Heather and I went to a Claudia Schmidt concert. I hadn’t heard Claudia perform in many years, and just like every other time, I was captivated by her voice and her spirit.
At one point, Claudia made a comment about content going “viral” or not going viral. She said she was searching for a word that would more accurately reflect the nature of her music. I felt that the word might have meaning for own meager internet offerings.
I think maybe the word “biotic” might be better. Viruses are typically not great for humans. Think HIV, Ebola, Rhinovirus, etc. But biotic comes from the word life, and implies the large, complicated, slow processes that are at the center of systems on earth, or our biosphere. Let our songs and stories make their own contributions to the biota without rampaging through consciousness or demanding the fleeting attention that the viral commands.
So, for now, I won’t worry about going viral but instead will find comfort in moving in the biotic realm.
And maybe the term itself, biotic, will go viral.