BILL WASIK – And Then There’s This

Earlier this spring a homely British woman named Susan Boyle wowed the judges on a British talent show, the audience with her singing, and those of us who received the internet video and immediately send it off to our friends. As soon as we knew her name, she has largely disappeared from the internet and from the media. Our guest, BILL WASIK says this is an example of a nano-story and says the culture is full of them-how anyone on a computer can contribute to a viral spreading of the AIG bonus outrage and the naming of the Obama family dog. He explains that these stories are like living organisms that grow quickly but die out in a matter of days. BILL WASIK is a senior editor at Harpers Magazine and is author of “And Then There’s This: How Stories Live and Die in Viral Culture.” Listen to the mp3