DISQUS

Nicely done Paul, such a different approach to the store to mine. Loved the technical investigative excursion into the Nokia store's technical aspects.

Like you I wonder why they launched with so much work still yet to be done, but only time will tell if that was wise or profoundly naive. The strategy from the nokia team in my heart and mind isn't entirely made clear and that troubles me a little.

Nevertheless kick ass post, I'd been waiting for this!

This country is divided on so many planes that drawing up an acceptable graphic model of the various identities which constitute a "south african" identity and thus a sense of communal nationalism might taken a life time.

I think that this nation is fragmented because of the current disparities in the class system; I'd hate to sound like a commie so let me refrain from that approach and continue that suggestion with the argument that as the nation becomes more polarized i.e. the space between the rich and the poor widens we will ultimately see a far greater chasm widening and deepening between the have's and the have nots and these two splintered groups will approach this country in two radically different views and will ultimately have two separate and incongruent views of the future of this country.

Might I also add one more thing; the rainbow nation discourse and its obvious flaws were and are never to be thought of as a marker of this nations democracy, it was a marketing ploy and a cheap crap one at that. It suggested a merger between the various "colours" of the rainbow, and whilst that sounds fantastic is mere retoric as it implies a forced merger which is not how change occurs. One last point on the rainbow saga; if and when someone can point out where the black and white resides on that mult-coloured banner ad for co-existence then perhaps I'll have more of a reason to believe in it.

I actually penned a poem about our fractured nationality; which you can find at http://www.moralfibre.co.za/2008/05/08/a-journe... it was an attempt when I was younger and still reading fiction :) at providing an overview of the various individuals I met mentally each day when thinking about my / our / your country.

Good post though it got me thinking as you may well have guessed.

This country is divided on so many planes that drawing up an acceptable graphic model of the various identities which constitute a "south african" identity and thus a sense of communal nationalism might taken a life time.


I think that this nation is fragmented because of the current disparities in the class system; I'd hate to sound like a commie so let me refrain from that approach and continue that suggestion with the argument that as the nation becomes more polarized i.e. the space between the rich and the poor widens we will ultimately see a far greater chasm widening and deepening between the have's and the have nots and these two splintered groups will approach this country in two radically different views and will ultimately have two separate and incongruent views of the future of this country.



Might I also add one more thing; the rainbow nation discourse and its obvious flaws were and are never to be thought of as a marker of this nations democracy, it was a marketing ploy and a cheap crap one at that. It suggested a merger between the various "colours" of the rainbow, and whilst that sounds fantastic is mere retoric as it implies a forced merger which is not how change occurs. One last point on the rainbow saga; if and when someone can point out where the black and white resides on that mult-coloured banner ad for co-existence then perhaps I'll have more of a reason to believe in it.



I actually penned a poem about our fractured nationality; which you can find at http://www.moralfibre.co.za/2008/05/08/a-journe... it was an attempt when I was younger and still reading fiction :) at providing an overview of the various individuals I met mentally each day when thinking about my / our / your country.



Good post though it got me thinking as you may well have guessed.

Hi Paul. After deciding a long time ago to follow pinbacks on my site, the very dubious and ominous Moral Fibre I've arrived here.

No comment about moi? How sad! To the point of Roy's Retraction, I think it isn't so much a retraction as it is an adjustment; Mike and Roy know one another and I think that the internet isn't always the easiest space in which to build upon positive criticism as it is a communicative space sans tone / voice / gesticulation etc. etc.

Your point on the fear of "authenticity" is a juicy topic you should have explored more thoroughly, I'm inclined to agree with you for the most part the South African blogosphere is littered with masks laying disused after they've become redundant. I make the point of using Masks as I'm reminded of Fanon's writings in "black skins white masks", it is a covering which protects and serves the wearer in a society which looks upon that particular individual with suspicion. I'm sure loads of bloggers are saying, "fuck thats me, no one understands me". Tears, snot, self-love etc. I think what is most likely happening is that the blogging space is so competitive that individuals are putting on fronts, creating online personas which are far more glorious than their real-life symbiotic counterparts.

Take for instance those bloggers entitled "thought-leaders" who are precariously perched on the top of the blogosphere, imagine one of them saying "wait a moment this high horse is making my arse numb, I think I'd prefer to walk" unbloody likely right? So now imagine the group of bloggers in attendance at the 27 dinner turning to one another and saying, "who are you, really?"..perhaps even less likely.

Its a long comment so perhaps you should continue in a real blog, because now you've got my attention, and I'm famous...in margate..Whats that? I think I hear my high-horse calling, the ivory tower calls .

Hi Paul. After deciding a long time ago to follow pinbacks on my site, the very dubious and ominous Moral Fibre I've arrived here.

No comment about moi? How sad! To the point of Roy's Retraction, I think it isn't so much a retraction as it is an adjustment; Mike and Roy know one another and I think that the internet isn't always the easiest space in which to build upon positive criticism as it is a communicative space sans tone / voice / gesticulation etc. etc.

Your point on the fear of "authenticity" is a juicy topic you should have explored more thoroughly, I'm inclined to agree with you for the most part the South African blogosphere is littered with masks laying disused after they've become redundant. I make the point of using Masks as I'm reminded of Fanon's writings in "black skins white masks", it is a covering which protects and serves the wearer in a society which looks upon that particular individual with suspicion. I'm sure loads of bloggers are saying, "fuck thats me, no one understands me". Tears, snot, self-love etc. I think what is most likely happening is that the blogging space is so competitive that individuals are putting on fronts, creating online personas which are far more glorious than their real-life symbiotic counterparts.

Take for instance those bloggers entitled "thought-leaders" who are precariously perched on the top of the blogosphere, imagine one of them saying "wait a moment this high horse is making my arse numb, I think I'd prefer to walk" unbloody likely right? So now imagine the group of bloggers in attendance at the 27 dinner turning to one another and saying, "who are you, really?"..perhaps even less likely.

Its a long comment so perhaps you should continue in a real blog, because now you've got my attention, and I'm famous...in margate..Whats that? I think I hear my high-horse calling, the ivory tower calls .

This is such bollocks, I'm not concerned about their reproduction of the aggregation services, that is not a novelty; my biggest concern is that they've copied your imagery, mascot and perhaps the name. Intellectual property unless patented is unfortunately open to anyone, and you'd be very hard up trying to sue them for that which must be frustrating!

Aussies appear not to have moved on from being a colony of criminals :)