Learning to make things changes how we understand and consume those things.
When I started reporting the news as a teenager, I read the newspaper differently. When I learned to play guitar in my ’20s, I listened to songs differently. When I first played around with desktop video editing 15 years ago I began watching movies and TV differently.
It’s the same with writing: Learning how to write changes how we read — and how we think. This is from Maryanne Wolf’s excellent Proust and the Squid:
As the twentieth-century psychologist Lev Vygotsky said, the act of putting spoken words and unspoken thoughts into written words releases and, in the process, changes the thoughts themselves… In his brief life Vygotsky observed that the very process of writing one’s thoughts leads individuals to refine those thoughts and to discover new ways of thinking. In this sense the process of writing can actually reenact within a single person the dialectic that Socrates described to Phaedrus. In other words, the writer’s efforts to capture the ideas with ever more precise written words contain within them an inner dialogue, which each of us who has struggled to articulate our thoughts knows from the experience of watching our ideas change shape through the sheer effort of writing. Socrates could never have experienced this dialogic capacity of written language, because writing was still too young. Had he lived only one generation later, he might have held a more generous view.
What Vygotsky and Wolf observed about writing, we can extend and expand to writing in public. Writing for an audience is a special and important sub-case: it’s writing with feedback and consequences. Doing it yourself changes how you think about it and how you evaluate others’ efforts. The now-unfashionable word “empowerment” describes a part of that change: writing is a way of discovering one’s voice and feeling its strength. But writing in public involves discovering the boundaries and limits of that power, too. We learn all the different ways in which we are not the center of the universe. That kind of discovery has a way of helping us grow up fast.
So when I hear the still-commonplace dismissal of blogging as a trivial pastime or an amateurish hobby, I think, hold on a second. Writing — making texts — changes how we read and think. Every blogger (at least every blogger that wasn’t already a writer) is someone who has learned to read the world differently.
I’m preparing for some public talks later this month about Say Everything, which is why I’m revisiting this ground. It seems to me that, in our current bedazzlement with the transformative powers of social networking, we routinely underestimate the practical social importance of change at this individual level.
Clay Shirky, for instance, has focused, with great verve and insight, on how the Web enables us to form groups quickly and easily, and how that in turn is reshaping society. In his book Cognitive Surplus, Shirky identifies a spectrum of values stretching from personal to communal to public to civic. The spectrum, he writes, “describes the degree of value created for participants versus nonparticipants. With personal sharing, most or all of the value goes to the participants, while at the other end of the spectrum, attempts at civic sharing are specifically designed to generate real change in the society the participants are embedded in.”
This is a useful framework for discussion. What I think it neglects is the way the act of personal sharing changes individuals in ways that make the other sorts of sharing more imaginable to them. In other words, the spectrum is also a natural progression. The person who has struggled to turn a thought into a blog post, and then seen how that post has been reflected back by readers and other bloggers, is someone who can think more creatively about how sharing might work at other scales and in other contexts. A mind that has changed is more likely to imagine a world that can change.
In his great new book Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation, Steven Johnson describes the concept of “the adjacent possible.” This passage is from a recent excerpt in the Wall Street Journal, in which Johnson considers the improbable yet imaginable “primordial innovation of life itself”:
The scientist Stuart Kauffman has a suggestive name for the set of all those first-order combinations: “the adjacent possible.” The phrase captures both the limits and the creative potential of change and innovation. In the case of prebiotic chemistry, the adjacent possible defines all those molecular reactions that were directly achievable in the primordial soup. Sunflowers and mosquitoes and brains exist outside that circle of possibility. The adjacent possible is a kind of shadow future, hovering on the edges of the present state of things, a map of all the ways in which the present can reinvent itself.
The strange and beautiful truth about the adjacent possible is that its boundaries grow as you explore them. Each new combination opens up the possibility of other new combinations. Think of it as a house that magically expands with each door you open. You begin in a room with four doors, each leading to a new room that you haven’t visited yet. Once you open one of those doors and stroll into that room, three new doors appear, each leading to a brand-new room that you couldn’t have reached from your original starting point. Keep opening new doors and eventually you’ll have built a palace.
One way to assess the impact of blogging is to say that the number of people who have had the experience of writing in public has skyrocketed over the course of the last decade. Let’s say that, pre-Internet, the universe of people with experience writing in public — journalists, authors, scholars — was, perhaps, 100,000 people. And let’s say that, of the hundreds of millions of blogs reported to date, maybe 10 million of them are sustained enough efforts for us to say that their authors have gained real experience writing in public. I’m pulling these numbers out of a hat, trying to err on the conservative side. We still get an expansion of a hundredfold.
Each of these people now has an entirely new set of “adjacent possibilities” to explore. What they make of those opportunities will shape the next couple of decades in important, and still unpredictable, ways.
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Great post. While blogging still seems to lack a certain credibility in the eyes of many people I talk to, it is not coincidental that the individuals who generally seem skeptical of the discipline are themselves people who do not themselves engage with it. However, ask anyone who has invested the real energy and emotional capital to write something and present it to the universe, and you invariably hear stories of personal, perspective-expanding consequences. Ok, not always, but often. But your premise that “Every blogger is someone who has learned to read the world differently” is an important proposition that needs to be considered by many. Thanks for writing.
I’m a professional poet and novelist ( with grants and awards and a few fans but still kind of confidential writer, with good or so- so reviews and I’m used to thrive with very little feedback). I have been considering writing a blog but I’m still hesitating. This post and the marvelous Stuart Kauffman quote about the “adjacent possible” are very inspiring!
This is profound, Scott. Thanks for sharing it!
Excellent.
Scott, this is wonderful. I have of course experiences the transformative power of writing in public myself and watched others go through it as well. It’s really quite amazing.
It also reminds me of this video I remember seeing from a journalism conference in Detroit. In it, a TIME journalist (presumably someone fairly seasoned in the profession) talked about how she was irrevocably changed just by being on a prolonged blogging assignment: http://www.annatarkov.com/how-blogging-changed-a-time-journalist
I really think that blogging in particular is specific in the way it transforms the writer. That ties into my firm belief that people who began as bloggers can transition into being journalists, whatever that even means nowadays. I would love to see editors beginning to understand that it isn’t heresy to hire a blogger to write for a print product.
Great post, but I think it’s interesting to note that while among some groups, bloggers are looked down upon like you said, in other groups, someone who doesn’t blog is looked down upon. It won’t be long before “Do you have a blog?” turns into “What’s your URL?” just like “Do you have e-mail?” turned into “What’s your e-mail address?”
It’s about being able to communicate, and if you don’t take advantage of technology to do so, you’re part of an outdated trend rather than a new one.
Plus, I completely agree with the first paragraph. Just like learning an instrument makes you hear music differently, writing makes you a better reader and communicator.
This is a very interesting article about the evolution of writing and communication through the proliferation of internet technology. Given the rate that the technology has advanced, I am interested in seeing what the next decade holds for journalism, both independent and mainstream.
