We have become a society of watchers

[Harry Hope]

With the explosion of the Internet and social media, and
cameras everywhere. Americans are caught up in the spectacle
of watching.
 
By Ted Anthony, Associated Press

December 25, 2010

Reporting from New York — 

There it was, gazed upon by millions in horror, anger and pure
fascination: a grainy, sputtering image of the deep blue sea
and its interloper — the bubbling brown goo that was spewing
into the water from the depths of the planet.

It was, of course, the "spillcam" — the reverse
periscope into the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico that was
broadcast live to the world from May to July. For the first
time, we could watch in real time as a huge natural disaster
unfolded in a place that for most of human history, had been
beyond our view.

And why not? Because that is what we do in this modern age of
unprecedented and unsettling wonder:

We watch.

In a nation riven by disagreements and political conflicts and
niche markets and on-demand isolation, this unites us:
Hungrily, aggressively, we watch.

If you needed any more evidence that we've become a nation of
watchers, look no further than 2010. From the spillcam to
Snooki, from volcanic clouds to video ambushes, the spectacle
that was the past year ensured that the image — the weird,
wonderful, horrifying, mesmerizing image — reigned supreme.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-adna-nation-watchers-20101225,0,2099508.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fnation+%28L.A.+Times+-+National+News%29

[Xipe Totec]

1. ...

:popcorn:

[Cirque du So-What]

3. That little guy stuffing popcorn into his face

kinda supports the thesis that we're a nation of watchers. In this case, I'm assuming you're awaiting a flamewar over the OP? If that's not indicative of our obsession with watching, I don't know what is.

[Xipe Totec]

7. Sad to see that humor is becoming a lost art

Lighten up.

[Cirque du So-What]

10. Ironic statement

I was trying to inject my own humor into the thread. So sorry you didn't get it. Granted, it was slightly sardonic, but I meant no disrespect to you, nor did I wish to incite a flamewar. I speak 'from the hip' sometimes, so pardon me for being an asshole. Carry on.

[BeFree]

13. So What?

Watched that, and, man, that was something, eh?

Now, yall kiss and make nice, k?

[seabeyond]

9. ha ha. point. and then there are those that prefer to jump on in. nt

[Billy Burnett]

It is an inculcated reactive human behavior

Not exactly an uplifting Christmas flick, but this documentary is well worth the watch.

Human Resources: Social Engineering in the 20th Century
http://metanoia-films.org/hr_watchonline.php

[Billy Burnett]

2. Dupe/glitch

[surrealAmerican]

4. There's nothing new about that.

We always were a "society of watchers". In the earlier days of this nation our "watching" consisted of reading newspapers, but it was not so different from watching webcam footage.

[lunatica]

5. As opposed to what other societies?

[Jim Warren]

6. ...

More like a society of the watched if you ask me.

[Quantess]

8. Villagers used to come to the ye olde town centre to watch hangings,

stonings, beheadings, etc.
It's just human nature.

[formercia]

11. Soon, we will all be watching each other

and reporting any suspicious activity to the proper authorities. I see quotas on the Horizon. I see children reporting on their parents.
Soon we will all be like the STAZI informants of East Germany.

Even Rod Serling would be appalled.

Welcome to the Twilight Zone.

[lostnfound]

12. We get used to doing a whole lot of watching during 12 years of classroom schooling, too

And if we just extend the schoolday and extend the school year, too, we can prevent any unnecessary excursions into "doing" behaviors.