Because there’s no escape
WHY, oh why, my web-shy friends ask me, do I try to bully them into the blogosphere? Why do I insist on talking blogs at the drop of my non-existent hat?
Short answer: because there’s no escape.
There’s no escape from it the same way there’s no escape from the web. Ten years ago, we didn't believe the web would tie us all together the way it has done. Today can we imagine life without email (hell, even my technology-challenged father in the heart of rural India threatens me with emails now), without online shopping, without Google?
Not. And that’s how it will be -- is -- with blogs.
For us blogizens, the blogless are the have-nots, the unprivileged, the underclass. Mere muggles, boring and non-magical. The unenlightened.
But enlightenment isn’t hard to come by. Not with easy-to-read sites on blogging like this around. Before I pass you on to such, let me tell you why I blog.
Because it’s fun. It allows me to engage, experiment in writing, an activity I enjoy. It allows me to practice my craft.
Because it lets me be my own writer, my own editor, my own publisher. I get to decide. I get a voice, and it is all my own.
Because I am in the business of communication and this is communication, up close and personal, one-to-one, one-to-many. It’s a channel open 24/7, easy to use, economical, fast, far-reaching. Open to everyone, me, you, anyone with Internet access, to communicate darned anything -- from what it is like when your convoy is attacked in Iraq and how to help communication in big businesses to celebrity gossip from the streets of New York and what it is to have tumour cut out from your brain.
Because I am in the business of education, and blogs can be effective learning and teaching tools. They provide for collaboration, for sharing information not just with students -- and students certainly will find them helpful -- but with other faculty across the world. Check out these scholars who blog.
Because it puts me in touch with people, contacts, sources. People I would never have met otherwise. It can be the ultimate networking tool, used intelligently.
Because it is a wonderful news source. Not once, not twice, but many, many, many times have I come across information on blogs I would otherwise have missed. Latest instance, this story on why the old media should embrace the new, which I came across on my favourite half-Estonian's media blog. Fact is, there's so much happening around us that we possible can't keep track of everything on our own. Blogs like this, which are nothing but specialised newsletters, do that for us.
Because… oh, never mind. That’s enough reasons. And guess what? My hunch is that every reason I mentioned above applies to you too, especially if you are interested in media, in communication. If you are still sceptical of this online uprising, here’s some stats:
There are at least 10 million blogs already out there. Every day, at a conservative estimate, some 35,000 blogs are created, and the blogosphere doubles itself every five months. You can't outrun such a phenomenon.
There really is no escape, you see.
PS: Am I talking rubbish? Would love to hear your views. Also, if there’s any particular aspect of blogging you’d like me to blog on, drop me a comment, willya?
Short answer: because there’s no escape.
There’s no escape from it the same way there’s no escape from the web. Ten years ago, we didn't believe the web would tie us all together the way it has done. Today can we imagine life without email (hell, even my technology-challenged father in the heart of rural India threatens me with emails now), without online shopping, without Google?
Not. And that’s how it will be -- is -- with blogs.
For us blogizens, the blogless are the have-nots, the unprivileged, the underclass. Mere muggles, boring and non-magical. The unenlightened.
But enlightenment isn’t hard to come by. Not with easy-to-read sites on blogging like this around. Before I pass you on to such, let me tell you why I blog.
Because it’s fun. It allows me to engage, experiment in writing, an activity I enjoy. It allows me to practice my craft.
Because it lets me be my own writer, my own editor, my own publisher. I get to decide. I get a voice, and it is all my own.
Because I am in the business of communication and this is communication, up close and personal, one-to-one, one-to-many. It’s a channel open 24/7, easy to use, economical, fast, far-reaching. Open to everyone, me, you, anyone with Internet access, to communicate darned anything -- from what it is like when your convoy is attacked in Iraq and how to help communication in big businesses to celebrity gossip from the streets of New York and what it is to have tumour cut out from your brain.
Because I am in the business of education, and blogs can be effective learning and teaching tools. They provide for collaboration, for sharing information not just with students -- and students certainly will find them helpful -- but with other faculty across the world. Check out these scholars who blog.