This post certainly counters the idea that blogging is just a place for amateurs to sling mud at people who disagree with them, or post simply about what they ate that day. But certainly the practice of doing these things can improve our skills, which is what I liked most about the idea of the adjacent possible. So many ideas exist and we can’t even reasonably comprehend them until we start reaching out, one step at a time.
The way that we do something doesn’t change the effect it has – in this case, blogging’s effect on our writing. I definitely can relate to this post in the fact that I’m never going to stop learning even after college and out in the “real world.”
Thanks for reminding us all that we can change how we perceive things and learning is an important tool in seeing progress. Great post!
I really enjoyed reading this post because the author does a great job of summarizing what I’ve always thought about blogging– that it’s just a hobby and has little impact on the way people see the world. My challenge has always been putting my thoughts into words; I do much much better with face-to-face dialogue about my thoughts and opinions. Perhaps that is my fear– learning how to get my point across in a few paragraphs.
After taking into account what Rosenberg has said, I am excited about the opportunity to begin my own blogs. I do indeed believe that my thinking and thought-process will evolve as a result of blogging. Updating my blog and coming up with various posts will for sure be the difficult part, but, in the long-term, this is such a fantastic opportunity for me to grow as an individual, as a writer, a journalist, and a professional.
Scott Rosenberg makes a very interesting point. In the past, blogs weren’t always considered a valid source for news or information. However, in recent years, they have become much more prominent and credible. Blogs have become a powerful forum in which one can publish their own ideas and receive valuable feedback. This ability to connect with others is lacking in other forms of journalism. Rosenberg is correct in that blogging allows for empowerment and new opportunities.
I think that this article about writing and its fairly new medium of the online world is spot-on and quite reflective of the modern day writing style. The concept and action of writing is ages old; its form unchallenged until recently. With the recent emergence of the World Wide Web, almost anyone with Internet access can become a self-proclaimed journalist or specialist on a particular subject of interest.
Putting one’s thoughts, perceptions and ideas into the written word is like putting pieces to a puzzle together. The words must fit together in an exact way to replicate these thoughts, perceptions and ideas. This is why the practice of writing is continual and can never be perfected.
I quote Rosenberg in this article: “A mind that has changed is more likely to imagine a world that can change.” I could not agree more. An online presence through blogging not only encourages constructive dialogue but promotes change. Though it is important to blog accurately and fairly as a blogger, one must also take into account his/her audience and structure it in the appropriate manner to the audience at large.
With many new palaces popping up it will be interesting to see how communication evolves in the future.
While it’s true that blogging is “writing with feedback and consequences,” I’d like to see many bloggers discover that they are not the center of the universe. Will that hinder or help evolve our communication?
I believe the way we are writing keeps changing. Today, anyone can call themselves a journalist. Although, blogging is a great tool to express a topic you know a lot about, it can be hard to decipher fact from fiction. I do think blogging is great way to hear a writers true voice though, because they are writing about something they know.
Thanks for writing!
Phenomenal! I really do agree with the idea of how “Learning to make things changes how we understand and consume those things”.
I know as a poetess, writer, and performer a lot of my pieces take a long time because I am forming my words and my delivery. I write and erase, write and erase, and write and erase again because I am thinking about how the audience will react or receive my piece. I also have the emotional aspect. I want to be able to clearly state how I feel. Then again there is the added pressure of then seeing performers that execute brilliantly on the most simple topics that also drives my sense of feeling inadequate or wanting to second guess my work.
I completely agree that once I have to create and have seen creators creations the way I understand and consume my own poetry and even others changes. So I fully agree and have seen that in my own hobbies and profession.
I have to admit upon reading this article I was a skeptic of the credibility of blogging. However, the adjacent possible opened up my mind to the idea of blogging. I was really able to connect to its concept with the visual of the magically expanding house. In relationship to blogging, its impact is felt when dealing with the number of people you can get across to.
Excellent post! I believe that blogging can really transform the way a person writes. Regardless if that person is a first time blogger or has been doing it for years. It’s a skill set that every journalist should have eventually at a point in time in their career. Blogging is a great way to see how differently people think and their views and opinions on different topics.
Blogging gives many writers, professionals or not, the ability to gain support and experience. When a person practices and uses certain skills, the better they will become and obtain more knowledge of the subject. Experience and knowledge lead to opportunity and this is how blogging can be beneficial to all. It could be personal satisfaction to blog or to share with others but it can lead to positive opportunities. The empowerment that is possible is obvious when a blogger is recognized by many listeners and followers. Blogging also allows writers to receive feedback from outside sources and allows writers to realize how they are constantly changing as writers.
after reading your blog the thing that i take away from it is the idea of “adjacent possible” which i have never heard of until now and i think is a really cool idea and i think that the number of possibilities when it comes to blogging is amazing. in fact i get most of my sports news from blogs where regular sports fans who most of them have never had journalism experience deliver the goods when it come to a particular sport or team. great job by the way really makes you think.
It is interesting to see the evolution of technology and writing. Blogging seems to be building opinions, making connections and allowing Americans to exercise their right of free speech. It is important people know how to voice their opinions in a healthy way. Blogging does not limit content which is great! I like that blogging allows the writer to be bold behind their screen and voice things they might not say face-to-face with the public. I am interested to see how credible blogging becomes for news sources in the future.
As I read this blog post the author F. Scott Fitzgerald came to mind. He once said, “you don’t write because you want to say something, but because you have something say.” With blogging, people around the world have the opportunity to share what they have to say. However, it seems that blogging is looked as a tool for writers who can’t get their writings published. In contrast, a blog can be used as a tool to communicate and educate while reaching people across the world.
Great post and very interesting! I especially like how you talk about blogging is just like “Doing it yourself changes how you think about it and how you evaluate others’ efforts”. That’s exactly what i think about blogging. Although I am not a blog person but I really enjoy reading some other people’s blog because I find that would be helpful sometimes if i need some information or opinions from others. And also blogging is like another way of communication for people who are not good at making face-to-face comment but would still like to share their thought of certain subject.
At first I didn’t agree with the author when he stated that we learn we are not the center of the universe because to me having a blog, Facebook page, or Twitter account seems like some of the most narcissistic things you can create. However, as I started to think about it more I realized that when you write a blog, it isn’t simply you that you’re writing for. You want others to read and continue to read your thoughts so you must at the very least pay attention to the feedback others give you. When you read other people’s opinions it leads to discovery of different ways to think about a topic and you learn to think about other ways to say through text just what it is you think.
Although that aspect it took a little while for me to understand where the author was coming from, right away I completely agreed with the author about how when a person is involved in a certain hobby or profession they begin to think about that thing in a different way.
Hey, thanks to all of you ASU people for the comments!
As Shakespeare once wrote, “All the worlds a stage, men and women are merely players.” Since then, an evolution in the written and spoken word has led to an evolution in how we communicate. It can be argued that, “All the web is a portal, and men and women are merely bloggers.”
It is a common fallacy that no one cares what you have to say. But as bloggers and tweeters and media users have proven, at least one person probably does.
