How I Watched The Inauguration With Virtually Everyone I Know
Posted by meredith on 01-20-2009
Like many of you, a couple of hours ago stopped my day to watch the presidential inauguration. And even though I did so alone in my apartment, I couldn’t have felt more connected to friends across the country. With positive energy emanating from every away message (some as simple as “!!!!!!!!!”), Facebook status (several via CNN.com) and mass text it was simply impossible not to feel an overwhelming sense of togetherness with my fellow young Americans (note: it’s still a little strange to say that with a sincere sense of pride, but I’m getting used to it).
Like the rest of Obama’s 2.0 powered path to the White House, the ability to interact across social and mobile platforms, both those designed for the occasion and not, made today’s historic moment feel that much more profound. Of course, phone calls and in-person celebrations will soon follow, but being able to broadcast emotional responses to loved ones and seeing them do the same in the moment was a powerful, unprecedented experience that I can already see myself relaying as the story of “Where I was when Obama became president.”
What’s even more uplifting than today’s multi-screen celebration is the fact that our new President has already embraced this inclusive technology himself and plans to continue letting it play a pivotal role in communicating with the public. By using the tools closest to young people’s hearts such as with YouTube fireside chats and change.org on MySpace, Obama’s rallying rhetoric feels like more than just words, it feels like an invitation to be part of a intergenerational dialogue.
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