There is something happening across the globe.
And most people have not cottoned on yet.
Whispers drift in the wind, escaping from the Underground...
The Bloggosphere.
I know most of you know that anyway, but let's just stand back and look, in a week when we are watching the first Blogpower Awards taking place.
In a culture that's used to gunning people down for holding the wrong opinions, people like Wayne here, people like Bel here, and people like me can co-exist and exchange our views under the same umbrella and have our very different views respected.
This is a positive step forward.
The beauty of the bloggosphere is the way it interlinks. The way people come upon new friends through old favourites. It's nice to see people visit eachother's sites, who you know did so because they checked out the other commentors on your blog when they commented.
The freeflow exchange of ideas continues.
And the Awards happening now, managed ably, fairly and probably exhaustedly, by James Higham, himself a blogger of the highest order (hint; he deserves an award himself), prove that something is in the air.
Of course is it is. Blogging has become a phenomenon different to any other internet phenomenon.
Because most of us are not the traditional computer-techie type.
I only started this recently. This time last year, I only ever used the internet for information purposes. Hell, if my computer had no signal at work, I'd be on to IT, only to find it was a wire disconnected.
The same thing, I think,goes for a good number of those who are now regular acquaintances of mine through this medium.
What has happened is that this has now become the medium of choice for people who want to engage in real debate about our future as a species. People who can see the step forward this can bring in pooling intellect, knowledge, ideas- and just as important- emotion, to truly acheive something.
And that can be to make you think, make you laugh, make you cry. We love Sicily Scene and we love Mutley.
Who needs the Telegraph any more?
Don't ANY of you underestimate your own blogs.
You're all of you in on something important.
Now go vote in the Blogpower Awards.
Wednesday, 6 June 2007
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23 comments:
Scicily Scene and Mutley are two excellent examples of the quality friends you make on this particular blogroll...
Visiting your blog tends to be the highlight of my day as well...
Shani
I agree, I love the way James keeps us all together and highlights everyone's posts, he deserves lots of awards for his hard work.
the tethering of big brother and 1984 gets eroded away with each and every blogger and blog site. keep up your strong work dood. together we make a better day.
Looks like we both are competing for Best Little Blogger and Most Under-rated Blog.
Good luck!
Nice post, I hope you do well.
Nice post.
James Higham is a genuine good guy that is for sure! The blog thing competition needsmore voters people. Vote for Ingsoc (and me)
Muse- There are some good people out there. Many are on my blograll, but there are others beyond that.
More highbrow than my local, anyway.
Ellee- James lives the Blogpower ethos in his blogging. I try to, but it's not always possible due to time constraints.
Raffi- That's certainly what I think. It was partly what I thought when I christened this blog, but I believe in it a lot more now.
Youdon'tknowme- Just flattered to even be in the running!!
Good luck too, mate.
Delicolor, Richard- Thanks.
Ian- I nominated you for Best blog name.
Mutley- I think even James is surprised at the ripples going on now.
Blogpower is here.
Thanks for the link, Crushed. I think blogging is amazing, too, and I hardly ever read the Brit papers online now! Everything you need is in the blogosphere - new opinion, people who can actually make you change your mind about things [and I think that is very important] and friendship. You are doing a great job with your informative and always entertaining blog.
Blogging definitely has it's place.
Nice upbeat cock eyed post.
Does James sleep?
Good post CBI.
But what do you really think is being achieved by blogging at our level ?
I see it as nothing more than an extension of the ability for fairly like-minded people to interact - rather like a debating society or a pub group. A bit of fun with no real purpose of affecting anything. If the truth be known it actually quells activism because those who take part in blogging let of steam and are satisfied with their little piece of 'democracy'.
Politics needs to be compartmentalised into main parties because attempts to satisfy every single choice would end in chaos. The fundamental issue in Britain today is that there is no real choice and all the main parties fight for the same 'centre ground' which is not in the centre at all but way to the left.
As for blogging - it may, in the future, turn out to be the nemesis of the free thinker, revealing to Ingsoc the identities and risk that certain individuals pose to the establishment.