When you begin to express yourself through words online, you begin to look at what other people write differently. You become part of a very accepting (or sometimes unaccepting) community of individuals who enjoy being a part of a online world, each one creating and distributing something completely different.
When Scott Rosenberg mentioned when he started doing something and noticing things differently (i.e. playing guitar and listening to music differently), I think it directly reflected what Steven Johnson said about when opening one door, there were three more present. Without taking that first step or understanding the basic of an element, you will never be able to fully comprehend any subject matter. I believe that social media isn’t getting the credit it deserves. As Rosenberg mentioned, it is underestimated. Publicly writing (or writing through twitter, Facebook, or myspace) is the way to “empower” yourself and develop a voice of your own. I believe this will ultimately give you a lead on understanding writing or anything more thoroughly.
Well put, Scott. I really enjoy your use of the “adjacent possible” in terms of blogging. As a young person who began his journey into the world of the written word through an online medium, my talents as a writer evolved exponentially as I began to become more aware of the varied formats, styles, methods of writing that one can employ. And so I feel that I can relate strongly to the notion conveyed in this post.
I have gone through this sort of “renaissance” at a few different times in my life — at first when I began to write prose as a teenager; again when I began film school, writing and producing my own films; and once more when I began writing for newspapers. Each of these different aspects of writing has opened doors in my own mind and allowed me to reach new heights. And as I become more aware of many more different aspects, I know my skills will expand greatly.
This post is extremely interesting and very well done. One of my favorite quotes in the article is: “Learning to make things changes how we understand and consume those things” – I completely agree with this. Once you understand how something functions, how it applies to the world, and the difference it can potentially make… you will forever view it differently.
I believe blogging is more than a pastime or ‘unprofessional hobby’ as so many refer to it as. Many of the non-supporters of blogging are typically people who do not blog, or do not follow any blogs that interest them. I’d have to imagine if these people found that certain niche that interests them and either started a blog about it or read a blog [or few] about it — they’d really enjoy this form of art. Blogging can bring the world together, it can make those people who feel they alone… actually feel part of a community. Blogging is a beautiful thing — but like every new form or nugget of technology, it just takes time.
Bloggers can be women, men, children, great-grandparents, college graduates, teenagers, etc. Anyone can blog — and that’s what is so special and unique about it. And what’s really coll about blogging…? You do not have to have a degree, you do not have to please every one who reads it, you do not have to “unbiased” — you can be you. And what can be better than that?
Stephanie Paeprer’s Blog Response:
As a journalism student, I immediately identified with how this post began. Since middle school I have read the NY Times and scanned the paper for interesting articles and any information that pertained to my life or those around me. Now as I start my last semester in journalism school I view every piece of media differently now, with a new eye, if you will. From newspapers to websites to the daily news and as the article pointed out, now blogs.
I personally have never created a formidable blog but that does not mean I do not appreciate the works and art of a creatively crafted and informative blog. Blogging has increased the worlds means of communication exponentially for both business and pleasure topics. While blogging may be criticized because anyone can create one, it does take a dedicated and intelligent soul to maintain a reputable site. Here Rosenberg touches on the great benefits such as niche writing and the ability to express personal opinion (i.e. freedom of speech).
Blogging has become an avid communication tool for web users alike and is not going anywhere anytime soon. With that in mind, we might as well take advantage of it while we can.
I believe that this post creates an innovative look at blogging as an inspirational stepping-stone rather than a means to an end. Far too often, life is lost in getting to the destination rather than the process involved to reach it. I think as an optimist, it is much easier to look at blogs in the light of offering the chance to open new doors, as this post suggests, instead of berating the publisher as a person who is only interested in posting the mundane details of their daily life. Blogs can be utilized as a way to incite passion in the readers or offer meaning between the lines, no matter how the content is taken at face value. Publishing a blog in the public domain forces writers to expand their thoughts to meet the expectations of their readers, but also to take an objective point of view on how to improve when everything is laid out in words. I think the most important point to take from this post is that regardless of what the blog features, it is always valuable content if taken in the right context and applied to inspire people to think or react. “Keep opening new doors and eventually you’ll have built a palace”
Your blog is very inspiring, it has a lot of great truths about blogging and the things people can learn from it. I created my blog about a year ago and have found that it has made me open up my mind to so much more in life. When I first started blogging it was simply for myself, I had no other followers, no one to read my thoughts, it was my way of releasing my opinions in the world. Once I started getting followers and receiving comments on my blogs it really felt great, that I actually had people reading and giving me insight on my thoughts. Like you said, “Clay Shirky, for instance, has focused, with great verve and insight, on how the Web enables us to form groups quickly and easily, and how that in turn is reshaping society.”
My friend who also blogs recently wrote a blog about how she is looking for an internship in L.A. Not even ten minutes after she posted it she received about three responses from her followers giving her information on opportunities. Blogging isn’t just a way to share your thoughts but also to network and create, and this is what is reshaping our society as well.
After reading this blog, I found that I am less skeptical about starting my own blog. I really didn’t understand the use for it and the importance, but now I do. It is a big social network that allows people to connect and discuss various topics.
I liked this blog a lot, because it gave me more insight about blogging and how it is helpful in our society. But, I didn’t agree with you at first about how blogs and other networking sites do not make us self centered since they seem to provide information only about ourselves. However, they really don’t. There are many people out there who are very interested in certain areas or topics and they would just like to expand their knowledge to everyone else and hope to possibly gain more knowledge as well along the way.
Also, I do agree with the author about how blogging allows people to change their words and that they may think of ideas or topics in different ways. It gives people an open mind and more connections to more ideas. It really seems to change the way people think.
It is motivating to me hearing more about blogging from a pro lol It sounds more fun and interesting after learning more about it.
This is a great blog. I never realized the impact that blogging has. I have always known that a lot of people blog but always thought most get lost in the internet abyss. This article made me realize that writing shares ideas with the community and sparks new thoughts not only for yourself but for others and these thoughts can and will create change.
The part about how reading and writing makes you view things differently really struck up some thoughts that I have had– in high school I was originally placed in the average English class and realized I should go to accelerated. The next year I was put into the higher level and it was like culture shock, all the kids in my class were in calculus, and used big words and I was in the lowest level math and did not have a large vocabulary. But I did not let that get me down, I still got good grades and began to learn bigger words, yet embraced being able to describe a story just as good with basic words. Even the books were so much more challenging than I expected, but to my surprise I loved the books and understood them and forever look at reading, writing and the world differently. After that class I noticed a huge change in my writing and reading abilities and learned so much and to this day I appreciate that class and look to it as a turning point in my life to become a better person, and this blog reminded me of that.
I also really liked the motivational feeling I got from this blog. It explains how a blog gives you a voice but at the same time it gives you perspective that the world doesn’t revolve around you, kind-of like the quote that goes something like : “in the universe you are small , but at the same time the universe and world was created for you to live on.” It just really helps you realize that you have the ability to create the change that you want in yourself and others just by speaking about something important to you. I feel that it is very important to speak your mind and respect other peoples viewpoints and learn of them in order to have a greater sense of the world.
