Re: <nettime> Capitalism is FINISHED -- As a Result of the Internet!

[Morlock Elloi <morlockelloi@yahoo.com>]

This assumes the static model of 'engagement'. The 'engagement' via web in the past decade or so has substantially modified the way people think and ... engage.

The situation today is not the one where 1980's person is put in front of 2010's web. In that case there would definitely be a gross indignation and rejection.

The situation today is where groomed mid-attention span (not the short-attention one like with TV), through amplification of short-attention events ("trending" - WTF would one care what gazillion morons click on?), does affect the rules of "rational engagement".

While TV was skin-deep, the Web goes to the bone. It is not about short attention span any more. It is about hijacking the rules of engagement, and it can do it because it is interactive.

They don't need banner ads any more.


> The WEB directly undermines *ALL* of these requirements.  
>  
> It cannot force the "viewer" to watch the ad, since the screen also has  
> other "more important" material.  It generally requires some level of  
> "rational" engagement.  It is inherently *active* and involves TWO-WAY  
> communications, which often involve "talking back" to the seller.
>  
> So, to varying degrees with different people, the WEB (i.e. "digital  
> media") *breaks* the SPELL that is needed for mass-media
> (i.e. mostly television) to work its consumption-driving MAGIC.
>  
> This destabilizing *effect* of "interactivity" on the impact of  
> advertising is now pretty well understood by advertisers!


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