The Guardian’s latest gambit for readers is called “Generation Y Takeover” (or “generation Y takeover” because lower-case is much more on-message). This means they’ve brought in various Gen-Y “digital trainees” to contribute pieces like “Why I’m taking my Spotify list public” and “Which 90s film character are you?” (subhead: “which 90s film character do you most relate to?”) and “The songs that soundtrack Generation Y.”
So far I’ve learned that soundtrack is a verb, that talking about who we “relate to” is acceptable in a once-respectable newspaper, and that one of the key questions of the day is: “Am I the only one who feels as though I have to make a definitive choice between: a) sharing my unfiltered listening habits with my Facebook friends and “followers” on Spotify, and b) forever pretending that only my carefully curated public listens exist?”
Someone at the Guardian should warn the digital trainee in question that articles beginning “Am I the only one who feels as though … ?” read like a parody in Private Eye.
Of course, I’m so Gen-X that I remember when we talked about “choosing” rather than “curating,” and writing rather than “documenting.” Remember those times? (Recently I read an article in which parents talked about letting their children “curate” the posters/objects for said children’s own bedrooms.)
If I were to curate/document a selection of “Am I the only one who feels as though …?” concerns in my life, these would include:
1. Am I the only one who feels as though the words of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” should be amended to: “It’s once, twice, thrice you are out at the old ball game?”
2. Am I the only one who feels as though the supporters of U.S. sports teams known for their red uniforms (e.g. St Louis Cardinals) should adopt the British fan-chant “Come on ye reds”?
3. Am I the only one who feels as though the last word to the Champions League theme song sounds like “huzzah” (rather than “champions”)?
4. Am I the only one who feels as though a selfie should be taken by the person in question, i.e. a self-portrait, and not just a cute picture of yourself taken by friend/professional photographer that you decide to post on Twitter?
I see that this particular cluster of concerns are mainly sports-related. Am I the only one who feels as though this … etc?
And now I must go and get on with my olden-days job, i.e. writing a book.
I'm with you on the "selfie" thing! And what else could "take me out to the ball game" be followed/replaced by?!?
Lovely thoughts overall. Enjoyed reading this post!
As a Gen_Y (shouldn't it be underscore?) I like to try and fool myself that the use of the terms "curating" and "documenting" just make general life more art-y, and therefore better, imho (Thanks, SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE.) Sorry to have dirtied your post with these thoughts!
Posted by: Hannah Sanders | March 21, 2014 at 12:37 PM
As public life gets emptier we use grander words to big it up.
I'm away to curate myself a sandwich.
Posted by: Svend Brown | March 21, 2014 at 12:50 PM