Because it puts me in touch with people, contacts, sources. People I would never have met otherwise. It can be the ultimate networking tool, used intelligently.
Because it is a wonderful news source. Not once, not twice, but many, many, many times have I come across information on blogs I would otherwise have missed. Latest instance, this story on why the old media should embrace the new, which I came across on my favourite half-Estonian's media blog. Fact is, there's so much happening around us that we possible can't keep track of everything on our own. Blogs like this, which are nothing but specialised newsletters, do that for us.
Because… oh, never mind. That’s enough reasons. And guess what? My hunch is that every reason I mentioned above applies to you too, especially if you are interested in media, in communication. If you are still sceptical of this online uprising, here’s some stats:
There are at least 10 million blogs already out there. Every day, at a conservative estimate, some 35,000 blogs are created, and the blogosphere doubles itself every five months. You can't outrun such a phenomenon.
There really is no escape, you see.
PS: Am I talking rubbish? Would love to hear your views. Also, if there’s any particular aspect of blogging you’d like me to blog on, drop me a comment, willya?
posted by Chindu at 1:39 AM
14 Comments:
Blogging may be the new black, and allow everyone to be their own editor, publiser etc.
What's concerning is that if there are 10million blogs, is everyone writing them....and no one reading them?
www.theworldisntlistening.blogspot.com
I see your point Chindu, there are many uses to blogs. However,isn't it really time consuming always having to update it and reply to people's comments? I still think that blogs are more useful to people such as you who need to convey information to alot of people at one time.
Tim's made a good point, there are so many blogs, they can't all get read!
I don't think, either, that blogs will replace (aytime soon) instant messaging services or e-mail. Maybe high profile blogs or blog providers will become the new messagboards for discussions on the net.
Yes blogging is fun and gives you a chance to mouth off about your own personal opinions, but if you don't have the pirivilege of internet access then you're buggered really.
Timmo, Others: 10 million blogs. And actually a lot of them get read. In fact, during the US presidential elections, about 4 per cent of the population -- if I am not mistaken -- were using blogs as their primary news source. That;s a lot of people. Will dig up the stats for that for you. The good blogs get read, and read well.
Call me a pessimist, but i feel like i don't have enough time to live this life let alone write about it! I was born out of my time! I belong to simpler, slower days gone by.
I will, however, do my best to keep up.
Hey Chindus, you will be happy to hear i have taken your advice and created a blog of my own!
Anonymous: I am very happy to hear that. Now how about sending me your blog URL?
Timmo: To your question, does anyone read blogs? I would think, yes. Quite a lot. This is from the Wall Street Journal: "Some eight million Americans now publish blogs and 32 million people read them, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project." This, quite a lot of people have pointed out on the net, is arguable. But even if we make allowance for exaggeration, there still is a hell of a lot of readers for blogs, I would say.
Katie: The point of blogs is not information dissemination alone. Thing is, they do give you a voice. They allow you to express yourself, even if it is only to three people. Better to be able to say what you want to say than not have the power to say it, right?
James: Relax, don’t think censorship is going to be as easy as all that. :-)
Selina: Not having a ‘Net access, um, that could be a problem if you want to blog, yes. But, hey, how many people do you know who do not have ‘Net access? :-)
HannyB: *laugh* I love your optimism. Think of it this way: writing, reflecting about life, or anything else, is part of life, is not?
www.theworldisntlistening.blogspot.com
The Guardian said: "a better blog than the dross that Roman Gerodimos dolls out".
Maybe.
Oh my goodness, I think I'm gradually being seduced (against my will) into thinking that a blog of my own might be a good idea. sigh....I worry ..more work...I'm unreliable ...will I keep it up-to-date? What if no-one reads it? What if lots of people read it and I write rubbish? Oh the other hand...it might be a really good idea..:)
Artist: Do it for yourself. :-) And guess what? People will read it, once it gets going... especially people in your circle. The trick is to have a focus, and keep that focus... easier to get a readership that way.
I have to be honest, I thought you didn't need the second s.... oh dear, I'm as bad as your students!
jim
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