A friend of mine recently started a blog as a way to organize ideas. In this way all ideas are organized into the blog and at his disposal at any time from any place (pending Internet access). His first blog was about a radical anti-capitalist thinker who was thrown in jail as an act of government repression. What got my attention about this entry was not the content or the writer of the blog, although I feel strongly that one must assess the societal and cultural ramifications of repression by the status quo. What struck my attention about this entry came in the form of a comment. The comment had little to do with the content of the entry, it was more of a general statement about blogging and I think it captures a negative cultural attitude about blogging. I would include the comment in this entry but am afraid to incur any more wrath.
I will however include highlights. The writer accuses blogging as being part of a new trend toward hyper-expressionism. He/she calls it"obsessive self expression and exhibitionism". He/she says, "The current generation of young ones seems utterly convinced that not only do they have something to say, but that everyone wants to hear/see it. You don't have to be a good writer, or particularly unique in your talent or experiences to be a writer anymore." The writer goes on to pose the question, "don't you think it is part of the consumerist/capitalist machine?". He/she goes on to say that, "there is something nauseating to me about all this flashy, pseudo-intellectual babble that I am surrounded by in the world of pop culture these days. I think I can actually feel myself getting dumber."
Now maybe you agree with all of these things. Maybe you think that not everyone should be a writer or that not everyone deserves to have their voice heard. Maybe you think that blogging is self absorbed and shallow. I can't argue that it's not. It is just blogging.
If what this person is accusing blogging of is true than as bloggers we have to raise the bar. Having an opposing viewpoint does not make me a dissenter and it does not make me a "bitch". Having an opposing viewpoint (or any viewpoint at all) makes me not only a participating member in a democracy but it also makes me a human being. Well, I do have things to say and so do many others. Maybe blogging is "obsessive self expression" but many writers are arrogant assholes. Why should anyone be denied the right to have a voice? If blogging is contributing to the consumerist machine than what are op-ed pieces doing? and zines? and symposia(symposiums?)? and college's? I agree, there is a lot of pseudo-intellectual babble happening but that babble isn't confined to the blog-o-sphere. It's everywhere. As for blogs making people dumber, maybe they do, I don't know, I never claimed to be a scientist. As far as I can tell anything, be it a blog or not, that challenges a person to think critically about something can only be doing more good than bad (no matter how excellent or poorly it is written).
For me, I see blogging as an easy way to express ideas. At HPC we've created a forum (and I am sorry If I have compromised that forum...that especially goes out to you everything). We do not need to be "writers" to write just as we don't need to be "photographers" to take photo's. We can take blogging seriously without taking ourselves too seriously. Blogging should serve as a self expressive space where we can go to express our ideas in the company of our peers. Let's face it, many of us don't really have much actual physical personal space. For me blogging has served as an extension of my space. It doesn't matter if people read my shit or not. It is a way for me to express my ideas while reading/participating in the ideas of others.
So maybe you think I take this shit too seriously. Maybe I do. I don't like to create crap. So maybe to you "sharp social commentary" is tongue in cheek but for me it's not (although I do have a sense of humor...I think that all "sharp social commentary" should). I don't want to be pigeon holed into being just another self absorbed narcissistic blogger who I have something to say when really I don't. I also hope that I am not contributing to any consumerist/capitalist machine through blogging..in fact blogging is the one arena where I feel pretty confident that I am not (however, I do have a fairly gnarly addiction to shopping).
Final thought: Everyone is entitled to their own unique viewpoint. I thank the comment leaver for inspiring me to think about all the many many ways in which I think that they are wrong. I also thank that comment leaver for inspiring me to think about the many many ways in which they are right. It's always good to keep in mind the things that you may or may not be contributing to the world. As for my fellow bloggers on this site: I do not think that any of you are self obsessive narcissistic pseudo intellectual babblers. I think that each and everyone one of you has a unique perspective to share with the world.
p.s. The blog, "stuff white people like", just got like a billion dollar book deal. Something to keep in mind. I wouldn't mind being a bagillionaire.
