It makes sense that a large amount of engineering goes into the buildings and roads that surround us, but it is less obvious that many of the other creations we end up seeing are engineered into their place, as opposed to being allowed to fit into their appropriate categories. There is much manipulation done in order to present items that are not up to par in a more positive light. It is beneficial for you to be able to draw a distinction between the value something provides and the extra material added to it in order to make it more appealing. The ratio of these two parts to one another is representative of how meaty(content-rich) or fluffy(content-poor) an item is.
One example of an item that can be engineered into your sights is an internet video. Many assume that certain videos become popular mainly due to positive qualities of them, and that other people are watching them at the same time for these qualities, as opposed to factors unrelated to the content shown. One concept to keep in mind is that viral videos can be, and sometimes are, created with the intent for them to become viral. There are many routes to take to assist in the process of making a video become a popular item for a few days. You must remain vigilant to see through that which is being manufactured to be placed in front of you, and that which is rising up mostly on its own merits. It could be compared with someone spending much money to provide many people with a useless item for free, instead of putting in effort to provide a useful item that spreads on its own.
A video could be popular for reasons that can be difficult to assess such as:
1. The video being promoted by a friend of the creator that has a video service
2. A large campaign about it being created and shown before the video’s release, if only to distract from the lack of substance in it
3. The video being made to seem more entertaining by the use of a laugh track, or a similar item, that makes one feel that others are engaging in the enjoyment of it
4. The video having sequences of bright lights, so that the viewer is distracted from the lack of meaning present in its presentation
These items can also be thought to be items that provide competitive edge for a production company, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that they are ways of uplifting content-poor material in our current period of time.
Another example that relates to the concept of manipulation is that of freeways or roads that are relatively straight, except for sections that wind around certain residential areas, or even single homes. Some people may drive on them for years without realizing that the influential owners of those homes were able to convince builders to reduce the straightness of the road for their personal gain. This can be described as an advantage of being of a higher class than other local residents, but for the scope of the message here, it represents an item of possible manipulation to keep in mind during travels.
One thing that you should get in the habit of doing, when you see something new pop up in front of you, is to think about not just why it is there, but also about the possible steps taken by the creator to get it there. This illuminating procedure is advantageous to run through on anything around you or online that piques your interest.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Awesome blog explaining the daily lives of people in a different perspective.
Love it. Brilliant!
Trevor: Thanks for that, and I am glad you see it as a different perspective. You might call it a re-understanding of that which is around us.
Actually looking and thinking about how a product got to where it was I think is a great way to spark new ideas. It’s unfortunate most people don’t even ponder new technologies most of the time and take new technologies for granted.
Alberto: It sure is one of the main ways to spark ideas, since most ideas that we would consider to be “good” are levels of thinking above what would be thought up as a random thought, and so being at the right level of understanding is crucial in that process. Taking a new technology for granted is a certain way to become a lower-ranking individual in its usage community.
Hi Armen, very insightful!
I work in brand management where we make and market products, starting with understanding the consumers’ desires and needs. Indeed, many of the things that are out in the market and in the media are really the results of much research, thought and crafting.
Celes: It is good to have your input, as a person that knows brand management, as it prompts us to think more about ways that companies craft that which we see in the public domain. There are many times where an item does well, even when consumers were not wanting it before its creation, because it fulfills a need we had not labeled, and creates its own community/system that people will then want to take part in.
This is good food for thought. I’ve seen plenty of viral videos that I found lacking in substance and I always wonder why they’re so popular (the Rick Roll thing comes to mind) and now I have a little better idea why they might have gone viral. Thanks for the insight!
Melissa: Looking into the example you bring up there, of the Rick Roll, might end up revealing that there was a person, or group of people, that was quite intent on making it the main comedic video for months to come. It is also possible that it rose up on its own, due to a factor such as its content reminding viewers of a more seemingly carefree time in music/video communication. A key point about this is to continually focus on the source of creations.
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