Blogging Hitting The Big Time

Even the Economist has an whole special section on blogging on its latest issue. What I found surprising was that 41% of blogs are written in Japanese. Those guys are technology nuts over there!

This transition away from the mass media has been going on for a while. In terms of TV watching and radio listening, I have really cut down the amount of time I spend on those mediums. I do still read magazines and newspapers, but the ability to be disrupted by advertisements is not an issue. I go in, get the info I want and get out. No waiting around because a commercial break kicks in.

I think everyone can relate to particpatory media. We all get that warm and fuzzy feeling when people comment on our blogs, and we feel validated that our opinions are, if not approved, at least read and digested. It's human nature to be involved in conversations, as well as providing an outlet for our perspectives.

The big question is will having all these extra opinions help? Yes, everyone is entitled to an opinion, but does it add any value? The more voices there are, the less anyone can stand out as a voice of authority. It might mean that it's even harder now to determine what's good and what's bad. Sometimes ignorance is bliss :) For me, though, I would like to know the other side of the coin, and blogging is definitely a way to understand how other people think.

Damn! five cheap calls already:

"The big question is will having all these extra opinions help? Yes, everyone is entitled to an opinion, but does it add any value?"

The answer to both parts is, of course, yes. While not all blogs are equal, (some have much higher 'influencer' measures than others), for so long as we live, having an opinion is indicia that we, as sentient beings, have the ability to reason, to argue and that we are not wasting our God-given gifts to exercise these talents.

And most certainly it adds value. Blogs are here to stay and are not some random, temporal idea that's going to dissipate faster than dot.com-era shareholder wealth. For as long as we live in a civilisation with a diverse range of beliefs and interests, any and all viewpoints will continue to enrich our life-long experiences. And for as long as we live in a participatory democracy, it is our civic right and duty to express such opinions. But what makes blogging different is that unlike a backyard BBQ conversation, those opinions are attributable and on public display. While blogging may have the kitsch of the new to it, it has become one of the most efficient ways to get our message across to whoever wants to hear it - and isn't that just the lifeblood of freedom?

In short, blogging's really just the devolution downwards of the privileges of the old media - and those that control it.
Stephen (link) - 23 April '06 - 15:28

yeah, I've gotta get up my blog and start documenting my sexcapades here in Japan :-o Then I can stop spamming your blog.

Speaking of which, should be buying the car tomorrow. A mazda bongo friendee diesel 4wd with popup roof. A real beast, should be on the road for under $3,000 if all goes well at auction.

www.autoadvan.co.uk/vehicle/4ebay04.jpg

Check out that roof-poppin' madness!

RC
randomcow (email) - 26 April '06 - 09:24

What a crazy car! Which part of Japan are you in now? Wish I could visit...
Al
Al - 02 May '06 - 23:05

Haha, quality car mate. Send me a picture of you next to it (on in that roof) when it's purchased.

Wise words Stephen. The ability to participate is vastly more available with the internet (and blogging) than it has ever been.
JookBoy (link) - 06 May '06 - 06:16

dude, I've been marked as a spammer by your blog. I think it's because I tried to post with five links in my last post.

RC
randomcow - 07 May '06 - 18:09

1421 - A Review

It's a strange thing that my perception of the book has changed because I decided to read some more reviews on the book itself. Taken at face value, 1421 is a mind-blowing book that makes the Chinese look all that in maritime travel. Having sailed to Americas, Australia/New Zealand, around Greenland...if it was true, then I am thoroughly impressed with my great ancestors. The evidence given seems logical, and maybe a part of me wanted to believe that the Chinese actually did something in those days, instead of tooling around with the jade sphere within sphere things that take 2 years to create, and don't do much.

However, reading more reviews, this seems like it's falling into the "Da Vinci Code" category, only with more pictures and footnotes. There are many fallacies in Menzies' arguments ie the assumptions he makes leads to logical conclusions and then because of that conclusion he asserts that the assumption is a fact (?!). That and his website is very sparse on details and hard evidence.

One the bright aims of the book would have been to create awareness of history and more curious minds to delve deeper into it. Of course, the darker aim of this book is to create a bit of contraversy to help sales of the book. On both counts, Menzies has succeeded.

One of the quotes from the Amazon review page puts it very well:

"So, one is left at this - history is not an exact science much of the time, but it isn't a complete fiction or completely subjective dependent upon the whims of those who believe what they will believe, either. It is true that China was more advanced that Europe in many ways at this time, and that the Chinese did command larger fleets than the Europeans at this point in time. However, Menzies' conclusions here are based on interpretation that rests on the shifting sands of myth, legend, and documents with variable ideas of accuracy."

I wait to see what becomes of this thread. Maybe history will get rewritten...

Only one cheap call:

we rooled the seas (and da world) once upon a time (in china).. and one day soon we will again dominate this earth. reprezents yo!
giz - 20 April '06 - 23:32

Enjoy The Present

Talking to a friend the other day, and we were comparing the qualities of being in a relationship and being single. Being in a relationship means that I am very much in sync with my girlfriend's activities, and her with mine. We know where the other person is with a fairly high level of accuracy. Being single, on the other hand, means that you are free to come and go as you please. Go overseas for a while, take a day off work, try out a new hobby on a weeknight....all these things are possible because you have that freedom.

Another friend of mine talks about their singleness as if it's a really bad condition that they want to get rid of as soon as possible. What I have realised is that you have to take the good and the bad. You can be a when you're single, but at the risk of loneliness. You can have the comfort and companionship when you're going out, but at the risk of not being able to "play".

What it comes down to is that you should enjoy the present, and enjoy the situation as much as you can. Don't wish to be single when you're a couple, and don't wish to be a couple when you're single, because in reality the other side of the fence is never ever as good as you think it is. And if you do try to have your cake and eat it at the same time, it works for about a month....after that, someone is bound to get hurt.