In 2006-07, Rebecca Blood conducted a series of interviews with other bloggers, asking them why they blog.
What struck me about the interview with Trine-Maria Kristensen was how much she saw blogging as a way to socially connect with other people, while at the same time engaging in an intelligent dialog about current events and technology. For her, blogging has become an integral part of the personal side of the internet.
While I understand Kristensen's love of blogging for personal opinions on current events, I still cannot see any part of the internet as being truly personal. Blogger profiles, just like any other internet profiles, are constructed to show only what the user wishes to show about himself/herself. There is no way that internet profiles can be truly genuine--which therefore, in my opinion, renders them to be very impersonal.
However, I do agree with her that blogging is carving a new path for journalists in cyberspace. Not only can journalists express their opinions in printed forums, they can also engage in the current dialogue on events through blogging--'participatory journalism' as Kristensen calls it.
But engaging in conversation on current issues by no means makes the internet 'personal.' I think that what Kristensen likes about blogging is not how people can seemingly connect with each other on a personal level--but rather, the intense and lively discussion that stems from the blogging community. Personal opinions can be expressed on the internet. Anyone can keep a blog because there are no qualifications that exclude certain people--as in the realm of printed media, where opinions can only be expressed by journalists or people of influence and wealth.
The internet opens new channels of communication--and lets people who would not have otherwise met, discuss current issues as they are unfolding.
While there are many blessings associated with the internet--so many ways to meet new people and ways to share media with other people--I still wonder if the internet is helping to downgrade traditional forms of personal communication.
When was the last time you took time to send a letter to someone rather than an email? When did you last personally invite someone to an event (with a printed invitation) rather then just sending them a facebook invite?
Is the change for the better? Good question.
Cheers!
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I agree to an extent, but it seems to me that "real world" interactions are seldom totally genuine as well. I do admit that it's easier to guard one's thoughts and feelings online, where sharing personal details is a very explicit process, than it is in person, where one's tone of voice and visual cues tend to give away things one would rather hide. That said, I think even the most honest people can be quite selective about what information they share with others in real life. Conversely, I think one can be very open and personal on the Internet; it's just a bit harder than in real life. For myself, I know some people who--while I've only ever spoken to them online--I would consider my friends, and with whom I think I share some sort of genuine personal connection.
ReplyDeleteIt is certainly possible to make genuine friends online, but I suppose the caution that immediately comes to mind are the cases of people who have purposely created fake profiles--such as the story of a mom who created a fake facebook profile to seek revenge on one of her daughters friends. As a (perhaps indirect) result of the hurtful interaction between the girl and the fake profile, the girl committed suicide.
ReplyDeleteSuch a case is rare, but I think it illustrates the need for caution on the internet. It is easier for people to hide things about themselves on the internet than in person.
I think both sides have valuable arguments...thanks for commenting!