mediabean

“(at 4:50 into the video) I’ve seen [Americans] singing the national anthem, and I’ve worked out how to do it. If you’re lost in the middle of it and you’re singing the words, it doesn’t matter wherever you’re singing it. All that people care about is the look: 70% of what people react to is the look; about 20% is how you sound; and only 10% is what you say. So if you look good and sound good, Everyone will go wild!”
-Eddie Izzard, Dressed to Kill

I think Eddie Izzard’s a brilliant guy. I saw his latest stand up in April 2008, and he talked about everything from the dawn of man to Wikipedia. And as is true of most comedians, it’s his ability to highlight honest truths about life that makes him absolutely hilarious. One of the largest themes the show I saw is how the internet has changed so much of our lives; we have access to limitless information almost everywhere we go, so there’s a lot less wondering.

The data we have access to is incredibly rich because the internet doesn’t forget anything. So I wonder: is Izzard’s original clam still as true today, or has the internet forced us to know what we’re talking about?

Something has certainly changed. It’s difficult for any person or company to have an identity (brand) without solid online content. Because that content isn’t fleeting, it will get dissected and deconstructed ad nauseam. Wouldn’t it be in your best interest to construct your identity with substance?

But perhaps we pay attention to the same things even through new channels. For all the new media clout Barack Obama earned through his campaign, one of the largest complaints against him was his lack of substance. For many, he didn’t outline his plans clearly or early enough. To many, he’s still a mystery. Yet he still won.

It definitely seems that the internet’s made us more honest. But I wonder how much of those percentages have changed.

What do you think?