Friday 2 February 2024

Pistis goes viral‽ (weekending February 3rd 2024)

 

‽istis goes viral‽ (weekending February 3rd 2024)

This week ‽istis heard/saw a news feature[i] about Newlyn based Cornish fisherman Daniel Gilbert, known as ‘The Cornish Fisherman’ on TikTok. Daniel and his co-star/work colleague, Owen, share ‘their lobster-potting voyagers to over 10,000 followers’ (from the interview with James Churchfield) ‘to showcase what life is really like in the fishing industry.’ Daniel said that ‘it made me proud to see how many people are interested… they are literally glued to the livestream. People are messaging me: when are you coming back on, we want our Cornish Fisherman fix.’ In the feature, we are also introduced to another star: a lobster that may be as much as 60 years old – carrying as many as 15-20,000 eggs. Daniel returns it to the sea.

Daniel perhaps gives some clues as to the popularity of the streams and posts: ‘We are real; real people; we’re hard workers and I think that’s what’s making them watch.’  ‘I love talking about my job.’  ‘They love Owen. We make him do stupid things.’ Laughter, honesty and a window into someone else’s world may be part of the mix: ‘they get what we see’ – including dolphins, seals, everything…

So ‽istis has been wondering about what goes viral, what ‘trends’… What catches our attention, what ‘hits off’ (as Daniel says) if only to sparkle for a while? And then what gets overlooked?

‽istis posts links to this blog on ‘X’ (the social media site formerly known as ‘Twitter’) and as this is being typed, the following are ‘trending’: Brianna Ghey, Girl X and Boy Y, Quentin Letts (with one broadcaster posting: ‘Why does everything Quentin Letts writes sound like your drunk uncle shouting at the telly?’), Home Secretary, Orange Order, TTRS (Time Tables Rock Stars!), Immigration Minister, etc. Will they all be trending in a few hours time? I suspect not.

So, what may trend and go viral this week, this month, this year? In no particular order, some thoughts:

#PeaceinIsraelandGaza

#PeaceinUkraineandRussia

#GeneralElection  

#PortilloMoment[ii] 

#ProgressiveAlliance   

#VotingSystemReformed

#TwoStateSolution

#PresidentMichelleObama

#ClimateCrisisAverted

#VicePresidentTomHanksOrGeorgeClooney

#MentalHealthSupportFullyFunded

#EvidenceOfGod

#EvidenceOfExtraTerrestrialLife  

#SlaveryReparationsPaid

#CarolVordermanForPrimeMInister

#Enough

#RenewablesOnly

#LivingWageforAll

#UkulelesRock

#PrisonsRehabilitate

#MultilateralNuclearDisarmamentSuccess

#LocalCouncilsWellFunded

#GreenPartyTriumphant

#EmpathyEpidemic

#AllFlammableCladdingReplaced

#ElginMarblesReturned

#SafeChildren

#QualificautionaryLanguage

#PeaceandJustice

#FatherBrownWinsBAFTA

#PrivateEducationCharitableStatusReform

#AssistedDyingLegalised

#Equality

#MusicMatters

#PoliticalHonoursNoMore

#PenAndPencilUseIncreases

#SingingMatters

#WhitePoppies

#RejoinEUTalks

#Restitution

#SacredUniversalKinship

#HandCrankedStreetOrgansAlsoRock

#OrdinaryCitizensWilliamandKate

#AnglicanChurchSafeguardingAModelOfExcellenceForOthers

#WhistleWhileYouWorkAndEverywhereElse

#UNSecurityCouncilReform

#EndoftheDeathPenalty

#EnoughAffordableHousing

#SongsfortheSoul

#Consensus

#SufficientlyFundedNHS

#NoWaitingLists

#OfstedNowOutstanding

#NoPlanetBNeeded

#EnoughTeachers

#FolkOutsellsRockandPop

#WhateverHappenedToDonaldTrump

#NothingAboutUsWithoutUs

#Ubuntu

#Sankofa[iii] etc., etc…

Well, if you have seen any of ‽istis’ distinctly non-viral blogs and social media posts you could probably have guessed some of these – and may still be shouting in response! But, seriously, ‽istis invites you to reveal some of your #PreoccupationsWishesandHopes

to #JustImagine

and #WatchThisSpace

to think #PerhapsPossiblyMaybe

#PistisWonders‽

©‽istis

NB: further reflections and comments linked to this week’s theme and past blog entries to be found on X/Twitter with replies, retweets (which don’t necessarily indicate approval, sometimes the very opposite!) and ‘likes’: @Pistis_wonders.

X/Twitter ‘follows’ and respectful comment and dialogue welcome...  


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