Used to be, journalists were like information sprinkler systems. They pulled information up from unfathomable, inaccessible depths, and spread it out to the waiting masses.
Not any more. We all swim in an ocean of data now. And everyone has the ability to broadcast to millions. So journalists have to be pumps and filters – keeping the conversation going, while sorting the data from the noise. (Metaphor stolen from Jeff Jarvis of Buzz Machine)
But Officer Rivieri of the Baltimore Police is finding out right now that everyone has the power to broadcast . . .
. . . What’s that tinkling sound? I really hope it’s the shattered fragments of Rivieri’s career being swept off to the bin . . .
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This vid has gotten 445,864 views in the last three days . . . It’s the no. 2 video in the world at the moment. What do you think about this? If Rivieri’s career is destroyed because of these four minutes of lost temper, is that good?
I dunno. I mean, he basically assaults the 14 year old boy. I think this will act as a good deterant for anybody taking advantage of their authority. That officer escalated the situation all by himself in my opinion. Horrible to watch, his job should be at risk for this.
Yeah . . . I agree – but we all make slips from time to time. The scary thing about this is that when everyone has the ability to broadcast your slip-up to the world, it’s an unstable system . . . people are very vulnerable.
Hmm . . . [ponders]