Guest Post by Writer Dad: Media Then and Now, Who Wins?

I'm taking a little blog break for the next couple of weeks but not to worry, you are in very good hands. I've lined up some of my favorite bloggers to mind the store. They'll be showing off their mad writing skillz while I'm away. Their assignment (because I'm a sentimental person and I've been feeling nostalgic lately): Write about the 80's. Anything goes.

Please welcome Writer Dad to CityMama. I "met" him because he commented and as I do with every commenter who leaves their blog URL, I followed. And I read. And I liked. And now here he is musing on one of my favorite topics, the media.

Media Then and Now, Who Wins?

I wasn’t born in the eighties, but it was the decade of Dallas and the DeLorean where I drew many of the things that make me who I am today.

Back when Michael Jackson was a God instead of a monster, and Madonna was a vixen rather than a mommy turned author, I could barely imagine that the little me wandering through the yuppie years would one day be holding hands with his own offspring as we toured a brave new world that made the bleeding edge technology of the fax machine look like the near obsolescence of my grandma’s rotary phone.

It’s a rewarding exercise to ponder the differences.  It’s far from 1984, and the world has changed in ways we could have perhaps imagined, but could never have anticipated.

I grew up in the eighties, and I’m raising my children in the present. Which era do I find preferable for the budding mind?  There are a million ways to chop this up and cook it, today we’ll stick to a single recipe.

Let’s talk about media.

Music:  It was in the eighties that video killed the radio star.  For the first time, it was more important for an artist to look the part than be the part.  This was quite the downward spiral, and I’m sure it would have kept rambling down the road of ridiculous until we were all listening to our grown up versions of The Wiggles, but fortunately, there was a light.  The internet made it possible for everyone’s voice to be heard, as long as the consumer was willing to do the work.  We’ve never had more options than we do right now.

Winner:  Now

Television: Don’t get me wrong, I loved television in the eighties.  Back then, I couldn’t imagine that TV would ever get better than the towering genius of Three’s Company.  Now, we’re in the last golden age of television. Soon, the line between TV and internet will be too gray to see the difference.  Shows like the Sopranos and Lost redefined what we could, and should expect from those hours committed to numbing our minds.

Winner:  Now

News: Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings.... crickets chirping.  How we gather our daily information has changed more than any other single thing.  The power of a few has now been disseminated to many.  This is a good thing.

Winner:  Now

I certainly don’t believe that everything is better than it was.  I think there’s been an innocence lost with every generation, and that thought makes me sad.  But I don’t think Humanity has ever faced more possibility in her horizon, and as long as we’re willing to do the hard work with our children now, then I tomorrow’s world will be amazing.

[Editor's Note: Then? Now? In terms of media, does present day win? Please share your thoughts below.]

Writer Dad is a writer and a dad.  He's really good at both.  You can find him Monday through Friday throwing down posts at Writer Dad.

Other posts in this series:
Once upon the late eighties, I was a club girl
On want
Music videos make the heart grow fonder

Comments

[Ryan]

I'm glad you have a positive outlook. The future really does depend on our children, and thus on how we--the yuppie adults--raise said children.

[twizzle]

Hi Writer Dad,

It appears that you and I are of the same vintage. (Being old enough to remember watching Three's Company is a BIG HINT!)

I love your optimism about today's media; however, I tend to disagree with you somewhat.

While I appreciate that there has been no time before the present wherein anyone could record music and disseminate their views to the public, I find myself pining for a less plugged-in time, when people read more books, didn't have computers, and phoned or visited their friends rather than keeping up with them through their Facebook status updates. Sure, it's easier now to stay in touch w/ hundreds of people, but I question the value of these friendships and connections. They seem very superficial to me -- unlike the “real” friendships I used to have time for before the Internet Age.

I guess I'm talking more generally about technology than media, but just wanted to put in my two cents.

I DO agree w/ you that TV is much improved now!

Thanks for a very good post!

[Jo Beaufoix]

I'm with you on this Writer Dad. I think we've got it pretty good in a lot of ways, and having a positive attitude makes all the difference too.

[Asianmommy.com]

In terms of media, I think now has to win. I only watch DVR and DVDs now--no more commercials! Woohoo!

[Writer Dad]

Ryan: Thanks and, you're totally right, it's all up to us.

Twizzle: I absolutely hear what you are saying, and agree... I too wish that people would read more books and spend less time on facebook. However, I think that's just some of the baggage inherent in the transition. I myself don't subscribe to any of the social media stuff; it does nothing for me. But I do believe that you'd have to go all the way back to Gutenberg, to find a bigger shift in information. And we got the Renaissance after his dust settled.

Jo: Thanks, Jo. That's why I keep mine spry.

Asian Mommy: How did we ever live before DVR?