Six months ago during a phone conversation with my son, he suggested I create a “blog” after I had told him I had gone back to writing to help pass up the time since he had left home. “Blog?” I inquired. After getting his usual “Gees, Dad,” he spent the next week guiding me through the process of creating my own web log, or "blog," which Brad L. Graham is credited with coining several years back. When I first began posting my writing, I had a sense of what I wanted to “blog” about, but I didn’t have an overall sense of what I wanted to accomplish, or what purpose it might serve other than giving me a healthy distraction to keep myself from going stir crazy. After being an active parent for 18 years, and then finding yourself with an empty nest when your child moves out, it takes a while to adjust to the new pace. It’s like I took the off ramp from the freeway, and decelerated from seventy to zero within seconds. When you come to a full stop like that, it’s hard to figure out whether to go left or right.
In the process of “blogging,” I began reading other bloggers to get a sense of what other people were doing with what seems to be a very unique cultural phenomenon that makes the exchange of ideas, services and products more fluent and accessible. Of the numerous blogs that exist on the net, and are created each day, I am convinced more than ever that we are indeed “language” animals. Blogging also has become unique in that we can choose how we represent ourselves to the world. Even with standard templates, people tinker with them until they get the right format, font, and background that say, “Hello, it's me and this is my blog. Come on in." And with a simple click, the door opens to their small havens of political views, stories, anecdotes, essays, information on a variety of topics, and virtual flea markets where you can buy all kinds of products from books to vitamins.
That others are writing each day by posting to their blogs, regardless of their ability or education, is simply amazing. For hundreds of years, print media served as our conduit for the exchange and discussion of ideas. Blogging, though, makes that exchange both immediate and curiously intimate. Want to know what people are thinking about a specific topic? Easy enough, since all one need do is a Google search on “blog politics," for example, and wham, an unbelievable amount of sources becomes instantly available. From there you can whittle down to a particular topic of interest.
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Article comments
1 - Nukapai
What a fine article; it is good to see something that explores the sheer joy of blogging (both writing and reading of). If you happen to be interested, I recently wrote a post "On the nature of arrogance in blogging" that touched on some of these issues. I truly believe most bloggers write to reach out and to communicate, not to aspire to a professional writing career.
2 - kob
Regarding the origin of "blog" or "weblog," the person who is credited by some is Jorn Barger.
See this Wired story
3 - parker
Thanks for the wonderful article. I think it is amazing that bloggers have in a sense wrested control of opinion away from journalists. We live in exciting times!
4 - Eric Olsen
super job SL, very inspirational and quite pleased you stumbled upon this outlet (blogging, that is), as have so many other thoughtful, communicative people
5 - S. L. Cunningham
Thanks to all for your thoughtful comments. I'm not sure in what ways "blogging" will evolve, but I sense it promises an exciting future. Nukapai, I'll check your article out.
6 - Preston Parkhurst
Mr. Cunningham, I very much enjoyed your perspective and glad it has been a positive one, and welcome to the wonderful world of the blog.
Someone asked me to write a piece on what I thought about political and current events blogs since I too have only recently put my writings into this format. I will just post an excerpt here:
“As someone who is still fairly new to this phenomenon that is sweeping the internet, I feel compelled to write a short bit on what my experiences have been like thus far.
The blogging world is full of diversity, opinion, and commentary on every subject under the sun. From the humorous to the serious, from the rant of the obscure to the rave of the masses, blogs cover it all and then some. As many different levels of view blogs represent, there are also varying levels of legitimacy given to each according to their subject.
In the world of the political or news weblogs today there is this strong feeling that one must somehow match or exceed the legitimacy of mainstream sources such as CNN or Fox. What is becoming more apparent in the quest to become the most widely published or advertised blog is that people have begun to resemble those who aspired to be a CNN hack. Wearing Gucci, sipping a double mocha latte sitting at a café' with their laptop bitching about how rough it was at Columbia while searching Google for a new leather shifter for the Beemer.
This perspective is certainly valid but no more represents the diversity of the American people than those they seem to try to compete against and often complain about. I have noted many try to promulgate replacing corporate sponsored news sources with their own personal and often narcissistic point of view. However to their credit they do tend to accurately represent a portion of America that focuses far more on structure than on concept. Welcome the Uber Blahger. I recall the quote about familiarity breeding contempt, and I have noticed sometimes we have difficulty reminding ourselves that the blogging community contains both the professional and amateur writer.
On the other hand, I have also noticed that there are those who are at a much higher level of professionalism who are critical in a constructive and thoughtful manner, which seeks to benefit all involved. I have seen some blogs and bloggers that truly stand out in their ability to convey ideas and commentary and serve to motivate constructive debate in a way that mainstream news never could.
In summary, it has been a frustrating, eye opening, educational, and most of all, a blast to take part in.”
7 - S. L. Cunningham
Thanks, Preston
Blogging certainly has revolutionized how we choose to communicate with each other, but as it is still in its infancy, it's hard to say whether "blogging" will evolve as did print medium, radio and TV, or whether it will morph into something else. Such is the age we live in.
8 - Ando
I created my blog for the sole purpose of keeping in touch with everyone back home (Australia), its worked out better then I could have expected. Yes it has revolutionized how we choose to communicate and is evolving but how much further can it go? Its always going to consist of text and images. I can't see many personal blogs heading towards video messages, its just too much for most people.
9 - Muslim Unity
It seems all of even though might seem to have different goals for having blogs. We all do belive that blogs have helped and changed several things.
Along with it however, there are a few risks. I for instance get a lot of hate messages and e-mails.
I try ignoring it. But I was wondering if there was any sollution to prevent such hate e-mails?
I do get important ones too, so can't stop giving out my e-mail is.
Let there be peace!
Muslim Unity
10 - Nancy
It is indeed a good article.
11 - S. L. Cunningham
Thanks, Nancy. Appreciate your response.
12 - LAsnark.com
the blogosphere will definitely be a nice time capsule for the xenu and the rest of the cruises to study after we're invaded
13 - Jose
Hi,
Since I started my blog, obviously my attention toward other blogs started do develop.
I've seen articles of great quality and writen with a style that is a joy to read, especially when featuring a good taste humour.
Content is the most important thing on a blog and nowadays they've become a reference, sometimes more important than traditional media.
Best regards,
José
14 - JStone
A very interesting read. Thanks