Something Vague

Don’t ever tell me something was “indescribable.”
I have very high esteem in the powers of the English language to convey
personal experience. I have this faith in every language. I believe if
humanity were stripped of our vocal expression, we would become so
extremely competent with our gestures and expressions that not a
concept would be dropped or excluded.
Also, technically saying “it was indescribable” is a description. An wholly unoriginal and bloodless one, at that. Man up.

This shows up when you type “indescribable” into google images. It is a
white, incandescant oval on a navy blue background with a navy blue “t”
of negative space inside. Maybe you’re not trying hard enough.

My purpose for crying out for thoughtful prose is that it’s becoming
the normative pressure, here on these internets. I’ve seen more pdf
files than I could post an animated stick-shaking gif to demonstrating
exactly this spineless writing. Blog posts with no soul – or even
worse, blog posts with the glimmer of a soul shining through the
disingenuous musings all but smothering it, snuffing it out, dousing
it. All those writers sending out an open call for collaboration on
some “Je ne sais [pas] quoi?”

Par exemple; the lion’s share of publications having to do with social
networking, search engine optimization, outsourcing, really any sort of
high-concept e-business, seems to have a similar tone, at least
recognizable through the praying and weeping. “Please, can I be allowed
into the embrace of the indoctrinated few. Tell me the secrets that
will make all of these wikipedia explanations make sense. Enlighten me
in how to take the concepts from those banner ads and actually use them
to make money.”

It’s a massive temptation to post every-which-where something along the
lines of “As everyone knows, social networking is CRITICAL to the
success of a modern business. Maybe we could all share what techniques
have proven particularly successful…” *wink*

This post comes at a time where I’m losing hair and sleep and patience
with my own ballooned responsibilities in my own online venture. Where
I am utterly lost in a world of content management systems and
networking strategies, when all I signed on for was the writing. I am
convinced I’m going to have to drag my own weight, however. When these
pleas are presented carelessly, I’m concerned that it vaccinates a
society against altruism. Seth Godin has created a substantial network
here of people absolutely itching to inform people of what contributed
to their successes. For free, out of sheer kindness. I think creating a
discussion board with such non-existent parameters just to make a
personal mix-tape of other people’s greatest hits when the answers can
be researched by a person with moderate computer skills can make a
person seem… selfish.

It’s pronounced “shibboleth.” I don’t think it’s good enough. I’ll get
ignored if I can pronounce your words and your ideas (I’ll probably get
blocked, if I try to fake your accent.) This pattern, I believe, is a
seeker’s attempt to demonstrate they’ve read the material, they’ve
taken the initiative and they are looking for someone to help them
understand the footwork. This is ineffable. It’s transient, and you may
be tempted to call it indescribable.

Give it a try, and we’ll talk.

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