Blog @ Your Own Risk (#3)
If you are a blogging fanatic, the existence of this form of communication has enriched your life. You are a faithful commentator on various subjects. The majority of your leisure is spent online contributing to discussions. For the most part, you belong.
From my own personal observation, it seems as if it has become easier to communicate through online forums or blogs, then in traditional settings such as classrooms, offices, etc. The growth of this type of communication has brought together like minded people.
A big part of being a blogger in online society is having something to say. At first, making your blog appealing may be a challenge. Overtime, you are quickly socialized into the world of blogging which is rapidly becoming the newest form of media and community.
Web logs are not just a place for building networks and communities; it is also home to a new form of journalism. The presence of Journalism in Web logs has caused much controversy among experts in the field. Their biggest fear is losing sight of what is familiar. While most are excited about the potential this form could hold. Donald Matheson claims “Weblogs need not be revolutionary, but they are indicative of one way in which journalism is changing, under pressure from reformers who are aware of a new medium with its concomitant new economic, social and production contexts (447).
Either way you slice it, web blogging is here and may stick around for awhile. When considering the possibilities, could this new media actually create unexpected problems? The introduction of anything new usually stirs up some push.
Take into consideration the uniting of like-minded individuals. This can quickly begin to cause segregation. What if by uniting such groups we stop appreciating our differences? We all can bring something to the table of existence, like-minded or not, but if we are filtered into only the groups that accept us, what will happen in the real world?
The television is a good example of an electronic device designed to deliver entertainment and communication among the masses. Most of the work the TV does is for the media. Of course there is still entertainment value in watching TV but at whose expense? Most of what is on television is ridiculous and marketed towards specific groups so advertisers can expose them to what they known we will buy into. It won’t be long before they invade blogs as well.
At the moment, blogging is a great way to interact. The freedom of choosing what you expose yourself too is great in theory, even though it is one of the simplest ways of selling known as transfer of ownership (Sustein, p.58). When you put a new product in a consumer’s hand, such as a cell phone, you are actually painting the picture of ownership to the customer. That is what is happening here with Weblogs.
Before you decide to blog make sure you are aware of your environment and what you decide to digest and yes this blog about blogging is a contradiction.
Citations:
Matheson, Donald New Media & Society, 2004.
Sunstein, Cass Democracy and Filtering, 2004
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