In Other Words

Academic Blogs

Found a group of essays on the nature of Blogging, called ‘into the Blogosphere’. I’ve read one of their essays and started in on another. I noticed one thing, for people trying to write about blogging these people haven’t understood one of the most fundamental aspects of it, namely the ‘down to earth’ nature of the successful Blogs. These people discuss the amazing potential and usefulness of blogs, with the very ivory tower loftiness that has made it so difficult for the universities to communicate with the majority of the people that attended them (ignoring, for the moment, the 80% of the population that hasn’t).

Though I know - especially in this case - that it isn’t true, I can’t help but feel that in using the language they to actively keep people out of their conversation. Especially since I’ve learned that it is possible to write about the thing discussed in university without having to rely on their academic lexicon. As long as they continue to write in this manner, they will never be able to tap the blogging potential that they speak so highly off and they will never achieve the things that they believe blogging has already placed within their grasp.

Blogging is just a tool, not a solution. It is up to the individual to learn how to use it.

posted by Symbol @ 23.9.04