Fanning the Flames of Our Need for "Popularity"

I remember when being popular meant getting the most notes passed to you in science class in 7th grade or being voted homecoming queen in high school.  Am I starting this blog dating myself?  Nevertheless, in just ten years, technology has re-defined the stipulation of "cool" and who is "popular" through the ceaseless devices in which one's most private (or vacuous) thoughts and experiences can be "liked", "shared", "commented" on and "tweeted" about.  Am I forgetting anything?  I'm sure that I am.    Once I know about a technology you can bet your ass that it's already on it's way "out" of fashion.  [Sigh].

While facebook has got to be the most phenomenal invention of networking efficiency ever created, youtube isn't far behind, if not neck and neck. These epidemic portals of cyberspace linking into humanity have created a whole new game for anyone looking to be "popular".   While it makes it far easier and faster to get your photos from your prom -or your retirement party- in front of the eyes of those you wish to taunt, connect to or boast for, than the archaic methods of texting, emailing, or, god forbid, the postal service of what is now (rather appropriately) deemed "snail mail", it has set a new and higher totem pole of competition.  Privacy is gone.  And if you still have yours, well, then, you are definitely not "popular".  And what was once saved for grade schoolers and high schoolers, politicians and rock stars, is now on the radar of everyone: "Who 'likes' me on Facebook?"  How many 'friends' do I have?" and "Please 'share' my youtube video of my kid eating birthday cake"...

Now restaurants have fan pages, teachers have blogs and musicians have twitter accounts to tell you they are on their tour bus and ran out... of caviar... or something meaningless like that.  And as I smugly report the inanity of this global craze, I am all-too-entrenched in it's cultish culture.  Since I acquiesced to facebook in 2008, I believe it was, I can say, 5,000 "friends" later and 3,900 more "followers" and "fans" on my various artist "pages", facebook has vastly expanded my audience and attendance at my shows.  On average, no less than 80% of my audience is compiled of facebook fans, 8% twitter fans and 5% youtube fans.  Sometimes these categories intermingle.  My youtube channels (which I inevitably forget the passwords to and have to create new ones, making my videos scattered on the internet) have reached close to 20,000 views.  This doesn't include the multitude of clips posted by strangers in the audience on their own channels.

Last year, I came across yet another online network to remember a password for.  Fandalism.  Not to be confused with Fandom, which had to be explained and re-explained to me by my friend's impatient 11 year old daughter, who was all but disgusted with my lack of hipness.  Even that word was laughable to her.  And don't even ask me what Tumblr is or why it is purposely mis-spelled.  But I digress.

Fandalism, not unlike Youtube, was started by a San Francisco-based heavy metal drummer named Philip Kaplan, who for some reason, likes to be called Pud, to connect musicians with other musicians and music fanatics.  The difference between fandalism and youtube, is like Vh1 versus MTV in the 90's: Fandalism actually features music videos and performances whereas youtube has got everything videotaped including paint drying.  Fandalism, is just less than a year old and in it's first few months had half a million members, reaching from all over the USA to China to Kazakhstan.  In just a couple of months, my videos have received almost 10,000 views on Fandalism alone-- that's about half as many views as youtube but in 2 months versus 5 years. Youtube is so saturated with uploads it has become an artform in itself to get your music any real traffic (though Twitter and Google + and facebook are very helpful).  There are companies you can pay that just bombard youtube drifters by luring them into your channel-- but that costs thousands at the end of the day.

I am happy to trek through the hilly terrain of technology in any attempt to promote this jazz existence-- if it brings me new fans, I'm all for the aggravation of learning a new means for doing so.  In the meantime, as my fan base grows (and my wealth is but a dream inside a dream), it is important to note than fans and fanatics are two different things.  And isn't it ironic that this relatively no-name jazz singer seems to have a significant share of fanatics while Paris Hilton, a no-talent, continues to acquire actual fans (ok, and some fanatics too)?  Another thing we can credit social networking with: creating fame in undeserved areas.

To quote computer lingo: OMFG... NGUNS... WKYP.  (Yes, there will be a quiz on what these letters stand for).  Before I leave you, please check out my Fandalism page... and give me some "props".  There it is.  I have just come full circle. Ta-dah.

http://fandalism.com/flappergirl