Steven Turnbull
SportingMindHey...
Hey...watching what you say
OVERHEARING a politician off guard in public is a wonderful thing.
Last week I was walking around an airport when I saw one pacing while on the phone under flight timetables. He had his brow furrowed at something on the other end, but onlookers got a clue when he said another pollie's name in vein.
Anyway, he kept walking and left me out of the loop, but it is funny sometimes what you see and hear away from television screens and newspapers.
You get so use to listening, watching, and reading at home the same well-constructed jargon. You just want to scream `hey, loosen the tie, grab a mojito, and say something funny.'
As part of my job as a reporter I'm used to feeling this, so hearing someone talk aloud off the cuff is an interesting thing. On this I have to think twice before stopping myself running to the nearest phone booth to file an exclusive.
It makes me think too how much the things you say on Facebook and even blogs you have to be wary about. There are serious implications to people on these forums because essentially they're as much part of the public sphere as other conventional media. This is best shown with people talking and naming potential suspects of the Victorian bushfires.
On a less serious note it's also shown when status messages from partner and I profess our love long distance, and then friends post statements questioning my sexuality (I will get you Jezz with a giant stick).
Social networking authorities should always use tact when tabloid fodder could arise from their pages. Having said that though, maybe we should all be a little bit more careful in what we say or write. This of course excludes the politicians. They need more mojitos.
- Christopher O'Leary
OVERHEARING a politician off guard in public is a wonderful thing.
Last week I was walking around an airport when I saw one pacing while on the phone under flight timetables. He had his brow furrowed at something on the other end, but onlookers got a clue when he said another pollie's name in vein.
Anyway, he kept walking and left me out of the loop, but it is funny sometimes what you see and hear away from television screens and newspapers.
You get so use to listening, watching, and reading at home the same well-constructed jargon. You just want to scream `hey, loosen the tie, grab a mojito, and say something funny.'
It makes me think too how much the things you say on Facebook and even blogs you have to be wary about. There are serious implications to people on these forums because essentially they're as much part of the public sphere as other conventional media. This is best shown with people talking and naming potential suspects of the Victorian bushfires.
On a less serious note it's also shown when status messages from partner and I profess our love long distance, and then friends post statements questioning my sexuality (I will get you Jezz with a giant stick).
Social networking authorities should always use tact when tabloid fodder could arise from their pages. Having said that though, maybe we should all be a little bit more careful in what we say or write. This of course excludes the politicians. They need more mojitos.
- Christopher O'Leary
 Add Comments
|
|
Comments (9)
Read More
