Strengths of Blogging:
In a blog on by Alexandra Rampy on fly4change.com, the strengths and weaknesses of blogging were outlined as a way to promote blogging, rather than criticize it. There are several strengths to blogging as a Web 2.0 tool. Through my research and with support of this blog, I have compiled a list of the strengths I agree with:
1. It is a good outlet for some people to get their thoughts and ideas out
2. It gives those (above) an endless audience to hear those thoughts. People from all over the world can get your RSS feed and see what you have to say today.
3. It helps to support other Web 2.0 tools in order to create more online communities, which are great for networking.
4. It’s cheap and easy to use. You don’t have to pay for print services in order to post your opinion in the opinion section. You just log in and post!
5. Bloggers can have a huge impact on media. News is at our fingertips now with the public weighing in on current issues. If bloggers agree or disagree with something that was said in the public spectrum by a politician, or public figure, it won’t be long until the whole WORLD knows it.
6. There are people doing GOOD with blogging, such as giving people a voice in a world that has silenced them and giving people more information on ways to do some good in their own community.
Weakness of Blogging:
In his blog, Darren Rowse, a pretty popular blogger asked a simple question, “What is wrong with blogging?” and asked his followers to post their comments as and answer to this question. Many of their comments supported my own thoughts as to the weakness of blogging as a Web 2.0 tool:
1. You are putting your thoughts our there for people to criticize, which makes you very vulnerable and could get you into trouble
2. It’s quickly becoming a fad. EVERYONE is blogging; I even had to start a blog for my class making ME a fad. This popularity is causing a lot of redundancy in the blogosphere with many people talking about the same issues using the same sources and RSS feeds.
3. Many people are just jumping on the blogging bandwagon to make money, making the art of blogging meaningless.
4. Because of the fad of blogging, people are getting lazy. If you really want to blog 10 times a day about stuff, at least take the time to make sure you don’t have any typos!
5. With so many people blogging and putting their opinions out there, it is causing the line between fact and fiction to become unclear.
6. “Bloggers tend to seek out controversial and negative angles on every story. Rather than looking for something good to write about, 90% of the time it is criticizing and tearing down.” This comment, made by Dave Bascom, is my biggest pet peeve about blogging. It seems to just be an outlet for people to whine about stuff or criticize others and it is very impersonal in my opinion. I would much rather get into a heated political debate in the comfort of a bar with someone I can see than get into a “text fight” with someone half way around the country!
Sources:
Rampy, A. (2007). Blogging: Finding Magellan In An Identity Crisis. Retrieved September 17, 2009 from http://www.fly4change.com/http:/www.fly4change/blogging-finding-magellan-in-an-identity-crisis/30
Rowse, D. (2005). What’s Wrong With Blogging? Retrieved September 17, 2009 from http://www.problogger.net/archives/2005/05/06/whats-wrong-with-blogging/
No comments:
Post a Comment