We have entered the age of "peep culture": a tell-all, show-all, know-all digital phenomenon that is dramatically altering notions of privacy, individuality, security, and even humanity. Peep culture is reality TV, YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, over-the-counter spy gear, blogs, chat rooms, amateur porn, surveillance technology, Dr. Phil, Borat, cell phone photos of your drunk friend making out with her ex-boyfriend, and more. In the age of peep, core values and rights we once took for granted are rapidly being renegotiated, often without our even noticing.
Writing outside is great. A quick change to the brightness setting and you are off. Connecting to Mooba’s wifi is super simple. Two clicks and you are away, super quick and effortless. Writing, tweeting and perving on all the fine people enjoying the outdoors, who could ask for more? While I write, hot coffee is coming whenever I call for it like I’m some sort of hedonist king. Before I leave I will make sure to try their large selection of desserts. I think I heard something about a double choc muffin something-or-other on twitter this morning.I have been active on the net for almost half my life. I remember the early days when privacy was paramount. Google jaso32, the ‘handle’ I’ve had since 3 minutes after logging into the net, and you can search back years of Usenet trolling with fake email addresses and other similar methods to keep Jason and jaso32 separate.
Why is it now, a bit over a decade later, that we have lifted the curtain and reversed that trend so far the other way?
Far more prominent on Google than my attempts at keeping myself separate from jaso32 is that now jaso32 and Jason are one and the same. Google is generous enough to show you my whole life! My blog, my Facebook, Twitter, Formspring and most importantly Four Square.
Four Square is a relatively new geosocial networking site where you can record your activities. At the movies? Tell Four Square. On a boat? Tell Four Square. Four Square lets you record, in great detail, all your outdoor activities. Some other special features of Four Square let you share tips about venues and even offer reviews. Connect Four Square to Twitter and Facebook and you can share your adventures with an even bigger audience.
As a peer review application I love Four Square. Nothing makes me happier than warning people away from an awful Mcdonalds but Four Square has a much darker use, cyberstalking.
Initially I was a bit worried about the implications of posting my adventures but was quick to relax. I don’t know why I dismissed my worries so fast. Maybe it was the challenge of collecting Four Square badges, a method of retaining user interest, maybe it was the fun of social media. I don’t know why but like a million other Four Square users, I relaxed.
As an unemployed stay at home parent my routine is very open. I am rarely ever in the same place at the same time, unlike millions of worker. A few hours research into these people alarmed me. I noticed a few of these people regularly reported to Four Square their location and the awesomely stalkeriffic thing I noticed, they had patterns. I noticed one Twitter friend was always at the gym at the same time every day. Another was at a train station at the same time. The list grew. How easy would it be to follow one of these people, having never met them. A simple chat on Twitter could evolve into something similar to the plot of a Hollywood thriller.
It certainly appears that the trend for owning your internet persona is increasing but who is pushing the move? Four Square is only 16 months old yet internet giant Yahoo has offered $125 million dollars US to purchase the service. Why? Geosocial media offers a wealth of consumer information. Shopping trends, eating trends and even transport trends are all worth major money. Information gathered could help sell the next Coke product or the next war. Every dollar built off the concept of marketing your thoughts.
If geosocial media is so controlling why do I regularly contribute? Seriously, I don’t know. For me I suppose it’s a way to snark at life. Thanks to Four Square, I’m the ‘mayor‘ of crazy town. I dont take it seriously and try to have as much fun as possible. With all these things considered, my only genuine complaint is I dont get a slice of that multi million dollar pie! Find me on Four Square or check me out on Twitter. Come on, it’s fun!
Do you over share on the net?
At the start of the F1 Summer break there is much for Australian racing fans to be happy about with Mark Webber in control of the drivers championship but why can’t Formula 1 stay away from controversy?
As an Australian boy I was only exposed to F1 once a year, The Australian Grand Prix. With only a passing fancy, I supported Damon Hill and Williams at the ‘94 GP and saw first hand what the best of the best drivers will do for a victory.
During the ‘94 Australian GP, the final race of the season, Michael Schumacher was in position in front of Hill. With only a one point advantage, Schumacher needed to keep a position in front of Hill to claim his first championship. Making a mistake, Schumacher let Hill into a passing opportunity but rather then concede the place Schumacher drove his car into the side of Hill putting himself out of the race instantly while Hill retired in the pits from damage due to the accident. Waiting for Hill to make another lap, Schumacher learnt of Hill’s retirement from a marshal and the famous Schumacher smirk was seen around the world as he claimed the first of his 7 championships from the corner of Flinders Street. At 14, it was the first time I had ever witnessed what it takes to be a winner and I fell in love with motorsport.
Three years later Schumacher found himself in the same position, this time against Canadian Jacques Villeneuve. Schumacher was leading the Jerez GP in front of Villeneuve when he had trouble keeping pace. Buzzing all around the back of Schumacher’s Ferrari, Villeneuve dove down the inside of a corner to take the lead. Never one to concede a place, Schumacher drove into Villeneuve in the same fashion as he had to win the ‘94 championship but unfortunately for Schumacher his Ferrari only made contact with the side pod of Villeneuve’s car and Villeneuve drove on to become the ‘97 world champion.
Examples just like these are littered throughout Formula 1 history. The glory days of Senna, Mansell and Prost when teams like McLaren and Williams ruled produce endless lists of drivers doing what it takes to win and we remember them. We remember them fondly and wish F1 would be like that today.
Those days were by no means lawless. Drivers were just as heavily punished for rule breaches as they are today. Schumacher was harshly punished for his crash with Villeneuve in ‘97 but we don’t remember that. We don’t remember the grid penalties and fines, we remember the awesome racing. The passing, the crashes and the champions. Drivers threw the dice and accepted the consequences.
These days the drivers race to save money. The dollar (or Euro as it usually is) is more important than the victory. Gone are the passing manoeuvres we remember, replaced by a precession. Don’t go anywhere near another car or fear the reprimand waiting for you in pit lane. Small amounts of greatness are dragged through the media, chastised and spat out.
Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel crashed during the Turkish GP earlier this year which created an endless supply of media attention. All because Vettel wanted to drive like his heros. The race lead was one place in front of him and he wanted it. Vettel moved up the inside of Webber and imitated his hero Schumacher by veering towards Webber in an attempt to scare Webber away from his position. Webber didn’t yield and both drivers crashed, Vettel out of the race and Webber finished a distant third. This is an example of a great racing manoeuvre. Fans should see this several times a race not once followed with 2 weeks of media bashing afterwards! The money loving precession junkies win again.
F1 setteled down till this week when come back kid Schumacher defended his tenth position against former team mate, Barrichello. Defending the middle of the straight, Schumacher drove Barrichello towards the barrier in an attempt to keep his position. The move failed and Barrichello took tenth place. What I thought was true Schumacher brilliance was rewarded with a ten place grid penalty for the next race which will no doubt put him at the back of the field and give him eight or so cars to pass while he makes his way to his rightful position in the middle of the field. The media and team managers threw up their in disgust. How dangerous, how shameful! Shameful is F1 not seeing passing as part of the sport.
F1 no longer has thrilling races when drivers need to apply in triplicate for the right to defend or pass for position. Bring back the glory days and let up on these drivers. Just because we can watch them in slow-motion and measure every piece of precision doesn’t mean we have to regulate them like a hawk.
What would your dream job look like?
I get up late, spend 4 hours online then clean up the house. What I do now. I just have to work out how to get paid for it :(
If you could choose, how would you want to die?
Behind the wheel of something fast and expensive.