This blog truly makes you remember that steps that may seem insignificant (like making a blog) can really make a big impact on the world and yourself. It shows that in any area of life you should not think any step is insignificant because you are noticed and you can and will make a difference. You are heard.
Thanks for reminding me!
Great post! When I first started to familiarize myself with the world of blogging, all I viewed bloggers as were people who just needed another place to express and force their opinions on to other people. Although, in a sense, this is still what I believe, I completely agree, “Every blogger… is someone who has learned to read the world differently,” but not only that- they have the courage to share that with the public.
Everyone has their own opinions and own ideas, but to be able to put them all together and publish them for the world to read (and most likely criticize) is truly honorable. Having the convenience to use the World Wide Wed to search and educate ourselves on a blogger’s area of expertise is something that everyone should take advantage of.
I love the excerpt from the Wall Street Journal that we should view “the adjacent possible” as a house that “magically expands with each door you open,” amazing way to put it!
Thanks for sharing with us!
Ideally, bloggers should have goals beyond simply putting down words that will be seen in public. The content and style are important, too. The appeal for many to start blogging at a young age is reaching out to peers and receiving feedback from people they know (or, in some cases, don’t know). Not everyone writing a blog is necessarily developing good writing skills, although they are probably writing better than without any other form of consistent writing experience. Yet how much has social media resulted in the depreciation of language in favor of brevity? Twitter is now one of the most popular forms of online communication and it limits people to 140 characters. Most of Twitter is garbage, the most worthwhile posts coming from professionals linking to more in-depth material. The reason blogging is trivialized as an “amateurish hobby” is because many blogs do not contribute much to the larger community on the web. It can provide value to those doing the blogging who are looking for an outlet to connect with specific people, but outside that limited social network, those posts may contribute nothing or might not even be comprehensible. In the right hands, however, blogging is a powerful and useful tool. The trick is separating the wheat from the chaff.
“When I started reporting the news as a teenager, I read the newspaper differently. When I learned to play guitar in my ’20s, I listened to songs differently. When I first played around with desktop video editing 15 years ago I began watching movies and TV differently.”
I agree with you here. As we begin to learn the method behind that magic curtain we can really gain a true sense of perhaps what the person was thinking or feeling when they created the content whether it be a news package, song or home movie etc.
An old friend of my family was a broadcast journalist for KTVQ-2 in Billings, Montana where I grew up. When I was younger and I was introduced to some of his work I was fascinated. From then on I began to really dissect newspaper articles and ask my parents loads of questions every night about what we had just seen on the 10 o’clock news.
The same went for music when my best friend taught me how to play the guitar at the age of eleven. Music for me was never the same. I don’t know how I could ever live without music? It is so important to me and in my own writing it has been a way for me to process events both positive and negative through my music. It is now a form of therapy.
In are world today a blog is a way to express anything that is on the mind of a person. A child to an elder old woman can post and blog. It seems today with so many eyes on the internet over seeing anything and everything the blogs that get noticed are the ones that are edgy and give someone knowledge into something they know nothing about or gives the reader the ability to learn something new threw the experience of another human beginning. Looking at a blog in the ways that Scott described gives the world of blogging some sort of direction if you will. It is as though blogger’s should be held to a higher standard now a days and they should get away from using a blog to slam someone or someone’s ideas.
I could not agree more to Scott’s blog. Blogging and text messages has made a profound influence of how society reads and communicates with the world. Blogging, as we know it, has evolved from a random voice on the internet, to a profession. The more a blogger is dedicated with creating new blogs, the greater his/her popularity will grow.
Blogging has evolved so rapidly, many online users find certain blogs as a means of creditable news. These adjacent possibilities will continue to unfold, leading to new norms of blogging.
I found this blog very interesting. This was the first blog I have ever read. I was always drawn away from reading blogs because I never really understood the meaning of them. After reading this blog though I have developed an understanding and appreciation for blogging. It allows us to connect with other individuals who share similar interests, opinions and viewpoints. Through blogging I feel I can develop an appreciation for other people and their writing. Blogs allow people to share their own experiences with readers and give them a sense of their own personality and style.
It’s interesting how each new thing we learn; we begin to look at things differently. One really doesn’t begin to formulate an appreciation for music, writing, movies, etc. until they have an understanding of the amount of work and time that goes into producing it. Learning how to write really does change how we read. In writing, each individual develops his or her own sense of flair and personality. We are all different. Through writing my own blogs I feel I would be able to develop a whole new outlook for my own writing and the works of others.
This was a very fascinating article. It gave me a fresh perspective on blogging. To be honest I don’t know very much about the blogging world. I always thought that people who wrote blogs only talked about themselves. Now I realize that the blogging world is full of inspiration and individualism. There are no limitations on what a blog can be about.
In this article it shares the idea that through blogging people are able to share their views, thoughts, and expressions to the world. The world of blogging has opened up so many possibilities for writers and readers everywhere. My favorite quote from this article was, “A mind that has changed is more likely to imagine a world that can change.” By blogging people are able to open up their minds, and see the perspectives of individuals all over the country and world.
Blogging isn’t just for professionals nor is it strictly for amateurs. I don’t know who said blogging had to be completely accurate and I don’t know why one would think that way. A world that enables people to instantly publish their thoughts for everyone to see should leave credibility to the SPJ. Blogging allows people to post what they want, learn what they want, and believe what they want. Never before have so many people be able to decide for them selves. My great Aunt Wanda is nearing her 80th birthday and believes if she reads something it must be fact. But the blogging world has learned that we should know better. We don’t have to believe everything just because it shows up in a Google search. What’s beautiful about blogging is if you don’t believe what you read, write a blog. So, well said Scott.
This post has encouraged me to take blogging more seriously and to look into it as a new medium to develop my skills. I’ve always felt that blogging was only meant for certain people, but Rosenberg explores the idea that, with enough practice, more people could write interesting blogs. As an aspiring journalist who has often contemplated the idea of a blog but decided against it because I felt I had nothing useful or eloquent to say at this point in my life, I’m reconsidering my position. One’s blogging talents may begin as rough words, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. Though sometimes I feel as though there is nothing I could say that hasn’t already be said, as mentioned in the excerpt of Steven Johnson’s Wall Street Journal article, maybe there is something in my head that hasn’t been said yet. Buried in there could be an original thought, waiting to be discovered in the expanding boundaries of my ‘adjacent possibilities.’
I tend to think of blogging as an extension of journaling that gives writers an opportunity to share their thoughts in a way that wasn’t possible before. People have written private journals chronicling their lives and ideas for years and, in rare instances, journals are published and open up the writer’s life to public review. Most, however, remain hidden and die with the writer. Blogging provides an open forum that can outlive the writer and bring him or her to public attention, even on a small level.
I like what Shirky says about the web allowing groups to form. Today it’s so much easier to find people with similar interests and correspond or form clubs. I have to wonder if the Tea Party, which came together so quickly during Obama’s presidency, would have had the strength in numbers to become as strong as it did without the internet allowing its supporters to connect.
