Why is Douglas Rushkoff always looking up?
I was fascinated by the Frontline episode Digital_Nation, first aired this Tuesday. As usual, the discussion of technological changes in society was probing and insightful. I will be using this episode in future classes as a point of discussion.
However, as I watched the program, I was intrigued in the consistent use of a couple of visual tropes that I recognized from previous Rushkoff episodes The Merchants of Cool and The Persuaders. Most prominent of these is the fact that apparently Rushkoff looks up quite frequently. We know this because each episode shows us shots of him looking up, apparently in awe of all that surrounds him.
Here are examples of what I’m talking about:
Douglas Rushkoff looks up in "The Merchants of Cool."
Rushkoff looks up in "The Persuaders"
And now Rushkoff is looking up in "Digital_Nation"
I don’t know exactly what to make of the “looking up” shot, and why it has been such a consistent presence in Rushkoff’s Frontline pieces. More of an observation than anything.
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