Essay first draft

Johnson vs. Williams by Kara Lindstrom
In today's society, the Internet is a valuable tool. There are those who agree with this and then there are those who do not. In the article by Steven Johnson titled It's All About Us, he discusses the differences between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0. Although Johnson is a firm believer in the power of Web 2.0, a man named Brian Williams is on the other end of the spectrum. In William's article, Enough About You, he argues that people today are too focused on themselves. He feels that people will be missing out on certain things because they only look for things they want. It is an all about me mentality. Since people only look at what they like, they tend to dismiss other views without even giving them a chance. While Williams brings up a good point, Johnson has a stronger argument because “Web 2.0 is made up of ordinary people”(446) and it also provides a way for people to get information that is otherwise dismissed in the media. Although Web 2.0 is seen as being a “me centered world,” it is important because it connects people to each other from all over the world.
When it comes to why Web 2.0 is important, Johnson makes a valid claim. The Internet provides a great way for people to get their voice heard. Unlike Web 1.0, “Web 2.0 is often presented as a revolutionary way of gathering, organizing, and sharing of information” (Wamelen 349). People can do this through websites such as Myspace and Facebook. On these social networking sites, anyone can post what happens in their day to day life in blogs, which are diaries posted on the web for anyone to read and comment on. Everyday people are getting the word out about important information such as charities, local news stories and even promoting a band that the media ignores. Through the Internet people are able to connect to each other like never before. Since there are basically no rules for what can be posted, people are free to do and say what they want. Although Johnson has a solid point, he also recognizes that “there is undeniably a vast increase in the sheer quantity of accessibility of crap” (447). This comes in part because of the popular site Wikipedia. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia that is available online. The problem with it is the fact that it can be edited by anyone. Due to this, some of the information may be totally wrong even though they do have editors that are supposed to catch and delete any false information. Although there is a lot of crap available, there is also knowledgeable information that can be found. It is a way for people to be heard such as the rising star Jeffree Star. He got his rise to fame from posting his music on Myspace.
Jeffree Star is definitely not the average person but he was able to get his voice heard through the popular website Myspace. Star was born as Jeffrey Steininger on November 15, 1986. From the beginning he had a rough life. When he was a young child, he father passed away so he was left to live with his mother. Around that time is when he began to realize that he was different. He came to the conclusion that he way gay. From that point on, he began to experiment with his mother's make-up and clothing. He was just a young boy exploring his sexuality. This eventually lead to him becoming a make-up artist at gender bending clubs at the age of 15. When he was older, he got a fake id that would get him into the hottest Hollywood Clubs. He would show up in mini dresses and high heels with hot pink hair. People definitely took a notice to him and he got signed as model. He was happy with this life but what he really wanted was to be a musician but no one would take him seriously until he got a Myspace. From here he began to explode on the Internet communities. He wants to let people know that just because they are different does not mean that it is impossible to make it as a musician. Since he is a gay, gender bending male, he writes songs that deal with being a little out there and the fact that he is not ashamed of who he is.
One valid point that Johnson makes about Web 2.0 is the fact that it is way for people to get their voice heard. The kinds of people on the web varies from preteens to business people and those that want to stand up for something and be heard. This is happening all over the Internet. People are getting their voice heard through blogs and sites like Myspace. It is so easy to start a page on Myspace which makes it a great way for people to get their music heard and their opinions out there. All they have to do is post what they want others to know about. Soon enough people in their local community or the Internet community, depending on the topic, become aware of the blog. For some this is how people get most of their news or information. It is quick and easy and anyone can find almost exactly what they want to know. In some cases, people will not have heard these stories because the media may have chosen to ignore it. Through Web 2.0, people have the power to make a difference in their local communities and get the word out about what they feel so strong about.
Jeffree Star has been successful in getting his music out and into the media spotlight through the website Myspace. Ever since Star was in his teen years, he has always been in the Hollywood scene but not because of his music. The media dismisses a musician like Star, due to the fact that he is a gay. He has also society's line of what they deem appropriate for male behavior. He is an outcast to society because he likes to gender bend but thanks to websites like Myspace and Buzznet he is able to get his music out to the world. When he first got his Myspace it was just a his personal page but he soon learned that he could convert it to a music page which launched his career. Soon after that he performed at the Key Club's post Halloween show along with the band Dirty Sanchez (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffree_Star). In March of 2007, he released his debut album Plastic Surgery Slumber Party which went straight to number one on the iTunes chart. Since then he has been on numerous tours such as the annual Vans Warped Tour and has put out two more cds which have topped the charts as well. Since getting his music on Myspace, Star has received critical acclaim for his musicianship and has called himself “Queen of the Internet” since that is how his musical career was launched. Thanks to the fact that Web 2.0's “content can be easily generated” (Wamelen 350) Star was able to launch his music to people all over the world and become an internet sensation.