One of the downsides I see to blogging is that it also provides a level of anonymity under which people will write obscene and hurtful things they would never say out loud. Even though there are fantastic blogs with insights on countless topics, there are also blogs used to stir animosity and fear. Free speech is something we cherish in the United States but the anger that comes from blogs and their comments hurt the credibility of blogging. I wish people were more considerate about what they write rather than allowing those few seconds of intense emotion about a subject to dictate their responses.
I really enjoyed reading your blog and found it eye opening. I have no experience blogging. I have however, tweeted, updated my Facebook status and written many papers expressing my thoughts on whatever I thought was worthy of sharing to others at the time. It seems to me that any great writer, whether they appear in the form of a blogger, novelist, or journalist, needs to have read a lot in order to reach their full writing potential. It does, indeed, expand the awareness and creativity of the writer, specifically if it is displayed to a public. Blogging, especially, both opens certain freedoms and blankets others. When you described writing for an audience as “writing with feedback and consequences”, it most definitely does just that. Freedom of writing from disclosure of ones identity can only go so far when people are listening.
This was a very inspiring read. I believe it will give me a different outlook for the blog I will be jump-starting soon in my online media class.
I’m just starting a new Digital Media class as a sophomore in college and I’ve never had much appreciation for blogging. I used to be one of those people who dismissed “blogging as a trivial pastime or an amateurish hobby.” I think the main reason for this was because I didn’t think it took much creativity or skill to blog. The amount of misspelled comments or often extremely rude political/social rants that I was reading every day on YouTube videos or news articles made me think that every blog I might read would end up exactly like that- a misspelled, ignorant view of the world. However, I’ve been introduced to blogging because of my class and I think your point is spot on, reading and writing blogs DOES change how we read and think. We may not agree with everything that is being said but it does open up opinions and views of the world that we may not have thought of before. It takes skill to get your thoughts across clearly, to market yourself so people are actually reading your blog, and to write something interesting enough that people will keep coming back for more. Just by reading a few blogs I now am interested in something I felt a certain disdain for before and I think that itself is a testament to its importance in our society.
Society has adapted to the progressive nature of our world by giving us the opportunity to share our innermost thoughts and daily antics online. Cultural, ethnic and geographical gaps are shortened drastically, if not closed all together. Rather than tagging the blogosphere as a hotbed of conflicting opinions and overzealous statements with no factual basis – we have the opportunity to seek out the reality of a situation first, and read a blogger’s reaction second. We gauge our own thoughts, compare them, and are able to make clearheaded decisions based upon that process. In an atmosphere as fast paced as our own, it’s a humbling experience to learn that those online have similar experiences and reactions to share with ourselves. Great post, Mr. Rosenberg.
Interesting post!
I always find it amusing how I can read a piece of writing and interpret it a certain way, and just a few months later I can read the same piece and see it in a whole different light.
By reading pieces more than once, I learn more about myself and how I have changed. In this same way, I have found that blogging can help me identify myself and illustrate the growth I make throughout the years (as a writer and as a person).
I definitely agree that blogging is more than just a pastime or hobby. It’s a way for people to identity themselves, learn from the past and develop into more successful individuals.
Certainly the most interesting part of the “adjacent possible” idea for me is the fact that so many people can be reached this way. It really is extraordinary. A slight change of phrase in a piece could open “doors” that otherwise may not have been approached.
Writing is an exploration of many worlds for both the writers and readers. It truly doesn’t matter where the writing located – even Facebook posts can spark an exploration. The only thing that matters is that ideas are being shared between people. Like you said, the internet surely helps this process, bringing people, who otherwise would never meet, together in a deep way through words.
I really appreciate the assertion that blogging is useful in more than one traditional way.
I’ve been hesitant to start a blog because I’ve been focusing too much on the most inside-the-box question possible: “What important stuff do I even have to say?” However, this post helped me to realize that blogging isn’t always about the inside of the box.
Whether or not I say something important with every blog post, at least I’m opening doors out of that box– developing my public communication thought processes and building that magical palace.
In light of the ‘adjacent possible’ theory, I’m even more excited to see what digital communication will enable– for both me and for society as a whole.
My views on blogging have certainly changed since they first became popular. I first thought they were misused, commonplace and dull. This was because the ones I found were mere journals of people’s daily life. Now blogging has become more refined and is a more effective tool for communicating. In the past I didn’t blog, as I thought it would only be a diary and who would care about that? Now I realize I can use my experience and knowledge in a different way and pass it on to others. As you mentioned we all have our own perceptions on life. If I am interested in other people’s views, why wouldn’t people be interested in mine?
What you said about learning the basics of how something works or how to do something helps you to understand its complexities in a different way is thought provoking and insightful. Whenever I start a new hobby or learn about something foreign to me it gives me power to view that thing in a different perspective. I absolutely agree with you that when you start to blog and learn about blogging you get the same sort of power.
The way you related this to Johnson’s excerpt was even more inspiring. When we learn about anything all kinds of opportunities reveal themselves. I have experienced this with many different hobbies but only slightly with blogging. Frankly, I didn’t think anyone would even see my blog besides close friends and relatives; but after one stranger “reblogged” me I felt this strange sort of responsibility to be informed about what I write and share with others. I think this is the feeling you are talking about.
Of course, it seems limiting because you realize that someone is watching what you write, but it is in fact empowering because what you write is no longer going into a virtual journal, it is being shared. Ultimately this empowerment gives us a greater calling to write better, explore new topics and discover the “adjacent possibilities”. Thank you for your post it was truly inspiring.
As I was reading your post, Scott, I found myself nodding my head in agreement. One year ago I entered the blogosphere hesitant that I would become just another person with a mediocre blog. I thought about all the blogs out there with so much information and how mine would get lost in the mix. Throughout the course of my experience blogging I realized that every person’s blog really does count.
Through writing on my food blog, Gourmet Gab, I discovered the magic of turning daydreams and thoughts about food, flavors and restaurants into words, paragraphs and content. I learned to appreciate all published works, whether a book or a blog, because I now understand the process from turning ideas into a finished product for the public to see. Now, like you pointed out, after blogging for others to read, I take in content through a new set of eyes with a changed mindset.
I appreciate how you shed light on the positive aspects of social media and I look forward to sharing this article with others!
Until recently, I shared the common view of blogging you described in your post. I dismissed it as a hobby, and one I needn’t add to my busy schedule. Even more so, I deemed it as a community that weakened the credibility of an already struggling industry, journalism. Countless StumbleUpon encounters, blogging friends, and now your post, have since inspired me to start my own blog. After reading this, I have even more of an interest in the blogging community, and specifically, what it can do for my line of work as a journalist. Your information on the “adjacent possible” has not only given me one more reason to begin the journey of blogging, but it will inspire many others to do the same! Great post!
I’ve never been one to blog, but I can see how blogs have evolved into a powerful tool in our society, especially given your idea of empowerment.
