Getting by with 20th century technology...

[wshaffer]

So, I've been taking this nifty class over at Congregation Kol Emeth in Palo Alto, called "Aliens, Mutants, and Other Jewish Superheroes", looking at Jewish themes in superhero comics/movies. One of the things that we've commented on several times in the class is that despite the fact that many of the creators of superhero comics/movies were Jewish, the superheroes themselves almost never are.

In one of those great moments of serendipity, the most recent episode of the Guardian's Sounds Jewish podcast is about Jewish film, and contains a short funny rant on "Where are all the Jewish action heroes?"

"Aha!" I thought, as I listened to this. "I should share this podcast with the other members of the class! I'll send an email to..."

And then I stopped, remembering that this class doesn't have an email list.

Nor a blog, nor a wiki, nor a facebook page. Not even a yahoo group.

I think this is the first significant group endeavor I've taken part in in some time that didn't have some kind of internet channel for communication between the participants. It's slightly disorientating not to have it.

Comments

[14cyclenotes.livejournal.com]

Ironically, there are several Israeli heroes, but few explicitly Jewish ones come to mind. The two I think of most readily are Kitty Pryde (aka Shadowcat) and Magneto, who varies between villain and anti-hero.

It is odd to be unwired these days. Feels almost anachronistic. And yet almost half of households in the US still don't have net connections.