The Noise Economy

Merlin Mann expressed an idea that's been swirling around in my head for a while:

"Politics, celebrity gossip, business headlines, tech punditry, odd news, and user-generated content.

These are the chew toys that have made me sad and tired and cynical."

Hey, wait. This isn't about to become a rant about how the Internet has failed as a medium, and now all that's left is to get out before you're the last one left in the room with the Hiltons, Paris and Perez. But in between the bits of insight -- the content that has some heft to it -- there's a distracting amount of noise. Noise that usually takes the form, as Merlin writes, of "...our portfolio of shallow but strongly-held opinions about nearly everything."

Of course, there's a whole economy built on noise, and who am I to deny anyone the pleasure they get from it? But I don't have to consume it (read seems too generous) or generate it. And after one too many glances at Techmeme (let me save you the trouble: "f'ng Arrington/Scoble/Jobs!"), I'm feeling some noise fatigue.

Meanwhile, away from the abstract world where some dream of owning Web 3.0, there's  healthy stuff happening. Mostly in the form of connections -- some with people who I eventually meet face to face, and with others who I have a consistent online relationship. But never in the hyperconnected way that declares people and things cool! and then moves on to the next cool! thing without a pause to understand.

I think Merlin's on to something, and I'm curious to see what he has to say about it. For a long time, "joinng the discussion" has been about being the quickest, loudest, and snarkiest. Me, I'm ready to pay attention to the most thoughtful.