There are of course millions of blogs with a large variety of topics. However, blogs have the power to give the once unheard a voice. The shy are suddenly heard not only by their peers or coworkers, but by people from all over the world. Perhaps a young student who has issues connecting to people within his or her school decides to start a blog to post thoughts and feelings. Soon that student will surely receive feedback from others who share and understand those feelings. That connection, even if it spans across millions of miles, has an affect on that shy or insecure blogger.
Blogs also have the power to draw attention to issues that may not be widely recognized. The issues might not have enough grandeur to be covered by local or national newspapers, but no doubt they will affect some people in some way.
There is also a limit to that power, with naysayers or “trolls” becoming so frequent. Authors and journalists have critics, and as blogs have evolved into a powerful force, they gained critics too. Not only do these trolls point out a blogger’s flaws, but they also spam that blog. Not only do those trolls diminish the power of the voice of the blogger, but they also may prevent readers from returning.
Every once in a while I wonder whether blogging is beneficial, but then something happens to remind me of its merits. Lately, I’ve realized blogging helps me become a better writer–a point you touched on. Writing for the public is entirely different from writing for myself. It’s more difficult, surely, because I constantly have to think and rethink my ideas, word choice, organization and details. But once I’m done, I always feel like I worked out my thoughts much more completely. When I know other people can read my writing, I have to consider more than just my perspective and anticipate how people will receive it.
Pardon me if I sound a bit too philosophical in this response; however, I feel that the very concept of the “adjacent possible” is philosophical in nature.
During the Renaissance, Pico Della Mirandola spoke of man’s magnificence as the gift of choice and the infinite possibility that comes along with it. As humans, we have the potential to create a world that was only a dream–a lofty figment of imagination–a few years ago. And like the example of a house that continually grows, man’s own ingenuity increases exponentially with every new advancement (be it technological or otherwise).
Although blog will likely carry a negative connotation for years to come, I believe that the idea of individuals as self-publishing authors is a great advancement for mankind as a whole. Imagine someone before the invention of the Gutenburg press trying to fathom the day when every person on Earth can access a world wide web and produce content for others to read and interact with. I think that stands as a testament to the power of man to achieve nearly limitless creation.
I don’t think many would argue conceptually that blogging will improve a person, but I do find myself hesitant to think that all bloggers make a good use of the technology (especially in a manner that would be beneficial to both self and society). Of course, that’s simply my own judgment, and I’m sure other people find Perez Hilton more informative than J. David Goodman. I prefer to consider myself not part of that group.
Please don’t consider me too cliché when I repeat the words of Uncle Ben in the 2002 Spider-Man, but I’m a firm believer that “With great power comes great responsibility.” As such, I believe that man has a great power with the ability to blog, but we must use such a technology responsibly to ensure that it is for the betterment of society.
What struck me the most about this article is the concept of learning by doing, and the process of expanding and growing our own boundaries through attempting to break those that we self-impose upon ourselves. It is through trial, error, and success that we find empowerment. Picasso’s first work of art didn’t receive critical acclaim, nor did Steven Spielberg’s first homemade movie. However, by presenting these expressions of the self to others we slowly break down those walls and begin to view things in ways we had never seen before.
Blogging can act in the same way. By presenting ideas, opinions, stories or concepts to others in a public setting, we find a new voice and continue to grow, refine, and see things in a new light. However, this is criticized by many. Maybe it is because we are presenting our growth, instead of our fully defined, “Louvre quality” work. Hopefully, we can begin accepting growth to be just as meaningful as perfection. We all have to start somewhere, and those raw voices often have a lot more to offer than people realize.
Thanks for your article!
I was very impressed with what Scott had to say about blogging. Prior to reading this post, I would say my opinion about blogging was rather nonexistent because I failed to see the importance of what it has to offer. I assumed it was multimedia facet for people to word-vomit their opinions on the internet. However, the way Scott explained the relativity of blogging helped me to see its pertinence in a different way.
“Learning to make things changes how we understand and consume those things.” As living beings we are growing, changing, and evolving throughout our entirety. Not a day goes by that I don’t learn something new. I interpreted Scott’s message of learning as it being a boundary of creation, which means that if we take the responsibility to create, we must also take the responsibility to learn.
Because I value this creative learning process, it encourages me to become a blogger and also to read more blogs for me to be the better reader and writer that Scott discusses. I want to commit to changing the way I think, and I look forward to see how blogging can help me achieve this.
From the start, I viewed blogging as a developmental stage for me in my journalism career. A place where I can hone my writing skills, express my passion for my interests and then connect to a larger community of people who also share such interests. Then I can use it to help evolve my career in exciting, new directions. In that way, the concept of “adjacent possible” that you mentioned perfectly summarizes my initial feelings toward starting a blog of my own. But, reading your blog has made me a believer that such a blog can easily be integrated into the brand that represents me as a professional. I’m now convinced that a blog need not be considered the work of an amateur, but a writer whose style and image evolves with the blog. I have always had an interest in starting a blog and have done some research on various blogging websites, but never really got around to starting it. After reading this inspirational post, I am more excited than ever about starting my own blog.
I completely agree, and I loved the citing of the adjacent possible. Better writers make better people. Someone who can write well can usually read well, and vice versa, and people who read know more, period. Blogging is so much more effective than we give it credit for. My dad was fervently blogging about the candidate of his preference during the 2008 election, just because, and one day, the campaign committee of the opposing party cited his work on a different page, commenting that they thought the blogging was so intense, it must be done by someone paid by the party’s committee. Well, my dad was never paid, except for perhaps in personal satisfaction.
Blogs, be they about fashion, music, politics, religion, are a forum for ideas. And since the internet is boundless, how can we claim that there’s no point to publishing on it? Even if no one ever reads your blogs, at least you took the time to write it and develop your thoughts.
It’s interesting how blogs have no end goal. The goal is to have no end, to continue growing. Much easier in this century than in those without internet access.
As blogging has opened up countless opportunities for a writer to journey through self-expression and self-discovery, it has been critiqued as a narcissistic or even pointless outlet. Your article has proven that this is simply unfounded. The power of public writing transcends one’s self; its ability to proliferate ideas and opinions continues to open doors (both literally and figuratively) that will shape the evolution of society for years to come. Both insightful and inspiring, this post has achieved its very purpose: to unlock the voices of a generation that will change the world.
I really enjoyed reading this blog. I agree with the idea that in order to learn, people must do. I think that bloggers lack credibility and I understand why. There is never a promise that what we read online from a blogger is factual unless we also research the topic as well. However, we get our information by doing research and it does not hurt to get another persons insight on the subject. I believe that blogging is a very good tool in learning and sharing. Reading other peoples blogs also pushes people to look for accurate information, and it creates more interest in the topic.
I agree with a lot of what was stated in the blog entry. I believe that the more people understand the purpose of blogging, the more popular it will become and the more credible people will view the writings of bloggers.
I used to be closed minded when it came to blog writing thinking it was like an online diary where people dumped their emotions. I was very wrong. I quickly learned that blogs can bring people with similar interests together and create communities about various topics.
