We (humanity in general) haven't learned how to handle the new technologies--not even radio, not even television, not even the automobile. These technologies are simply too new for us at this point in our development.

Yes, we (specifically referencing all present DBIS members) grew up with these technologies, but not in the way that our deep-deep ancestors grew up with the tools available to them.

I'd like to develop a rubric to express what I'm talking about here, but only the fundamentals of it are in place as of yet. The general idea is that of a sliding scale, with these categories at the very least: "I do"; "I get."

On a small scale, such as in a friendly neighborhood, this would amount to:

I do: a little observable work combined with occasional neighborly smile I get: an occasional invitation to let the kids play together & perhaps share some roast pork or something

On the small scale, which is where until very recently all of us lived our lives, this plays a part in a person's sense of self-worth, belonging in a community, etc.

When the scale is expanded to account for the mass media, then "I do" becomes shrunken, shrivelled, even flaccid. All one has to "do" is to "get" attention (a poor substitute for belonging, but perhaps all some people have to strive for). Suddenly, a simple act of getting a papercut, or falling off a ladder in a funny way, or whatever--makes someone into a so-called "celebrity." At least until the next horrific news incident.

And then comes the marriage of the trivial with the horrific, since we can only view so many "football to the groin" tapes before the idea goes stale.

So then: "I do" commit to eating whatever flesh is presented to me And equally: some number of people do watch

(I recall a few images of horse penises being consumed with relish (not meaning the condiment here) a few years back--though I could not name the show. It was on in a neighbor's house when I went there to collect my kids.)

Where do you go from there? If we're to do very, very little, and yet find enormous noteriety (confused here with fame), then isn't the consumption by some ditz of what she is told is human flesh just a part of the natural progression?

Until, that is, we learn to handle the technologies available to us.

I thought your note made a remarkable, authorly move in its last few lines, so I'd like to try to mimic that in my small way.

When writing was new, how many texts were devoted to the horrible? We cannot know, but posterity does demonstrate that some were . . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/books/21mash.html?pagewanted=1&hpw

Herring405