According to a Guardian article today, it's been 10 years since the first ever blog. There are now supposedly 70 million bloggers worldwide, with 1.5 million blogs being written a day! I'm a relative newcomer to the blogosphere, and I have to admit that I am something of a blogaholic! If I go at least a day without checking the blogs that I read frequently, I feel that I am being left out of the loop, and that I will miss out on a story. This may sound really sad to some, but to others no doubt the symptoms are well and clear!
Of course, blogging in most places is now a popular pastime, and a 'norm'. Although some bloggers have been unfortunate enough to be taken to court due to their blog content, others have reaped the benefits, and have become famous through the blogosphere alone. In many countries where blogging is not a norm as in Iraq, or where freedom of speech is suppressed, however, blogging is still a controversial hobby.
Before I started blogging I really did not see the benefits of it at all. My negative viewpoint stems from taking part in some web forums where, in my opinion, the voices of women were effectively ignored, and discussion was male dominated and cynical. Blogging is somewhat different in that you can create the story on your own agenda, shape it to how you would like it to sound, and engage in discussion on a far more equal playing field. It also sharpens your mind, and allows you to practise arguments (political in my case) that can be used in other areas of life.
I started blogging to air my opinions, not as a narcissist who likes the sound of my own voice. I want to engage with different people of different political persuasions, and hopefully encourage people to empathise with my way of thinking. As Glyn Davies has said on many occasions, blogging allows for you to become your own media, and highlight issues which other mainstream media channels may choose to ignore.
For now I will continue blogging. Nevertheless, my appetite for all things technological has grown, and I'm currently working on getting you tube films/ pod casts up and running, but that will be one for the future...
Of course, blogging in most places is now a popular pastime, and a 'norm'. Although some bloggers have been unfortunate enough to be taken to court due to their blog content, others have reaped the benefits, and have become famous through the blogosphere alone. In many countries where blogging is not a norm as in Iraq, or where freedom of speech is suppressed, however, blogging is still a controversial hobby.
Before I started blogging I really did not see the benefits of it at all. My negative viewpoint stems from taking part in some web forums where, in my opinion, the voices of women were effectively ignored, and discussion was male dominated and cynical. Blogging is somewhat different in that you can create the story on your own agenda, shape it to how you would like it to sound, and engage in discussion on a far more equal playing field. It also sharpens your mind, and allows you to practise arguments (political in my case) that can be used in other areas of life.
I started blogging to air my opinions, not as a narcissist who likes the sound of my own voice. I want to engage with different people of different political persuasions, and hopefully encourage people to empathise with my way of thinking. As Glyn Davies has said on many occasions, blogging allows for you to become your own media, and highlight issues which other mainstream media channels may choose to ignore.
For now I will continue blogging. Nevertheless, my appetite for all things technological has grown, and I'm currently working on getting you tube films/ pod casts up and running, but that will be one for the future...
4 comments:
Gone native, eh?
I wonder what persuaded you to give it a bash...
wouldnt want to give any credit to a journalist...!
Bet you won't be so nice after reading my post today (Mon).
I've read it and was going to react later. I was going to mention that your true feelings against Plaid are now finally out in the open and that I'm glad that people didn't fall for it. With all that talk of the Rainbow coalition, I think that it was just opportunism...
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