A lot of people, like myself, believe that blogging has no value, but I learned quickly that it does have value and I think it needs to be realized.
What Scott had to say was a perfect example of how people need to stick up for blogs and blog writers. I enjoyed it and I hope that people start receiving blogging as a more credible source of writing.
Scott, this is a great post! I can attest to the idea that when publishing online content in a blog format, new ideas and innovation in content can spur.
I began holding a personal blog years ago, one with little interest from readers other than family members. From this blog, I have encountered numerous bloggers and have expanded my idea of blogging. What was once an outlet of word vomit, transitioned to a structured and organized collection of personal thoughts and events.
Through this, I have connected with many different bloggers. And through connections, I read their content, and their Blogroll and discover new ideas. This leads me to another blog on another topic, and in another circle of bloggers. The progression is endless.
The opening analogy is very applicable to everyday life. It helps me to understand why people are interested in certain things. A doctor understands the human body and how it works, so looks at every meal in terms of what the meal is going to do, good or bad, for the doctor.
In the same way a journalist, or someone who understands writing and sending a message, looks at other people’s writings and see’s the message being sent. People who take no effort in understanding the world around them let are the ones most susceptible going through life with out ever receiving the correct message and thus are lost.
The same applies to blogging and it will be interesting to see what “the adjacent possible” comes to be interms of blogging and its future.
Blogging has fascinated me for years and I’m happy to read an eloquently worded argument on its behalf.
I find the metaphor of the room with four doors remarkably pertinent. Even in my own humble experiences with blogging I’ve engaged people and sparked conversations and thoughts that would not have begun without either what I’ve posted, or the visit I paid to another blog.
Blogging is often dismissed with a quick wave of the hand under the notion that it’s a group of 16 year old girls ranting about their latest heartbreak. While this faction exists, it’s not the demographic by which to judge the whole blogosphere.
As with anything else, blogging is defined and its legacy is created by those who participate in it. Some of the best (and worst) writing I’ve read has been on a blog. Both extremes, as well as the vast middle, exist purposefully. All who blog, as Scott’s post suggests, are on their own path to opening new and ever expanding doors.
Thanks for adding to the blogging world, Scott!
Great article. I completely know what you’re saying. If you look at that now you can almost argue the same thing about YouTube has made everyone a potential short film maker. It’s the internet that changed the world ever since AOL launched to Windows in 1991. Seriously before youtube the only people that made movies were filmmakers.
But going along the lines of blogging, yes it has changed everything. Anyone can be journalist, a columnist, a short story writer, or any other thing that expresses one’s personal thought to the public. Journalism is becoming a hobby, and I find that sad.
I read blogs often and I really love blogs, but I feel as though there was a certain charm to reading a newspaper. It’s like the difference between a photo on a film camera and a digital camera. There’s just something special about holding a newspaper, and getting your fingers dirty that makes me miss it.
I could completely relate to this post, Scott. I very much liked the beginning example where you spoke about being able to see things in a different light once you became involved in that hobby.
I feel the same way, you are able to understand and appreciate the hobby more once you become involved.
I also loved the “Adjacent Possible” concept. Blogging is a perfect example of one door opening and three doors being behind it. For example, the idea of citizen journalism. Many people create blogs and do the research and reporting themselves. This has created a situation where news organizations aren’t in control of the news anymore-anyone can snap a photo, write a story, and post it on their blog.
As a writer, I agree that my writing is constantly evolving based on feedback from editors and peers. My writing changes based on the topic, the story, the format, and the tone required.
Blogging has the ability to reach a wide audience, while being profound and meaningful in some cases. It can be about a broad topic, or a very specific topic, reaching certain interests just like The Food Network and the Travel Channel. There are no doubt endless “adjacent” possibilities in the world of blogging, as the World Wide Web continues to evolve in exciting ways.
The most thrilling thing to me about blogging is that the user is entirely responsible for creating content. All of the power is in the hands of the writer, which is at times both frightening but also inspiring if the writer has something meaningful to say.
As a girl with very limited experience in the world of blogging, I am excited to learn more about a field that has just as much potential to reach a vast audience as newspapers and magazines.
I really enjoyed this article. So many times I have been dismissed when I say that I keep two different blogs to organize and express my thoughts about the things that interest me. It is refreshing to see that someone acknowledges that blogging is a great form of writing that allows people to share their thoughts and opinions in a unique way.
Being a good writer is something that truly does take practice and dedication. When someone dedicates their time to writing when they are not required to, this is something that goes above and beyond and should be celebrated. I blog about my interests proudly because it is my forum to express myself and take in other people’s ideas and views as well. Great article.
I am glad I had the opportunity to read such a well written blog post, one that finally shows the true potential of the art of blogging.
I have wanted to start my own personal blog for quite some time now, but I have always thought I would be frowned upon by potential employers if I did so. As you put it, blogging is often seen as a “trivial pastime or an amateurish hobby.” You and others like you, however, bring credibility to the blogging world. You have unlocked, for me and probably many others, the true potential of what blogging can do.
Blogging gives everyone the opportunity to self-explore. You can put your ideas out to the public to see who is reading your writing and what they are saying about it. It is such an interesting opportunity and I, also, am eager to see what everyone does with these new “adjacent possibilities”.
Thank you Scott for the post and the enlightening experience.
The idea that writing for the public shows us quite clearly that we are not the only ones with thoughts and ideas is true. Many people blog, but the vast number forces writers to become more creative and truly define their subject. Carving out your niche will definitely change the way you read other posts. If it is on the same topic, you may wonder what was left out or question the way they presented the material. If the post is on a completely different topic, you begin to make connections and create threads tying the two seemingly different pieces together.
Creating these connections also opens new opportunities, like you mentioned. Once a connection has been made, the writer can choose to run in a new direction.
It is interesting to see how much the world has changed from the aspect of public writing. Being a student and new to the world of blogging, I feel as though I have the power to voice any opinion. As the cliché saying goes, we have a blank canvas and are free to express ourself as we wish.
I really enjoyed Scott’s view on the adjacent possible and how easy our understanding of concepts can change. He was correct when he said, “Learning to make things changes how we understand and consume those things.”
When you stop to think about how much we learn from actual experiences themselves, it’s mind blowing. You can’t judge anything until you give it a full chance. It takes time and patience, but the reality of growing and learning is worth it. Blogging has changed writers and the public into becoming a more open and interactive community.
This post is very insightful and well written about a subject I know very little about. Blogging is defined differently for me because of how passionate and knowledgeable your post is about blogging. I like many others was ignorant and thought of the stereo typed loser in his mother’s basement as a blogger.
Of course there might be some bloggers that are vulgar or have radical ideas. Although now I am able to realize they are not the majority but there are serious bloggers who take great pride in their work. Blogging can be a very helpful tool into becoming an effective writer.
I think the biggest fear when dealing with online media is credibility. Today, anybody can create a blog and put their view on any given topic out to the public. I like where Scott says “Doing it yourself changes how you think about it and how you evaluate others’ efforts.” It is here that we are able to see that the more as a writer you are publishing yourself the more you are bound to hold others accountable for what they are writing.
