Blogging is a fad, and like all others, it too will fade.
Many attribute the explosion in blogging to technology. We think that, while certainly technology-enabled, blogging is really a consequence of our intensely political moment. There is so much to observe, express, and understand that blogging becomes a powerful way to do it.
Such moments of ferment are, however, aberrations in human affairs. Nature may adore entropy, people yearn for stability. We may appreciate the roller-coaster highs from today's news, but the inevitable mean-reversion to boredom is right around the next apogee.
Our present lust for politics and adventure will subside, to be replaced by the cautious monotony of everyday routine. We will run out of things to say -- most already are there! -- then, numb to observation and expression, we will seek silence and a "leave me alone" state-of-mind.
The best expression follows a genius creating separation between him/herself and the subject. Such separation allows reflection and perspective. Blogging is anything but this. Besides, blogging is about the expression of multitudes and -- forgive our elitism! -- such expression may be democratic but, for most part, is hardly genius.
Thus, given its very nature, blogging is ephemeral and largely banal -- a consequence of our highly charged times, an expression of our very ordinary vanities, and a solace as we swing from political hope to despair back to hope again.
T S Eliot wrote of a moment that is the death of hope and despair, calling it the death of air. Don't know about air, but such a moment will surely imply the death of blogging.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
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10 comments:
Primary Red, I think you are wrong about this one. While blogs have definitely acquired a hype and momentum they do have provide an outlet to one of the base desires - to be heard, acknowledged and appreciated. While the 'political' blog phenomenon is an outcome of the polaristion in some countries, the political blogs form only a small part of the blogsphere - though highly visible.
Blogging will not die, it will become an ubiquitous subculture of our even more internet-centri lives in the future.
zzz & rm,
Fair enough -- there will still be vanities and banality to write about, but few will read it all as much as they might today.
That makes a great deal of difference, doesn't it?
Best regards.
It looks like Primary red's blog zeal is fading..
Blogging will fade away for sure, but only to be replaced by something else. Remember that blogs displaced mailing lists and message boards.
Finally, someone with the moxie, the balls and the security to say it. So what if he may be wrong. Say it, there's no harm in saying it. We've become a bunch of people too afraid to say it.
Came lookin for new posts...fearing the worst...is this blog dead ? Was that a defacto-retirement announcement ?
No, no no!
Just a little Thanksgiving related slowdown. Will blog again soon.
Best regards.
PR,
Forms change but spirit remain.
Blog represents democratization of intellectual discourse.
Tomorrow some better platfrom may come, but I am sure it will broaden public participation.
Regards
DG:
Call us elitist but can intellectual discourse retain its necessary cerebral nature once democratized -- or does it then lapse into sub&pseudo-intellectual cacophony?!
Best regards.
PR,
From chaos comes creation.
Democracy is one of the worst system and it is one of the best system.
It is worst because it requires unceasing vigilance from all of us
It is worst because It demands public energy to succeed.
It is worst because It demands unwavering quest for knowledge from all which is only possible from public discussion however virulent it may become.
It is worst because if above conditions are not fulfilled it is capable of more evil than could be possibly conceived by worst of tyrants or what is worse than evil indifference, apathy and fatalism of whole civilization.
However it is best of the system because it is self correcting
It is capable of reaching heights
no other system can possibly conceive.
It is no coincidence than past civilization which had a long lasting impact were democratic in spirit (Greeks, Indic )
Vigilance is the key and could not be overemphasized.
Regards
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