non-fiction matters

I thought I'd start a thread for non-fiction readers. So I may be the only person in this thread, but that has never stopped me before!

I just finished Dog Heroes of September 11. I did a short thing on it here (with picturey goodness).

Well, I don't know what caused Curious Incident to show up as the touchstone for Dog Heroes, so I'll try this again: Dog Heroes of September 11th: A Tribute to America's Search and Rescue Dogs

I recently finished Ghost Map. "On August 28, 1854, working-class Londoner Sarah Lewis tossed a bucket of soiled water into the cesspool of her squalid apartment building and triggered the deadliest outbreak of cholera in the city's history." (Publishers Weekly). Does that not sound like the start of an interesting read? It is, pretty much. In the epilogue the author discusses the viability of humanity inhabiting huge cities in the future and what, such as plagues or recurring nuclear terrorism, could reverse our ever-increasing urbanization. That was fairly interesting as well, though reaction to his including this epilogue into the book has been mixed.

I loved Ghost Map! I created a tag for "Steven Johnson's favorite plague books" based on this article.
Also, found On the Mode of Communication of Cholera by John Snow, M.D. here.

Again, here's something from me blog. This time it's: Hello, I'm Special: How Individuality Became the New Conformity.

This is the second non-fiction book from Ted Niedzviecki. First was 2000's We Want Some Too: Underground Desire and the Reinvention of Mass Culture, which I remember as a sort-of paeon to the dot.com revolution, pre-bust, that is.

Niedzviecki 's main thesis in Hello, I'm Special:
Non-conformity is the new conformity-- to the extent that people are pushed to greater and greater lengths to distinguish themselves from the crowd. From Hollywood A-listers to Back Yard Wrestling heroes, everybody is striving to milk their 15 minutes (or seconds). And some of us are looking pretty foolish.

In America, we are told, anyone can grow up to be president and an everyman can be a superstar. We see it every day. You can get it if you want it bad enough. Get noticed. Get your big break. An athelete from an underpriveledged background lives like a pasha on money from his NBA contract. A junior missy gets on a talent search show that launches a stellar pop-music career. A pimp gets his song on the radio. A kid creates an internet phenomenon... whatever. Everything is pleasantly reaffirming. You are definitely some sort of prodigy, you just need somebody to "discover" you. (I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!)

With American Idol-type shows, the entertainment industry actively recruits dreamers with the allure of big money and the instant gratification of overnight stardom. I recently read a great article about the industry created by young women ( and some men) who pay many of their parents' dollars to coaches and producers to prepare for these "amateur" shows. Well, at least they are trying-- doing something other than sitting around. But why can't they put their energy into something original or creative? Why do they all have to go to the same handlers as and emulate the same images of other popstars that have gone before. And not even that far before, more like last year or month. Infinite copies of last year's model.

And this specialized pop idol regime is besides a burgeoning general self-help market. But that's another rant. A rant called "Who the fuck are you to tell me..."

But back to Hello, I'm Special.

So we have a whole society of people who have been raised to believe that they are indeed special. Told from infancy, "Just be yourself. If they don't like you it's their loss." And the media reaffirms their specialness and encourages them to follow their dream. You just have to want it badly enough. (Hey, they'll even be glad to tell you what your dream should be in case you are a little fuzzy!)

Infinite copies of last year's model. The seeming current lack of rebellion in culture is fuelled by the entertainment industries who try to keep any radical cultural voices their under control. They want to give the illusion of rocking the boat without actually rocking the boat. (Think about Star Trek when they would shake the camera and everybody would lurch around the set.)

Here is the rotten core hidden at the center of the pop dream: There is not room for everybody at the top. (Many will enter. Few will win.)

Well, if you can't be a rock star, maybe you can distinguish yourself in a niche. You might go Neo-Traditionalist and turn your back on pop culture. Blow up the TV. Devote yourself to the Classics. Move to a remote island artist community. Or, maybe you'd do better as an Extremist. Drive and extreme vehicle extremely fast. Jump off something tall. Thrill-seeking, hair-raising, Jack-Ass-ity stuff. Maybe you could join a religion-- because there is surely one that will suit your lifestyle. 'Tis true! You are no longer expected to change yourself for your religion, the Churches will now accomodate your "special" needs. Contemporary Christian, come as you are. Casual Shabbot, 50% less guilt. Aromatherapy AND Mass. Or, you could join a guild in World of Warcraft. Or, get a Second Life. Or, devote your actual life to Disney. Or, maybe a little Celebrity Worship Syndrome is more your style. (Stalk much?) You could make an online shrine to Johnny Depp. If you aren't that tech-savvy, there's always Elvis-impersonater school.

Pop culture is powered by the individuals who consume it and identify with and through it. People feel a special connection to their entertainment. We are empowered by our ability to buy pop paraphernalia. We basically purchase our group identities. (I knew that!)

So, after I finish Hello, I'm Special I probably shouldn't still I feel a little special. Is it because I am special enough to understand the banality of specialness? Or am I really, really special?