Personally I have never created my own personal blog, and I enjoyed reading this because it showed a different aspect to blogging and how this form of media is having an effect on the world.
I think when many think of blogging there is some stereotypes that go along with the subject and do to those stereotypes people tend to stay away from it. However, after reading this blog post by Rosenberg I am excited to not only learn how to blog, but also creating my own blog to help my career as a journalist. Blogging allows you to have self-expression, build a network and social community, and get your name and work out to the public, which can only open more doors for you professionally if done right.
Well written and explained post!
When I first heard the term blogging a few years ago, I was under the impression it was an online journal open to the public’s eyes. What I think this post presents though, is the flip perspective about the negative connotations that blogging often receives.
As a college student, I can attest that we are often advised to stay away from using blogging sites as sources in research papers or referencing to them in general. However, what Scott brings up in this post is that blogging opens up a whole new world of writers who are exploring their abilities and passions. While blogging may be filled with people’s opinions, it’s really a form of expression and a lot of bloggers gain expertise the more they delve into a particular subject.
For me, blogging is a way of creative writing that I feel journalism often shuts its doors to. Blogging opens up a world where we can be expressive and like Scott mentions, “writing is a way of discovering one’s voice and feeling its strength”. Not only is blogging helping writers discuss important subject matters and passions, but it’s allowing them to find their voice and personality and learn about the art of writing in a space with no boundaries…except the public.
I don’t have much experience with blogging, but I appreciate the idea of using a blog as a tool to expand one’s knowledge on a certain subject. My vague familiarity with blogs is dealing with video production and finding answers to technical problems I may be having. I rarely question the credibility of the source since there is little room for opinion within the technical landscape. I use blogs as a stepping stone, or a threshold to one of Steve Johnson’s four doors. I agree that blogging is more than a past-time and serves as an essential service to the community in the shadows of this ever expanding digital age.
I very much enjoyed reading your blog post, Scott.
I started a personal blog in high school that I used more as an online journal. After attending journalism school and realizing that blogs are public knowledge and can be found anywhere on the internet, I was smart enough to delete my rant-like high school blog.
I very much appreciated the power you mentioned here:
“Writing is a way of discovering one’s voice and feeling its strength. But writing in public involves discovering the boundaries and limits of that power, too. We learn all the different ways in which we are not the center of the universe. That kind of discovery has a way of helping us grow up fast.”
I have grown up fast and realize the “adjacent possible” is how I now feel about blogging.
I enjoyed this post very much and look forward to all of the endless possibilities as I embark on starting another, more grown up blog of my own.
I really enjoyed the post because of the idea behind blogging. It allows for so many people to create all these little worlds realities and communities on the internet for specific communities,
I think it’s important to note that the act the blogging can lead to an inner exploration, a type of self evaluation that soon leads to a discovery of motivation I.E the possible adjacent. It can provide a window of opportunity for an expansion of ideas.
This is a really great post Scott!
I find it interesting how people use to look at bloggers as whining amateurs who just used their web pages as their own personal diaries. There were so many negative stereotypes associated with blogging that I think led many people to steer clear of it.
I love that that mentality is starting to shift. When you really think about how much work goes into consistently maintaining a blog- all the time, dedication and creativity that it entails- you gain a whole new level of respect for bloggers. They are out there putting their knowledge, research and opinions out for the whole world to see and that not only takes a lot of work, but also a lot of courage.
Writing for the public is certainly not easy and is something that should be celebrated whether it comes in the form of an article or a blog post.
It’s fascinating to me to see how other people interpret information and the different views they have on topics. Seeing the way someone else views a subject really makes you think and reassess the way you look at things. Like you said “A mind that has changed is more likely to imagine a world that can change.”
After reading this, i’m not only excited to learn more about blogging but i’m really intrigued about finally starting my own personal blog.
I see Blogging as a platform for people to express their opinion without any influence whatsoever. It is where one expresses the basic right of freedom of speech while at the same time perfecting ideas that could be useful. Someone like me, who feels shy to express my opinion, might find blogging as a secret space to practice my thought before presenting to the market place of ideas. No doubt that this is a place that builds one’s creativity.
This post is intriguing because it counters the traditional view of writing which discounts bloggers. But the portion that struck me the most was this sentence: “Doing it yourself changes how you think about it and how you evaluate others’ efforts.” While Scott Rosenberg was talking more specifically about writing as he progressed, it made me think about every aspect of journalism. As I work in a daily newsroom, I find myself constantly re-evaluating how I work in regards to everyone else’s skills. In doing this, I remember I have consistent room to grow and people around me to teach. Rosenberg’s writing on blogs and their power to impact others (as well as ourselves through public writing) is intriguing because it opens new connections. The connection between reader and writer has become much more public with blogs and social media.
As an aspiring journalist and student at Arizona State’s Walter
Cronkite School, I quickly related to the introductory discussion of
the progression of our ability to interpret the different artistic and informative forums around us.
While a song may have had a significant impact on me for
its intriguing beat, it now strikes me for its instrumental story or its
ability to tell a story. I now notice an underlining theme or the undertones
in an article before I pick out the surface facts. I find myself
trying to look into what I do not initially notice as opposed to the
blatant points. I feel that is something Rosenberg tries to stress to
his audience.
While noting Rosenberg specifies with elements such as telling a story
and learning the basic limitations put on us as writers, poets,
bloggers. what have you, his closing point is worth remembering and
utilizing: blogging equals infinite possibilities. More specifically,
it is what you do with the possibilities in front of you rather than how many you see.
I have come to understand blogging as a prime example of what the prime example of the internet’s greatest strength: the uninhibited spread of free information. It is a communication platform that allows even the most unlikely and challenged individual to express their opinions, beliefs and knowledge of a wide audience, while simultaneously allowing said audience to provide personal feedback and commentary on the original poster’s content.
This exchange creates something truly valuable. It allows parties of entirely different backgrounds, locations, outlooks, belief systems, and so on, to form a line of communication that would otherwise not exist in any other medium.
Gaining feedback and knew found knowledge on one’s work from previously unreachable parties is inherently valuable to the creative process. So while blogging maybe come under fire in for its supposed “lack of professionalism” in modern media, one must remember that these writers are being granted insight and feedback rarely found anywhere else.
In many ways, writing is organization. Writing for the public is super-organization. I picture the brain as a stew, with different chunks of potatoes, carrots and meat bumping into each other and creating new and interesting flavors. Writing for the public is a bit like if you homogenized the stew in a blender. It still has the same ingredients, but they have violently melded together into something you would never quite expect. It’s an odd analogy, but this “adjacent possible” is all the new ways to improve your stew. You rethink things and people criticize your work and tell you what ingredients to take away and what to add.
As for the focus on individual development via public writing, the revolutions in the Middle East have done more than unite the poor and conquer some injustice. Fueled by social media, they have given the individual the power to express himself and therefore empower himself. If that doesn’t “shape the next couple of decades in important, and still unpredictable, ways,” I don’t know what will.