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Ranting with
Raikus: Crapping on the Crapper Well it certainly has been a rocky start thus far in the fledgling
Crapper. First off, let me say that I think the sudden surge in web hits
surprised everyone. People seemed very interested in the idea and kudos are
certainly due to SHAFTR, Kev, and DarkFather for putting in all this work.
We've seen some troublemakers. We've
had a few columnists drop out. We've had controversies, in fighting, even
down right name calling in some cases. We've had suggestions, revisions, and
additions. The columnists are still trying to either find or hone their
niche. All in all, it's been a rocky six weeks.
However, now the luster of the sight
seems to be wearing off. The downtime on the site, while ensuring better
storage and interaction, seems to have quelled much of the support for it.
In fact, going by the message boards, there seems to be little or no
interest at all since the site came back online.
Has the shine of the Crapper turned
matte? Has our internet bubble popped?
Not really. It's as simple as
this--people like new things. They like to touch them, stroke them, and lie
next to them until they see someone else doing the same thing. But one thing
happens to new things; they eventually get old and then they are required to
stand on their own merits.
I think that's where the Crapper is
now.
Our rattle and bottle have been
stripped from our mouths. We've been lifted out of our safe crib and placed
in a new world that has plenty of small little balls to choke on (don't take
that literally). Now's the time that we begin identifying who we are, what
we want to do, and how the hell we're going to do it.
So how do we do that?
Fuck if I know. I'm just here to
criticize things. And like all critics, you don't think I have an accurate
answer for it do you? Well, that's not true. I'm not, say, criticizing
movies. Y'know, like those people who think everything that gets big box
office numbers is shit. The type that declare anything bad that over a
quarter of the population knows of and then will label some cheap ass movie
"genius" because it had a limited release and only sixty-two people have
heard of it. Yeah, you know the type. Well I'm not one of those. I usually
offer critiques on subjects, especially subjects I like or am a fan of.
The Crapper is one of them.
Some people peg this little excursion
as internet bytes to match our elitist egos. What makes you important enough
to think that anyone wants to hear your opinion, they ask? Well here are my
answers.
First, I'll admit to having an ego.
Certainly. Everyone must have some ego in every project they undertake
otherwise they have nothing driving them in the first place. Now my ego
isn't Eminem sized ego. My ego isn't even Mother Theresa ego. But it is
enough to have faith in trying new things. My philosophy on life is that
soon you will die and the only thing you can do is create things to outlast
your mortality. Are Crapper columns what I'm referring to? Not quite. But
having the opportunity to write on a variety of subjects on a weekly basis
opens up prospects that I might not have thought of before.
When I die I want to have had an
impact in something in someway. I have no idea as to what that something or
someway is. That's why I strive to create. I don't want to have died a
critic and never contributing anything to the world.
Some of us saw the Crapper as another
venture into unknown possibilities--the opportunity to open a door that led
to infinite destinations. That is why I drafted my first column and sent it
in for consideration. Will anything ever happen because of someone writing a
weekly column on an internet site? Probably not, but the point is you never
know.
But as a columnist here I feel
responsible for the popularity and recognition for the site. Not to forward
my own name (I mean for God's sake, it's not even my "name." It's an
anonymous handle), but to see an idea succeed in a world that hates them to
do so.
So we're without our training wheels
from here on out gang. There are going to be multitudes of people watching
out their windows and peaking over their hedges just waiting for us to plow
into the first tree or leave our blood on the dirty asphalt.
And we will. But I hope we will
continue to get back up until we can ride that bike better than Lance on a
tightrope. With a lot of determination we just might.
Next week: Less pep talking and more
bitching. Back to the roots with a rant from the heart. |
