Against the Machine Chap. 5

Lee Siegel brings up some good points in this chapter. He discusses originality, how it comes from the inside-out based upon how someone reacts and responds to the environment around them. He does contradict himself however; in one sentence Siegel says that originality is impossible because we are overwhelmingly influenced by the environment and by others. He also wonders why anyone would want to take the risk of doing something original. Then, he goes on to explain that originality is an essential part of pop culture, and gives examples of originality from Elvis’ pelvis thrusting to Keith Jarrett’s piano playing style. If originality is impossible, how can he talk about it as if it exists? It left me scratching my head a bit.

The point about American Idol and how it goes against originality is a good one. The contestants sing other peoples songs, they are packaged and presented in predetermined ways and their fate rests in the hands of voters. It is a glorified popularity contest where the winner does not win solely based upon level of talent. Siegel makes an excellent point when he says that what makes American Idol unique is that it fuses privacy with publicity and exposes them for the world to see. This ties in with earlier points about how the Internet has made privacy public. Whether it is YouTube, social media sites or reality television, things that are probably left behind closed doors are put on a digital pedestal on display for all of us to see.

Siegel also brings up television shows and how actors are no longer characters who are disconnected entities from the viewer. Because of the Internet, viewer interaction via websites of television shows allows them to become part of the show, changing outcomes and participating in situations. In essence, they become the character and play a part in the narrative. Not only has the Internet drastically changed the way we view entertainment, but it also changes how we receive our news and what kind of news we want to receive, all because of user interaction and customization.