Guy Smith (writer)
Encyclopedia
Guy Smith is a San Francisco based writer. Smith has published both fiction and non-fiction, and bills himself as a "writer, songwriter, and political provocateur."
Smith describes a childhood that included simultaneously being a surfer and a working cowboy. His writing career began while working at Kennedy Space Center
, writing articles for trade press. This led to his first book devoted to architecture of the Hewlett-Packard 3000
computer.
In San Francisco Smith began writing politically focused opinion pieces for Bay Area newspapers (San Francisco Chronicle
, Oakland Tribune, Contra Costa Times
). While in San Francisco he expanded into fiction, publishing his first novella (Afterlife). His speaking engagements include the Libertarian National Convention
and the Gun Rights Policy Conference.
) are no longer in control of the national conversation – that analysis and decisions concerning political “facts” and policy are now in the hands of the citizen media
.
Smith concludes that even though the citizen media produces misinformation, it has disabled centralized or institutionalized misinformation due to ongoing public propaganda analysis.
Smith describes a childhood that included simultaneously being a surfer and a working cowboy. His writing career began while working at Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...
, writing articles for trade press. This led to his first book devoted to architecture of the Hewlett-Packard 3000
HP 3000
The HP 3000 series is a family of minicomputers released by Hewlett-Packard in 1973. It was designed to be the first minicomputer delivered with a full featured operating system with time-sharing. The first models were withdrawn from the market until speed improvements could be made. It ultimately...
computer.
In San Francisco Smith began writing politically focused opinion pieces for Bay Area newspapers (San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, Oakland Tribune, Contra Costa Times
Contra Costa Times
The Contra Costa Times is a daily newspaper based in Walnut Creek, California, U.S.. The paper serves Contra Costa and eastern Alameda counties, in the eastern part of the San Francisco Bay Area...
). While in San Francisco he expanded into fiction, publishing his first novella (Afterlife). His speaking engagements include the Libertarian National Convention
Libertarian National Convention
The Libertarian National Convention is held every two years by the United States Libertarian Party to choose members of the Libertarian National Committee, and to conduct other party business...
and the Gun Rights Policy Conference.
Books Published
- Shooting the Bull (2011, Free Thinkers Media): ISBN 978-0-9832407-0-9
- Afterlife (2009, G3 Media) ISBN 978-1439237434
- Gun Facts (1999–2011)
- The HP3000 Bible (1988,PCI Press)
Political Observations
In Shooting The Bull, Smith claims that a critical shift in political information has occurred. He notes that traditional media sources (or mainstream mediaMainstream media
Mainstream media are those media disseminated via the largest distribution channels, which therefore represent what the majority of media consumers are likely to encounter...
) are no longer in control of the national conversation – that analysis and decisions concerning political “facts” and policy are now in the hands of the citizen media
Citizen media
The term citizen media refers to forms of content produced by private citizens who are otherwise not professional journalists. Citizen journalism, participatory media and democratic media are related principles.-Principles of citizen media:...
.
- “When a few million intelligent but bored individuals are given a unified platform for research, analysis and sharing, power shifts from the organized Fourth EstateFourth EstateThe concept of the Fourth Estate is a societal or political force or institution whose influence is not consistently or officially recognized. The Fourth Estate now most commonly refers to the news media; especially print journalism, referred to hereon as "The Press"...
to the unorganized Fifth.”
Smith concludes that even though the citizen media produces misinformation, it has disabled centralized or institutionalized misinformation due to ongoing public propaganda analysis.