What next with Infocult?

What should this blog do next?  Infocult hereby asks for your thoughts.

Infocult has been running for years, since 2003.  It's been a lot of fun, at least for its brooding creator.  But we should pause to reflect.  Consider what the blog looks like, in the cold light of historical perspective, then look forward with an eager futurism.

Historically, the leading topic in terms of number of posts is fearsome digital media.  That's where this whole thing began.  It's something I'm known for.  If we focus on comments, leading topics also include the Gothic in everyday life, Gothic stuff in general, and music, along with a bit of teaching and learning.  I'm not sure what that adds up to, but perhaps you readers do.  

Looking forward, I've been mulling over some big-picture possibilities.

1. Infocult could focus on fearsome media entirely, dropping off the other stuff.  No more tech in general, teaching, unrelated books and movies, music.  Laser beam focus.
2. We could add a personal layer, the life of Bryan, that sort of thing.  Fearsome enough.
3. Expand the Goth.  Add reviews of film, books, games, music.
4. Expand the horror-in-everyday-life theme - or slash it back.
5. End the whole thing and move on?  Always a possibility in a project.
6. Add a podcast.  The Voice of Infocult could be heard in the land.
7. Add video, for those who can bear Infocult's terrifying gaze.
8. More Web 2.0 projects, like the undying Draculablog.
9. Start making t-shirts, high-octane coffee mugs, and other Infocultish swag.
10. Or something else.

What do you think?  The commentary floor is open, and freshly swept.  The crowdsource switch has been thrown, sparks flying up into the night.

Many thanks to the fine folk who've contributed their thoughts so far, across multiple venues: Thomas Beckett, Steve Burnett, Todd Bryant, Charles Cameron, Gardner Campbell, Annette S. Leung Evans, Steven Kaye, Alan Levine, Pete Naegele, D'Arcy Norman, Andre Phillips, Lisa Pritchard, saramin, and Jesse Walker.   It's heartening to know Infocult has a legion of the damned so many friends.

 (brooding Bryan photo from kk; Second Life's Zelmanov from here)

Comments

[Ed Webb]

This infocultist already gave his grim counsel. Translated to the above menu, I think it's 1 and a dose of 4.

[Andy Havens]

I think you and I should do an Internet radio talk-show. I'll be the naive and gullible one (the straight man).

After doing it for 6 months or so, we can have an on-air fight (staged) and then do a whole ARG about our vendetta in which we use "fearsome media" to hound one another.

And then we sell the rights to EA, have a nice slice of pie, and retire.

[N.]

Horror in everyday life is very nice. But the fearsome internet is a typical case of "strong media effects" (I mean the way most people think they can consume anything they please while weaker souls exposed to the same media would be moved to abominable acts) and thus, to me, kind of redundant. I hear way more about the other internet, the one people suck up to as if it were royalty and they were teenage whores. You could switch to the messianic internet. Maybe that would boil down to science fiction in everyday life. I'd think about it, but I'm in Europe so it's past my bedtime.

[N.]

P.S. I think you should do whatever you want. I have been trying desperately to get interested in the internet since about 1985, and I regret to announce that yours is the first page by a stranger that I've ever looked at more than twice. Lord knows I've tried. It's an aesthetic mystery: Why does Infocult convey an attitude I find charming? Is it because Cthulhu keeps a person from getting smug? The internet isn't nearly fearsome enough; it's a Love Parade of Pollyanna, Up-With-People boosters. You'd think Sobibor never happened. The brooding of Cthulhu over the face of the cuddly internet is the exact opposite of Phildickian dystopian Morning-in-America Gnosticism, in which the world we perceive is a sinister facade hiding religious truths that would make us ecstatic all the time if we would just relax and defeat the forces of evil with the power of our hearts and minds the way we won the war in Iraq. The endless dark vacuum (or maybe it ends and there's something even worse behind it) makes the occasional beauty stand out, a bit like the brave little flowers that grow on steppes in the works of Platonov. Maybe Infocult is slightly like Goya. In any case, you should write what you please and skip the audio and video until I get a sound card. Plus any normal person can read about six times as fast as she can listen, and you don't have to spool back and forth to edit it, so text saves everybody a lot of time. Not that you'd guess on the cuddly internet as it gathers its slavering minions to tell them stories which they then perform playing set roles like Care Bears.

[Bryan Alexander]

Thank you, Ed. Votes for Gothic central.

Andy, you're on to something. Let's bring in other characters to populate the story. Shadowy sonic doppelganger Steve Burnett, for instance. The manic brooding of the Bava.

I thank you for your interest, N., and for your dark vision, which I share. Care Bears need a dose of Cthulhu.

[Steve B]

Bryan, you wrote Care Bears need a dose of Cthulhu.

Let me help you with that:

http://www.ectomo.com/2007/09/20/cthulhu-cthursday-you-got-carebears-in-my-cthulhu/

http://www.gweep.net/~shogunhb/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/CareBears/HomePage

[Chris Jay]

Bryan, I would LOVE a podcast - I once paid like $20K a year for the joy of hearing you talk about things you found interesting, so this would the academic equivalent of a bonus stage in a video game. My only other opinion is do whatever makes you happy, but know that if Infocult continues, I'll continue reading and talking about it!

[greg]

I've discovered your blog in 2006 from the ARGNet site. I've always loved your curiosity for the uncanny, digital storytelling and books. Maybe more photos of you with an axe ? Or with a chainsaw ?

[Caitlin]

More general goth! More urban legends! Take your interests and go hog wild!

[keira]

All of it is good and I'd definitely buy a t-shirt.

I loved hearing you speak in person- you've got a great voice and a natural performer's sense of the stage. If you feel inspired to tell me scary stories via podcast or video, I'll tune in.

I'm also interested in the connections (they don't have to be explicit) between all the scary stuff infocult covers and the homesteading on the mountain. Speaks to my heart. So yes to life of Bryan too.

[Bryan Alexander]

Steve B, that fills me with horror. Well done.

Chris Jay, you are outrageously sweet. I'm going to see about podcasting for work, so this just might happen.

Thanks, greg; ARGs are a keen interest of mine, although I haven't been blogging enough about 'em. (Got a photo of me with an excellent pick coming up)

Thank you, Caitlin. Let me know how it looks, over time?

Thank you, also outrageously kind keira. I thought the mountain was only Gothic to my children... ;) Will make more connections.