Comments for Things I've Been Thinking

Comment on How much do you pay for your news? by Robyn

Robyn — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 04:51:44 +0000

Definitely like this idea, although we very much struggle to get through the New Yorker before the week is over with a dose of NPR for daily news thrown in. We may start slowly and go back to the Sunday Times (although I’m freely willing to admit that a Sunday paper without the comics still seems wrong to me). I will add that I supplement with curated online sources like Next Draft and the Morning News. But what I really came here to say is that I encourage you to add a science publication (print or online) to your new media diet. The NYT has been taken to task for crummy science coverage numerous times in the past few years. You don’t have to go full on National Geographic but there are some great resources out there from the light and easily digestible to serious long form stories. Here’s a great resource for online sources (with some great comics thrown in too – if you don’t already read XKCD drop everything and start!) http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com/links

Comment on Mike Daisey and Me by Urban Honking | “Journalism”

Urban Honking | “Journalism” — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:42:51 +0000

[…] of authenticity, and the role of journalism in an art context. Our own Andrew Dickson wrote an essay exploring these conflicts. Other than an extremely awkward appearance on NPR, Daisey has remained […]

Comment on 38 Things by Matías Anríquez

Matías Anríquez — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:48:57 +0000

Hi Andrew, first, excuse me for my lame english. I really admire all your work and what you are doing with W+K12, I’m from Chile and I’ve been looking for a (long) while for a way to buy your W+K book, but I can’t seem to find it anywhere.

I’ll love and be much appreciated if you can reply me to my email.
Thanks and keep up the good job.

Comment on 38 Things by Lindsay Jo Blankenship

Lindsay Jo Blankenship — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 19:41:55 +0000

Andrew, I just watched this video after one of the bloggers I followed made mention of it. So many of the points resonated with me, and confirmed a lot of the ideas I had to make my life a bit better. Thank you so much for your time and efforts as a speaker.

Also, props to the editors of the show, I loved the vintage feel of the whole talk!

Comment on Better Ways to Open Pandora’s Box by Carissa

Carissa — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 02:52:59 +0000

I like Empire Records. I know it sucks. But there’s something about its suckyness that makes it even more endearing that I was once super into it, in my teens. Other movies I loved early on, like Labyrinth or Pee Wee’s Big Adventure(s), have held up, still spawn Halloween costumes, incite sing-alongs at the Hollywood Theater. And that’s fun, but there’s something really satisfying about a movie from my middle/high school years that doesn’t make it through to the other side of 18. Or 15. Or 29, or whatever. Because it reminds me that I did move to a good city and get cool friends and learn what drugs are, and I did things like throw parties and discuss music over beers and dance with couch cushions. So, now I get to re-watch Empire Records on my mom’s Netflix over the holidays and go: check. It’s satisfying.

Comment on Bill Veeck by Robert Skole

Robert Skole — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:43:40 +0000

Andrew, Great thoughts about your Dad. You are right: “Bill Veeck” is one of his very best books. Portlanders are fortunate that he’ll be speaking and signing at the famous Powell’s. All best wishes, Bob and Monika

Comment on Mike Daisey and Me by Dave

Dave — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 06:53:07 +0000

In any other professional context, Daisey would have been fired. Fictionalizing people to inculcate faux pathos and faux ethos so as to create a faux logos is an offense worthy of being terminated from a job.

Comment on Mike Daisey and Me by Gene

Gene — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:39:08 +0000

Tony’s last paragraph is exactly how I feel about this incident. I have trouble summoning any outrage for Daisey, although I wish he didn’t cut corners which diluted both his message and his art.

Comment on Mike Daisey and Me by matt

matt — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 02:02:17 +0000

i don’t think people come to a performance art show expecting factual information (see mike’s post above) -so a little hood-winking in my book is A okay. but with Daisy, he essentially told the audience THIS IS FACTUAL and left no room to wonder, which is not so cool when lobbing potentially slanderous accusations at a public figure.

Comment on Mike Daisey and Me by Tony Zito

Tony Zito — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:33:46 +0000

Hey Andrew, I’ve been thinking a lot about this Mike Daisey thing too, but more in the context of what it (and the Invisible Children saga, along with the rise of crowdfunding via Kickstarter) says about what it takes to be heard in this moment of viral media. I think there’s a huge difference between your project(s) and what MD did — you say you were “using false pretense to convince my audience of the power of eBay,” but I don’t think that’s really true; you weren’t selling them eBay, you were playing with, and trying to get people thinking about, the idea of eBay, hucksterism, and (most importantly here) the line between art and non-art. There’s nothing dishonest about that sort of strategy. (Hell, we love Andy Kaufman, don’t we?) Daisey wasn’t playing with that line; at no time was the audience meant to wonder “is this real? is he playing a character?” (as they were in your powerseller performance.) He was selling an idea, and taking dishonest shortcuts to do it, “theater” or not.

I’d hate it the Mike Daisey debacle were to have the sort of chilling effect that discourages artists from playing with that line between fiction and reality, as there’s some very fertile ground there, and a lot of thought-provoking fun to be had, and art to be made.