Grown Up Thinking

Recent years have shown web 2.0 to be a largely benevolent force–bringing hopeful Americans together around the inauguration of our President and providing distressed cable customers with direct assistance from their providers.  Today, however, the instant connectivity and communication of web 2.0 has reached a new low– McSorley’s TV.

McSorley’s TV is basically a branded mashup of Twitter, Flickr and Brightkite updates that relate to St. Patrick’s day happenings at McSorley’s–one of the oldest bars in NYC and a legendary St. Paddy’s day hangout.  The site shows loyal revelers waiting in line at 7 am to score a coveted table at this 155 year-old bar that serves nothing but its own brew of light and dark beer. The site will be up all St. Patrick’s day showing a live feed of text and photo content of all things McSorley’s.

Truth be told, this is an ingenious application of web 2.0 technologies–and it’s hard to hate on one of the coolest bars in the world. But I can’t help but think it’s an act of cruelty to subject those of us tethered to our dreary desks on the best holiday of the year to live updates of the spririted atmosphere of McSorely’s. At the end of the day this is all just sour grapes–cheers to McSorley’s for getting it right! Slainte!