I think you seem to have left something on my blog..........Crushed by Ingsoc said...
OFFICIAL NOTICE OF ARBITRATION
The verdict of the Official Arbitrators in the Blog Dispute between Ubermouth and Fingers is as follows.
1. It doesn't matter who started it. What DOES matter, is if those who have singled particular people out for hurtful comments in the past (Possibly unintentionally) acknowledge that privately and stop doing so.
2. Having the last word on this does not mean winning. The Arbitrators believe that one side has made conciliatory gestures. The other side should have accepted this then, but certainly should now.
3. A few days ago, this was all amusing. The fracture it has created now is not only bad for the people concerned, but also for other bloggers, who actually want to visit the sites of all the people concerned, without feeling they must declare a loyalty on this.
The Arbitrators impose as their verdict;
1. A General Amnesty on both sides, whereby both sides UNCONDITIONALLY AND WITHOUT RESERVATION drop this whole thing , because life is just too damn short, and none of you are either stupid or bad.
2. The Arbitrators feel there is no need for either side to apologise in words.
In this case of each party, there are very simple things that each side can do now to say 'no hard feelings'.
Pretty please?
07 June 2007 07:33
Welshcakes- Thanks, and I wish you luck in the most tasteful blog category.
Miss Uber- I would agree, glad you share my views on this.
Miss S- Glad you like it, it's how I feel the bloggosphere can be, at it's best.
Pommygranate- I'm thinking not. I've seen no evidence that points to him doing so.
E-K- Not with you on the need for parties, see previos post and others from last month. It doesn't matter with you have a one party, a two party, or a multi-party state, things pan out much the same.
The bloggosphere matters because at the moment, we have a much wider and in depth debate than you get on Question Time.
Miss Uber- As Pontius Pilate said, 'What I have written stays written.'
I really am truly sorry that such a situation developed.
I'm sorry you see this as me sitting on the fence. It's not.
It's me trying to remove the fence, because I don't like fences on here.
I think the blogosphere is a wonderful thing bringing together as it does so many different types of people from all over the world.
James is truly a man of the blog.
Oh, shoot! I just remembered: I was supposed to post a peace globe yesterday. I think it was yesterday. Oh knickers! Gotta go.
Yeah did the votes for the Blogpower, some rather fine stuff out there in interweb blogland
James is wonderful, isn't he?
I never would have expected the outpouring of support that ensued when I joined blogpower.
Liz- It's quite nice to have reasonable debates with your opponents. I just think by and large, you get a better class of intellect here.
Fido- I think something important is happening.
Ruthie- What else did you expect?
You are a consummate blogger of the first order.
Good luck in the North America Poll.
You have my vote.
"Ruthie- What else did you expect?
You are a consummate blogger of the first order.
Good luck in the North America Poll.
You have my vote."
While I agree and even nominated her, I resent you giving her your vote :)
Electro Kevin
But what do you really think is being achieved by blogging at our level?
Interesting point. I once had this debate with Johnathan Pearce over at Samizdata. His view is that blogging is just a nice way to pass the time of day.
For many, this is the case. But not for me. I think bloggers are in a far better position than politicians to state the truth and to critique bullshit.
We have no electorate to appease, no special interest lobbies that need payback.
And sometimes it can even lead to new political parties being formed...
"But what do you really think is being achieved by blogging at our level?"
Let me field that one for you pommy?
At my level, blogging achieves me ... bloggin :) Cause I want to.
Why does everything that anyone does have to 'achieve' anything?
Nazh
Why does everything that anyone does have to 'achieve' anything?
We all blog for different reasons. Each of us 'achieves' something out of blogging otherwise we wouldnt do it.
For some it's a great and fun way to chat with like-minded people (or even diamterically polar people). For others, it's a way to vent their spleen, and for others it's a hope that they can influence things in a miniscule way.
Each to his own. But we're all trying to achieve something.
yes, good luck CBI. just voted for you again.
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