Referential treatment

[greatbear]

I started reading someone's doctoral dissertation the other day, I had downloaded it from the web. Entitled Networks of Aesthetic Production and the Urban Political Economy, I had barely begun the scratch the surface of this essay, it discusses musical and artistic creation and how it ties into economic, social and political issues, among many other facets, through it's 287 page length. Now, it's not like me to just randomly read a doctoral paper out of the blue. The reason this one piqued my interest was because it referenced a blog entry I made back in Jan. '06 as part of my "Music and Your Rights" series of essays.

Well! The things one can find during a session of "ego surfing"!

The author, Bas van Heur, must have thought highly enough about the entry/series and the following discussions and opinions from those on my friend list that it not only left an impression, but that he included it in his paper (look on page 174). I would not consider myself so much of a 'credible source', rather I like to foster thought and discussion on occasions here at the University of Mayhem and Auto Mechanics. I really value the input of those who take the time to read my various ramblings here, and sometimes feel a bit saddened when I don't get a lot of comments.

I am not a professional writer by any stretch of the imagination (though technical writing at work does help bring home the bacon, so technically I might be). I do like to write about that which interests me, and LJ gives me a little outlet for that. It's mostly about connecting with others, engaging in conversations, making friends, and the occasional saucy picture or crude humor to make things spicy and fun.

As to how I stumbled into this dissertation, it came about during one of my periodic searches of my blog URLs, online handles and my real name. This practice, often called 'ego surfing', can be a lot of fun, eye opening, and in some cases, unnerving. I will google various personal aspects and see what comes back. My real name comes up mostly relating to the CD that Kit Watkins released in '06 that had me playing on one track. My blog URL and "greatbearmd" mostly links back to LJ along with other blog-oriented stuffs. Other handles, names and info will yield a few relevant results. The last time I did this (usually at work while waiting for a long automated test to complete), I found the entry above. So here is a case where some aspect of me ends up halfway across the world only to be brought back home by a chance web search. I am still fascinated by how technology can make the world a bit smaller in very unique ways.

It seems I now have something new to sit back and read. As for Bas van Heur, danke shoen. You made the world a bit more connected for me.

Comments

[patrock.livejournal.com]

hmmm ... I am gonna have to check this essay out. It sounds like it might discuss a point I feel like a lot of people might be missing in regards to art and commerce.

That's fantastic!!!

[bonkishnurtaz.livejournal.com]

Phil, congratulations on being referenced for a doctoral dissertation. HUGS!!!

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

It's quite a heady read. I might have to print it out for more leisurely (read: not in front of a screen) reading.

Re: That's fantastic!!!

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

It's more of a chance to do some giggling to myself. I mean, of all the other references, why mine out of the blue like that?

[knarfd.livejournal.com]

The first thing I think of is, "this person should have asked before using my words". But that's just me in my unrealistic paranoid demands. Congrats anyway.

Myself being a neo-Luddite with all things technical (it happens whether you like it or not after a certain age), I just noticed someone on 411 had a link to their LJ as their website and of course this linked to mine. That's a big no no for me. Or course I realized I keep forgetting to check friends only in my posts. Although these days, mine tend to be very brief or some music thing I am digging at the moment.

I am glad I dont get a lot of views. I would feel obligated to answer them all! And when I see someone on my list has a gazillion comments I don't comment. It just feels like it would get lost anyway.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Being referred is not the same as being quoted or having portions of my article reproduced. Rather than including parts of my text in his essay, a reference, or footnote was placed among his own words as a place to go for the source of the idea or for further reading. Had I found my own words in whole or part in the essay, I would have been skeeved for sure. But that's not the case, and by the nature of such essays, not even allowed except in very specific cases. These essays must contain the author's own words and ideas, it's sort of like a Prime Directive in the world of theses and dissertations. As part of acceptance, the essays are picked apart and held to intense scrutiny looking for plagiarism and copying. The essays can reference any number of existing works, however, as they build into or counter existing works.

What really blows my mind is how on Earth did my little textual exercise fall into the author's sights. It's not like I am some sort of professional writer with articles in prominent spots. Just goes to show how the internet spreads things out and levels playing fields.

[msclwolf.livejournal.com]

Gz on getting referenced!

'ego surfing' ??? !!! really? people do that? LOL the mind boggles ha ha ha