#iranelection

So, I know, I rarely use this blog for anything other than art dialogue, promotion, and updates, but in the past several hours I've becoming increasingly engaged, almost transfixed, by the power of new media in a time of great conflict. In the wake of the recent election and protests in Iran, several news organizations immediately responded, and Twitter, of all sources, became a hotspot for literally immediate, up-to-the-minute, reports of news updates, photos, links, and stories.

I would normally feel a bit wary of believing and/or adhering to Twitter posts - for the most part my followers are merely friends, artists, galleries, etc. but after spending a bit of time reading the #iranelection thread, I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of change. In a time of trauma, conflict, and violence, the Internet has become a source of dialogue, support, and more importantly, back to its roots - as a source of information connected through far-reaching networks.

Take a moment and just watch the thread. In less than a minute the option to "Refresh" tells me there are 272 more posts since I last refreshed....truly an amazing time for new media, but a scary and dangerous time for humanity in revolution.

The people of Iran are in my thoughts, and I wish for them safety, power, and revolution. Continue to fight, continue to live, and continue to believe.