I’ve been thinking about the value/role of blogging lately. It strikes me that there are advantages and disadvantages (or blessings and curses if you like biblical language) in the blogging experience. BTW—blogging and FaceBook are similar in my estimation. One could substitute the word “FaceBook” for “blog” in the coming paragraphs.
Just to show you how new, relatively speaking, this blogging thing is…as I write “blogging” or "blog" in a Microsoft Word document a little red line appears each time, indicating that this word “blogging” isn’t even a real word.
Ok. The possibilities/strengths/advantages/blessings of blogging…
First, blogging keeps you in touch with people from all over the world and throughout the United States. That is truly amazing—our world is ever shrinking.
Second, blogging allows you to consider perspectives of many different people.
Third, blogging can serve as a kind of “diary”, cataloging important events, experiences and thought-patterns on the journey of becoming truer disciples of Jesus.
However, there are setbacks/weaknesses/disadvantages/curses in blogging.
First, blogging can be an artificial way of staying in touch with people. You may have 55 people you stay in touch with via blogging (or FaceBook) but you may not have one authentic, real relationship in the bunch. Or, as my friend Randy Harris likes to say, “The only thing better than a dead friend is a virtual friend.”
Second, blogging, you can get caught in the trap of only reading bloggers who a) you disagree with (hence you must “defend the faith” even if that means you choose blogging over taking your wife out for a great date). Or, b) you only read people who agree with your perspective further cementing your already long-held conviction. In other words, it’s a great forum for group think.
Third, (then I’m done Ashley--he hates my long blogs), There are many things shared on blogs that simply should be kept to yourself or those closest to. It’s amazing (and scary!) what some people will confess to via a blog. It's also amazing what some people think other people care to know.
I’m really sick of the red, squiggly line underneath “blogging”—I’m done.
I told a friend recently that blogging is this generation’s form of French coffee shops which some historians give credit to for catalyzing the French Revolution. Her response… “Yeah, the French Revolution is the greatest secular disaster in human history,” (my paraphrase).
Touche ma copine!
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5 comments:
I agree with Ashley, I hate (that's strong) long blogs.
I am new to blogging and listened to what you had to say. lots to consider. I seem to be drawn to people who tell their story and have some connection to who I am.. faith, jazz, gardening....
my wife has become a "real" friend to someone who lives three blocks from us. can you make a real friend while blogging even if they live 1000 miles away?
Josh - I decided to change the theme of my blog a while back. I first started it because I thought I wanted to engage in some discussions about faith, life, etc... However I don't feel Blogging is the setting to do this (for me at least). Posting comments is an easy way for someone who may disagree with a particular blog, to slam it to the full extent. Whenever I start reading blogs that have some real meaning, it always seems that the people get more defensive than anything else. So I decided to just blog about life...no opinions, but merely an online journal of our life events. So I to have seen the positives and negatives and decided to eliminate the negatives by not opening the door for the "Anonymous" bloggers out there that love to bash blogs...
You and Gavin need to chat. He wants only close, highly personal friendships. Anything else is inauthentic. I, on the other hand, feel that you can't possibly have long conversations with everyone you care about on a weekly basis. That does not mean you can't stay in touch and keep up with them. I have found lots of long lost friends and even more sort of disappeared friends through blogging and myspace.
Also, blogging can be a great connection when prayer is needed such as with Travis and Kelly Speck's little boy Bennett. Many people would not know about that situation without all the blogs.
Wayne,
Stay with blogging. The first few months can be frusrating...
Sean,
Keeping a "journal" regarding the family is a great way to use blogs. Especially when you are tearing your house apart.
Vanessa,
Good thoughts. You are right. When Rachel Pleasant was sick a few years back, hundreds of people weighed in via Klint's blog.
Sometimes I wonder, if we blog more for ourselves than for anyone else.
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