Thoughts on Blogs

I've been telling people over the past 6 months or so, that blogs are a blessing and a curse. This statement has prompted responses of both agreement and disagreement, usually combined with a confused look. It's funny that 7 or 8 years ago relatively no one had a "blog" as we know them today, and now they're one of the most popular mediums with which to share information in our culture. Thus, in such a blog-centralized culture, I think my distrust of the blogosphere comes across to some as old-fashioned and/or backwards (not to mention my mixed opinions about Twitter and Facebook).

But here's the thing: I really do think blogs are great. There are a bunch of them that I follow, and I greatly enjoy the opportunity to get regular updates from writers and thinkers whose material I love to read. Essentially, blogs give us regular new writing from our favorite writers (if that makes sense). The blogging community also gives us a whole world really, where we can read and share ideas with those whom we share similar interests and concerns. You'll notice, my blogroll is ready to go on the side of my page here.

The problem that I do have with blogs, and that has come up in quite a few conversations over the past months, is really best summed up by D.A. Carson in a book I'm reading at the moment. The book is Why We're Not Emergent, by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck; the book is ultimately a critique of the emergent church movement, but in it there's a great little quote from Carson relating to the blogging community. He says,

"The feedback on blogs is immediate. You have a thought and then three minutes later it's published for the world to digest. And then in another three minutes you have anonymous folks posting messages about how wonderful you are. It tends to inflate one's sense of importance."

The author goes on to add,

"We [he and Carson] agree that there is something good about the editing process, the idea that your work sits for a while and is evaluated before being thrust before the world." *

Again, I don't condemn blogging for the most part. I think it's great. I love to read and find new blogs. But, they give every single person a platform to spout their opinions, regardless of how intelligent or ignorant they may be; and like Carson says, once a person publishes his/her thought, anonymous people can post their agreeing or rebutting comments (regardless of how intelligent or ignorant).

If you haven't done it, do me this favor: find yourself a blog post by someone you respect and/or agree with on something, where open comments are allowed on the post. Read the comments and see what people feel the freedom to say. Also watch out for the lack of proofreading.

Ironic that I've said all this in a blog post, and Carson's quote comes from an actual book. For every blog post of mine that you read, go read 2 books by D.A. Carson.

*DeYoung and Kluck, Why We're Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be), 93.