Philip Conkling

Online Content

Online content has manipulated the publishing and media markets in more ways than many notice. For instance, ISBNs for books were developed in the 1970s to create an easy, international identification system. ISBNs eased the transition from author to publisher and publisher to book store. Some countries, including the U.S. tag fees to attaining ISBNs; thus, authors are more reluctant to buy in to the outdated system. With increased online content, authors are opting to self-publish more often. Publishing online, authors can bypass the traditional publishing pathway; they are creating an ever larger chaotic mess of online content.

We need online organization. Companies, such as Amazon and Walmart, have shown leadership by creating their own organizational codes. I think it would be foolish to leave out social networks like tumblr and twitter, whose tags are a rudimentary sorting program. Either way, even a simple trending system is necessary for the online user to sift through the sea of online content. Searching for a needle in a haystack sums up the current online experience; and I am one of the many producers of excess. That makes one wonder what all this content is really worth. As a society, there seems an apparent shift from quality to quantity.

Obama's Foreign Policy

Hamilton: Dolorous State

Hamilton students need to reconsider their play hard attitude. There has been a downward spiral of disreputable behavior on campus during recent years. Each incoming class seems to revel in the dionysian atmosphere. A ever-growing culture of apathy pervades on weekend nights that proves disastrous for our campus community.

As a strong liberal-arts college, Hamilton should condone hard work, integrity, creativity, and strong community. Nowadays, the student body has placed far too much emphasis on “community”. The notion has transformed into an alcohol-induced mode of destruction. Hamiltonians no longer care about whose property they destroy or who has to pick up after them. Instead, they continue along a path of lackluster performance.

I am loth to believe that the knell of Hamilton’s prestige has already rung. But, it is distressing to think on the college’s future. It seems that students have nothing in which to take pride at Hamilton. The athletes are complacent with mediocrity, save a select few groups; still, many are willing to give up success. Simply put, Hamiltonians do not have anything in which to believe besides the shallow pleasure which alcohol guarantees. Consequently, greeks and hard-core partiers resort to hinging their college experience upon their weekend exploits.

Hamilton’s future does not appear completely marred by apathy, however. The college community can yet restore harmony and prestige to their campus. The next five years must experience a cultural shift, starting with Hamilton’s current students. Small increments of change will spread across the student-body’s consciousness. With such change, an evident cultural change will be in the air which will attract a different body of incoming freshmen, focused on restoring Hamilton. Such a cultural shift subtly appeared following this past Fall’s events. Continue the change!

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Photos to come

Why doesn’t anyone develop film anymore? Ugh…nowadays you have to spend hours going from drug store to drug store to find one that develops film. So, I have a few rolls to get developed now. Soon I will post my new prints. Stay tuned.