I returned to blogging because it is something I used to enjoy. Everyone has the choice of what they post, but for me it was never a public diary. I wanted to interact, discuss and communicate. Otherwise I can just use my journals.
I used to read many and got a significant amount of recommendations, interesting POVs, and learning about places or exhibits or research that I was not aware of otherwise. The internet was thriving and turning into what it should be. I was expecting the algorithms to improve; if I ordered specific books, I didn't want would you also like a pogo stick and a can opener to go with that? If I watched relaxing videos or listened to music to help me fall asleep, I didn't want how about some horror to wake you up or techno music because of something you looked at previously?
Instead of getting better, the programming got worse.
I also came across artists that later exhibited and became well known. Etsy provided an environment akin to me going to a quirky gallery. The pop art surrealist Mab Graves among them. Not my style, but her creativity is endless and original. And her Dinokitties are somewhere between cute and scary.
Depending on mood I could spend some time reading humor sites and blogs, get quick access to science, laugh and have fun. Over a decade ago, we were asked to trade all of that creativity and interaction that allowed me to enjoy, escape, learn, cope; whatever one wants to call it for vitriol, click bait darkness depressing topics and sensationalism.
If I go on a scientist site, I want to read what's new outside my field. In order to compete, scientists started to mention politicians on their science communication sites adding their voices to the cacophony already out there. There are journalists for that.
There are several reasons I do not want politicians mentioned in the comments, among them the fact that there is no person past or present that I would discuss every day for months much less years.
Another is that ridiculing and gossip doesn't make me feel better, nor does it change anything. For some negative news is addictive, I personally think it's not a good coping mechanism. If I sound repetitive it's because keeping a positive outlook is more likely to turn things around sooner and eventually they will.
Oh I remember those early blogging days...glad you've returned. You always help me gain perspective. This post reminded me of Jaron Lanier's book, You are Not a Gadget: "“If you want to know what’s really going on in a society or ideology, follow the money. If money is flowing to advertising instead of musicians, journalists, and artists, then a society is more concerned with manipulation than truth or beauty. If content is worthless, then people will start to become empty-headed and contentless.”
ReplyDeleteCodex: Fun times. I miss them. As do you along with wisdom, wordplay and wit.
DeleteCodex: I haven't read him. Thanks to you I've watched a few of his interviews. He's a genius in his field and if he's worried...I think that they don't have a clue how to fix the software. They're using words that already exist instead of creating a completely new language like Tolkien's Elfish which is one of the reasons they're running into problems. What do you think?
DeleteCodex: "If it's free you're the product.". It's not free and you're still the product.
ReplyDeleteCodex@db I like his: Criticism means Optimism. Never heard that before.
DeleteI've tried writing in journals. Never got past the first few days. Apparently I need an audience even as small as the one I have for my blog which I started as a journal for any descendents to know more about me. My sister was into genealogy and basically all we know about those older than two generations is dates; birth, death, how many children. My sister kept journals all her life. She stipulated in her will that they be burned without being read. We honored that. I think she poured her unhappiness into them. I don't think my sister was ever really happy. Basically, she endured. Anyway a blog vs written journal, I can add pictures to the blog though I suppose printed photos could be tucked into a journal.
ReplyDeleteCodex: Everyone has their own reasons to blog. You communicate and if we didn't eed an audience we wouldn't be doing it.
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