a few general things
1. I've been following Shakesville's coverage of Mila Kunis, Justin Timberlake, and public pressure to go on a date with a Marine who asked her out on YouTube, and I find the coverage of it really icky. If Kunis wants to do this, that's great and more power to her, but I find the reporting on it really icky. The most succinct example of UGH NO BAD REPORTERS is over at Salon, where we have Lucky Marine scores date with Mila Kunis followed by Justin Timberlake asked out by YouTube Marine. Even the headlines gross me out a little, because in the second one you've got incredibly awkward passive voice (with no use of the verb "to be," somehow) to keep the (female) Marine from getting to be the subject and active party, and in the first it's all about the lucky (male) Marine who's going on a date.
First article: As sweet as I'm sure Kunis is, I really have to give credit to J.T. for not letting anyone brush off the question and essentially forcing Mila to make a public statement. He is like the world's best wingman. [emphasis mine]
Second article: Justin had better be ready to put his money where his mouth is, because Cpl. Kelsey De Santis, currently the only female serving at the Martial Arts Center for Excellence at Marine Corps Base Quantico, has made a video for J.T.
There's no gracious way for Justin to bow out of going to the ball with De Santis after promising Mila to another Marine. [emphasis mine]
I really wanted to read these as some kind of criticism of Justin Timberlake's actions (because, honestly, just looking at them they seem like they're calling him out for being a dick), but after reading both articles, I couldn't come away with the sense that the author felt J.T. was acting wrongly. Also, why would he want to "bow out" of going to the ball? Isn't it awesome? Doesn't he have to do this for his country? I thought it was supposed to be something awesome he wanted to do for his country. I like how it's somehow come around to Justin Timberlake being pressured to say yes to something he might not want to do, which is terrible, because he was just trying to help a bro out! By pressuring Mila Kunis to say yes to something she might not want to do.
Ugh.
2. I find myself also grossed out by how Google is talking about the Google+ Psuedonym policy, mostly because they seem to be couching it entirely in terms of "this is for your own good!" Like they are there to teach me how I want to use the internet. If I am indeed using Google+ for making contact with real life people I know in the real world, then I want to associate it with my real name. Given the e-mail I am using for Google+ right now is my dedicated personal e-mail, which I use to contact people I would not mind finding out about my fannish activities, that is not what I am looking for! I am signed up using the name I go by in these circles (and, in fact, the name my parents and brother call me), and am completely recognizable to the people I want to recognize me (and some I don't, but whatever, internet!).
I know how I want to use your service, Google+ (in as much as I want to use it, which is not that much! I'm mostly just always curious about these things). You do not actually know what is best for me, so stop couching things in terms of what I will benefit from most. It's what you want. Own it.
First article: As sweet as I'm sure Kunis is, I really have to give credit to J.T. for not letting anyone brush off the question and essentially forcing Mila to make a public statement. He is like the world's best wingman. [emphasis mine]
Second article: Justin had better be ready to put his money where his mouth is, because Cpl. Kelsey De Santis, currently the only female serving at the Martial Arts Center for Excellence at Marine Corps Base Quantico, has made a video for J.T.
There's no gracious way for Justin to bow out of going to the ball with De Santis after promising Mila to another Marine. [emphasis mine]
I really wanted to read these as some kind of criticism of Justin Timberlake's actions (because, honestly, just looking at them they seem like they're calling him out for being a dick), but after reading both articles, I couldn't come away with the sense that the author felt J.T. was acting wrongly. Also, why would he want to "bow out" of going to the ball? Isn't it awesome? Doesn't he have to do this for his country? I thought it was supposed to be something awesome he wanted to do for his country. I like how it's somehow come around to Justin Timberlake being pressured to say yes to something he might not want to do, which is terrible, because he was just trying to help a bro out! By pressuring Mila Kunis to say yes to something she might not want to do.
Ugh.
2. I find myself also grossed out by how Google is talking about the Google+ Psuedonym policy, mostly because they seem to be couching it entirely in terms of "this is for your own good!" Like they are there to teach me how I want to use the internet. If I am indeed using Google+ for making contact with real life people I know in the real world, then I want to associate it with my real name. Given the e-mail I am using for Google+ right now is my dedicated personal e-mail, which I use to contact people I would not mind finding out about my fannish activities, that is not what I am looking for! I am signed up using the name I go by in these circles (and, in fact, the name my parents and brother call me), and am completely recognizable to the people I want to recognize me (and some I don't, but whatever, internet!).
I know how I want to use your service, Google+ (in as much as I want to use it, which is not that much! I'm mostly just always curious about these things). You do not actually know what is best for me, so stop couching things in terms of what I will benefit from most. It's what you want. Own it.