Ashton Kutcher, Susan Boyle and the Power of the People

The Twitter race between Ashton Kutcher and CNN, and the overnight sensation of Susan Boyle are great examples of the power of social media and the power of the people.

Applications like Twitter, Facebook and websites like Huffington Post allow for large numbers of individuals to unite---giving back some of the power to the people.

I know Ashton Kutcher is a famous but he is one person! I'd love to see an individual win a contest with a TV network, even if it's a Twitter contest. I love the underdog, what can I say?

Susan Boyle's voice inspired millions over the last few days because people could watch her performance on You Tube. I found out about Boyle via Twitter.

Katie Couric doesn't think much about Twitter. I respect Katie Couric but think she's forgotten what it's like to be one of us, one of the little people. Katie has the power of a major TV network to make her voice heard--she's in a unique position.

Couric's sentiments about Twitter and blogging reflect the feelings of many people in the traditional media---that the opinions found online are less credible. There is an attitude among some people in power that the Internet is filled with people on the lunatic fringe, writing in their pajamas.

There are crazy people who blog and there is a lot of noise, since the floodgates of social media were opened. But Twitter, blogs and online communities level the playing field. The web allows everyone to have a voice, and give their opinion without a filter of a TV network or a newspaper. There are lunatics online but there is a lot of good too. Giving everyone a chance to contribute to the discussion--not just the powerful or wealthy people--is the foundation our country was built on.

Thomas Jefferson and Martin Luther King, Jr. were called were called lunatics. Einstein was patent clerk in Bern, a nobody.

You might think Ashton's challenge to CNN is silly.

Susan Boyle is a singer on a reality show.

But they are both examples of the power of the people to make something happen. In my opinion, that is never wrong.

Comments

[thelipstickfemme]

-I feel we are being played by the Ruse that this TV show instigated. We are being set up = Back to when she first tried out--Now that I watch and listen to the introduction music when she is talking to the two MC's they put on frumpy circus style music which was making fun of her. They were really putting her down before she got started so we were lead to expect something awful.

Gosh, I did not catch that at first although I did not have any judgment about her because I have seen this type of still set up before on these shows. They put Susan on there thinking she was going to be terrible so that could make fun of her. Geezzzzo. Shame on the the TV show for doing that to us (reality TV is really a unreality set up as most of us know by now. I am glad that Susan kicked butt with her voice and God-smacked the total world with her gift.

[Michelle Lamar - Huffpost Blogger]

Loved it that Susan Boyle kicked ass and took names and wiped the smirks off their faces. Wish it would happen more often.

[ScottyBob]

Never underestimate the power of people on the lunatic fringe, writing in their pajamas.

[Michelle Lamar - Huffpost Blogger]

Rock on ScottyBob! Go fringe!

[JimPidcock]

Good points, Michelle.

"Blogging" won the office of President for Barrack Obama, and the GOP hasn't even realized they were defeated via the internet, and not the silly evening news. What's interesting is that anyone who is not paying attention to the world community on the internet will surely be left behind.

People like Couric remind my of my late grandfather telling me 20 years ago how foolish it was to think that television signals coming through a cable hung from the telephone pole would ever amount to anything.....

How ironic if FoxNews disappears because of Facebook.
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[Michelle Lamar - Huffpost Blogger]

Love the story about your grandpa. So true. So wise.

[Mark Logan]

In the Variety article, Couric is quoted as saying of bloggers:

"I think that for every one of those well informed, well-educated bloggers, there is someone spouting vitriol and opinion without portfolio, and it is misleading and his or her assertions and it doesn't have the background to necessarily inform, doesn't have any editors, doesn't have anyone holding their feet to the fire to say, "Is this factual? Is this true?"

The same thing can be said of television pundits.

[Michelle Lamar - Huffpost Blogger]

I couldn't agree more.

[keene]

All power to the singers and musicians who get a chance at their life's passion. Now I wish their were this opening for serious actors as well. Star Search in its first couple of seasons had such a format for actors but it just didn't work out that well on TV.

[Michelle Lamar - Huffpost Blogger]

I think people are so interested in Susan Boyle because everyone loves to see an average person get a chance. I am with you, power to those who get a chance at their life's passion.