• by Lydia Loizides , Op-Ed Contributor, May 15, 2008

So, to cap the series of articles stemming from the event that I attended a couple of weeks back about the favorite topic d'jour: user-generated content, I would like to draw your attention to the definition of irony.

American Heritage Dictionary
i ro ny
n. pl. iro•nies a. The use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning.
b. An expression or utterance marked by a deliberate contrast between apparent and intended meaning.
c. A literary style employing such contrasts for humorous or rhetorical effect.
d. Incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs.
e. An occurrence, result, or circumstance notable for such incongruity

After the panel, I was quoted several times in the pro-sumer and pro-fessional press. I would like to thank those who quoted me correctly and didn't use my quotes out of context. And then I would like to point out to those who did quote me completely out of context that yes, the panel was in fact taped and the entire session has been posted online (http://www.herrick.com/events/kingsofmedia.html) for all to view -- a textbook example of, you guessed it, user-generated content.

Do I need to point out the obvious irony here? I think not. Who needs TV when all you need is a video camera and a server? But I will offer this a piece of sage advice: beware the power of user-generated content in its ability to keep everyone honest and, more importantly, accountable. Now, if I could just figure out how to monetize this.... Ideas?

advertisement

advertisement