The Pursuit of Attention is the title of this book by Charles Derber [1979]:
It also is a fixation by the people we deal with, including
ourselves (I’m sad to write).
Mr. Derber provides a concise, unpsychologic approach to
attention-getting and needs.
Using quotes, such as these, opening Chapter 5 [Page 87], he
succinctly shows how individuals, abetted by the vicissitudes of society preys
upon attention:
“We know well enough that the isolation of the individual –
a narrow minded egotism – is everywhere the fundamental principle of modern
society … The disintegration of society into individuals each guided by his
private principles and each pursuing his own aims, has been pushed to its
furthest limits…”
[Frederick Engels from The Condition of the Working-Class in
England]
“The compulsive preoccupation with being seen, or simply
with being visible, suggests that we must be dealing with underlying fantasies
of not being seen, of being invisible.”
[R.D. Laing, from The Divided Self]
Or this from Chapter 3 [Page 43]:
“Pray, what are you laughing at?” inquired the Rocket…
“I am laughing because I am happy,” replied the Cracker.
“That is a very selfish reason,” said The Rocket. ‘What
right have you to be happy? You should be thinking about others. In fact, you
should be thinking about me. I am always thinking about myself, and I expect
everybody else to do the same.”
[Oscar Wilde from The Remarkable Rocket]
One can see the extreme need to be seen, to be heard, via
Facebook and Twitter currently.
Several venues we use, to get our own attention, is fraught
with persons extolling their prowess, no matter how inane or banal, suffocating
readers with their boring onslaught of personal detritus or ideas.
We cite UFO Updates and Kevin Randle’s blog particularly,
where ego is manifest, more than unique thinking or presentations.
Our MediaWatch Facebook page is a exemplary example of ego
on parade, and idiotic postings which often apply to a personal few but end up
being cascaded, because of the Facebook format, to everyone.
Even though fame is elusive for many of us, we keep drilling
for that fortuitous oil that may make it otherwise.
But with all the insipid posterings, online, the drilling is
futile, and an every increasing need to go louder, to be wilder takes place.
And stupidity becomes the content of the day.
The UFO community is flush with dolts who pummel fellow UFO
mavens with effluvia that is accepted as words from on high, when all we are
being offered is merde from on low.
Discernment is not the sine qua non of what we’re finding
online.
RR