the aim he believes whatever should have--to become, "I care. Whatever it takes...by whatever means necessary."

Wesch suggests that a certain evolution began with the invention of TV. Combined with the anonymity of calling the city home, working on an assembly line, or living in suburbia, individuals in society have lost a sense of self-importance. Individually, we feel replaceable and unimportant. So, we have sought ways to stand out, rising above the anonymity. Wesch used the example seen in the success of American Idol. The show has such a following because those who watch it feel they, too, can be somebody, and even if people really don't have talent, their desire to be someone special deceives them into thinking otherwise. YouTube and other podcast/vodcast sites, as well as the host of social networks, all serve as mediums by which we have been seeking to resolve the tensions built by a culture arguably cultivating anonymity. There are several ways my experiences demonstrate the truthfulness of Wesch's assertions.

Personally
I heard a ratio recently that says for every job for which a person applies, there are at least 5 other people being considered for the job. I have been looking for a part-time job recently, and this ratio seems too low. Other relatives of mine have also struggled recently to get hired. But, we have all have felt is that we are unimportant. How can one get a job when he or she is just as qualified or unqualified as the next person? I definitely often have the same feeling of anonymity described in the video.

But, I also enjoy connecting with people through social networking sites. They offer a means to communicate to others and for others to communicate to me. My wife and I have family and friends scattered across the country, with whom we would probably communicate much less (and possibly not at all) if social networking sites did not exist.

At School
Some of the personal aspects also relate to school life. College students generally have an awakening (albeit not always a good thing) when they begin school. It is a time for them to find themselves, solidify principles, and set goals. Clubs, societies, and various organizations on campus may help in setting some of these things in order for students. Meanwhile, however, today's students are interconnected with people around the world through the internet. So, while they do have more opportunities than non-college-students for personally based self-expression, they also are the generation which satiated through connecting with others globally via technological mediums.

As a Teacher
Wesch also suggests we are a society that has been fed incoherence and, thus, has turned to indifference. Where there is incoherence, there is a need for a teacher. People are more assertive today to expressing themselves, but they do so so narcissistically that they forget there is a lot for them to learn. In some of my experiences in education (both in being a student and currently being a substitute teacher), I have found students know abundantly more than me about phones, websites, and various other things. They get excited about them--so excited those same things become obstacles to their education. Teachers should seek to harness some of that energy their students have and direct them toward using it for something truly worthwhile, and introduce to them to productives ways by which they can distinguish themselves from the crowd and improve their self-importance.