The Devil Is In the Discussion

People that do not blog often wonder what bloggers 'get' from it. My friend claims that it is yet another lazy form of socialization, like chat back in the nineties. Initially compelling, but quickly relegated to the list of wasteful pursuits. A diversion, an outlet for any would-be opinionate.It can be damned time consuming, thats for sure.The last post elicited some discussion about the debate concerning surveillance,using technology to sift through unprecedented amounts of data, the role of comments and feedback...Aggravation, and time.So- Why do we do it? And where do we stand on censorship- self-aggrandized paranoia, or snark snuffing? Why do we read certain blogs more than others, and what do we expect from the community in terms of feedback? How relevant is the blogosphere? Further, how does it fit in with our goals? The big picture? Chaudry (In These Times/Alternet) asks: "Can Blogs Revolutionize Progressive Politics?"(continued)

"The birth of a revolution-
Alienation may not have been the mother of blogging technology, but it most certainly birthed the "political blogosphere." The galvanizing cause for the rapid proliferation of political blogs and their mushrooming audience was a deep disillusionment across the political spectrum with traditional media -- a disillusionment accentuated by a polarized political landscape."


"Progressives were angry not just with the media but also with Democratic Party leaders for their unwillingness to challenge the Bush administration's case for war. That much-touted liberal rage found its expression on blogs like Eschaton ,Daily Kos and Talking Points Memo , and continues to fuel the phenomenal growth of the progressive blogosphere. Like the rise of right-wing talk radio, this growth is directly linked to an institutional failure of representation. Finding no mirror for their views in the media, a large segment of the American public turned to the Internet to speak for themselves -- often with brutal, uncensored candor."

"As blogs have grown in popularity -- at the rate of more than one new blog per second -- they've begun to lose their vanguard edge. The very institutions that political bloggers often criticize have begun to adopt the platform, with corporate executives, media personalities, porn stars, lawyers and PR strategists all jumping into the fray. That may be why Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, the founder and primary voice of Daily Kos, thinks the word "blog" is beginning to outlive its usefulness. "A blog is merely a publishing tool, and like a tool, it can be used in any number of ways," he says."

Just some thoughts and blogsoul-searching. What are your thoughts on why you blog, why you read them, what you read, and what you expect? Do you write to vent, inform, mock, satirize, educate, commiserate?