I am a 21 year old female, and can honestly say that I have never really been into blogging. For me blogging is not something I think about doing when I am on the Internet. I have never posted, read and responded to a blog prior to this class. I tend to find blogging to be some what time consuming and something my short attention span cannot handle. When I am on the Internet, I tend to overlook most blogs I come across especially if they are too wordy. The few blogs I happen to read tend to be juicy or important to me in some way, but I still do not comment or respond to the few blogs I do read. With that in mind and going back to last Tuesday’s readings, I think I would be classified as a “lurker” (creepy word for people like me) and not a participator in the blogging community (Blanchard 3). The reason I believe I am a “lurker” instead of a participator is because I am not a big fan of intellectual discussions/arguments, writing about what is on my mind, or giving detailed information about myself on a public space for others to see (Blanchard 3). I believe all the things I just mentioned provide fuel for blogging communities.
We are living in a time in which people want to be heard and want stand out. This is a big world and people always seem to be competing for things. Unfortunately, not everyone is heard, not everyone stands out, and not everyone wins. It is for this reason in which I think blogging has gained popularity. Blogs are people’s private/public space in which people can quickly and conveniently write blogs about whatever they choose. It is through blogs that people are able to express themselves without shyness, interruption, and can be heard by several of other people worldwide. Blogs are a place in which a person can show or discover his or her identity. For the most part, blogs can be a place for heavy debate, questions, thoughts, or as a place to keep record of day to day events. Unfortunately the thing is, now that there are so many blogs, not everyone’s blog is heard or given much attention.
In today’s article it is stated “that a ‘democratizing’ technology does not automatically result in social equality, and points to the importance of social and cultural factors surrounding technology adoption and use” (Herring 1). I agree with this statement. I agree with this statement because blogs are meant to be used by anyone how he or she pleases. Blogs are suppose to give everyone the same equal opportunity by allowing people to stand out, say what they want, and be what they want. Instead, I do not see this when I happen to run across blogs online. What I see is some extremely popular blogs, and then I see some blogs who do not have any visitors. Additionally, I tend to see more females and teenagers spilling their personal lives/thoughts online, and I wonder to myself- is this because women and teenagers are not heard in society so much as men? Is blogging online the only place women and teenagers are able to be themselves, and express what they want and still be heard because they cannot do so in society without feeling out of place? If this is the case, then why do the numerous blogs written by women and teenagers not get as much, if not more, attention than the few popular blogs written by men? Is this just another world in which a man still tries to prevail over women and teenagers, and blogging is just another form of technology that reiterates that? I hope not, but according to Herring’s article, and this article I am starting to think it might be that way.
P.S. To check out the only blog I tend to be a “lurker” at click here, and I am proud to say it is by a woman. =)
1 comment:
I have also never been interested in blogging. Personally, I would rather talk to someone face to face or even on the phone. I feel as if blogging is a waste of my time (sorry to those of you who don't feel the same!). I feel this way because I do not know anything about the person who blogs, nor do I really care. Yes, this also sounds rude, however, one can come off however they want to in a blog. Hence, the appeal. But there is something about it that seems really fake and superficial about blogs. Honestly, can't you tell your family members how your day went? And if you want strut your knowledge why can't you just write a book, or a publish a scholarly article? Or even discuss among your peers?
Although, I must admit that if one does not know much about a subject and wants to learn more about it, there are so many different blogs, that one can learn something from reading a variety of people's blogs. It is research, yet in layman's terms, which could makes things easier to understand. Here is an example of just some of the variety of topics available on the New York Times: http://nytimes.com/ref/topnews/blog-index.html?8qa.
The issue regarding women v. men in the article makes alot of sense to me, although I must say that I am disappointed. Women typically like to express their emotions, which is why it makes sense that more women have blogs that are not scholarly, and instead are just whatever they are thinking about or have an interest in. I believe it is a medium that is more of a release than anything. This also relates back to the discussions we have been having in Linda's other class, Mass Communication: Past, Present, and Future; Society does not change to fit new commnication devices, it fits into our already gendered society. Even with blogging, which is supposedly anonymous, obviously it is not as anonymous as we think. It was very easy for researchers to figure out age, gender, etc from cues in their writings. I am disappointed because this is another aspect where men look better than women; as if we do not have enough to compete with them for. Women have always had to do better than men to be appreciated, equal is okay sometimes, and less does not help in any way.
Hers is an interesting article on the issue of public versus private regarding blogs. http://blog.lib.umn.edu/blogosphere/blogging_as_social_action.html
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