Postmodern Politics

Have you had a chance to see "The Colbert Report"? In my opinion it has some of the best wit on TV. But in the middle of the political satire that drives much of the show, Stephen Colbert has tapped into a postmodern paradise with one of the tenets of our generation: participation.

Participation is key for our generation. All of the social networking sites like Digg, Del.icio.us, MySpace, and YouTube tap into it. And so does the Colbert Report. From getting a bridge named after him, or a hockey mascot, or ice cream, Stephen relies on his fans to create the movement for him. His latest venture? To become known as the Greatest Living American.

Simply linking those words to his site helps Google to figure it all out. Soon, a search for "greatest living american" should make anyone who's feeling lucky visit The Colbert Nation.

I think 2008 will be an interesting presidential election. As the race is shaping up, I think that Obama, so far, is the only one who has shown that he is able to generate real momentum through involving others in the campaign (although I do applaud John Edwards for his attempts as well). So far, everyone else comes across like an advisor told them to do it *cough*McCain*cough*.