Blogging

Blogging seems like a new phenomena but in fact has been happening for over ten years, the difference being that originally only technically minded people with the time and interest to learn html could contribute.  Today there is no reason why everyone cannot voice an opinion, publish a thought or take part in a blog conversation, and I am not sure whether this is a good thing or not. 

Original blogs were well thought through, contained opinions and links, were often quirky, and effectively pre-surfed the internet for their followers (Blood, 2000).  Now that Web 2.0 has made the web more accessible, content has become more personal (Blood, 2000) and there has been a move from more journalistic and controversial posts to more ordinary and day to day blogs posted by more ordinary and day to day people.  That is not to say that there are not a huge number of interesting and useful blogs out there, but there are now so many blogs that it has lead to a dilution of communication and it is impossible to read all of them or even wade through them to find one of interest unless it has been recommended.  The benefits of being able to make independent choice are being eroded by the shere size of the blogosphere.  As Rettberg (2008, p. 63) says "the blogs that already have 'power' will get more" due to the problems of scale.  Small blogs are likely to get lost in the system if they have not been tagged and that could be a shame, or a positive thing depending on your view point and the nature of the blog.

On a positive note, having read about Salam Pax, the Baghdad Blogger (Leaver, 2010) perhaps Web 2.0 will ensure that blog-worthy posts will rise to the top.  Salam was able to provide a unique insight into life in Bahdad in a way that no journalist could, and taught us all that war is not something that happens a long way away but is something that affects ordinary people.  The number of videos posted after the Tsumani are also testament to this.  Our lives are richer for their contribution, putting meaning into the news headlines, and perhaps bringing us all closer together. 

References

Blood, R. (2000, September 7). "Weblogs: A History and Perspective", Rebecca's Pocket. Retrieved January 3, 2011, from http://www.rebeccablood.net/essays/weblog_history.html

Leaver, Tama (2009, 29th Mar). "Blogs" [Course Lecture] retrieved from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/


Rettberg, J. (2008). Blogs, communities and networks.  In Blogging. Polity Press: Cambridge. Retrieved from http://edocs.library.curtin.edu.au/eres_display.cgi?url=dc60263770.pdf&copyright=1