On Boundaries and Cyberspace
I think that I triggered or offended someone by commenting on their blog yesterday. I don't think I did anything 'wrong' and I meant well, but that is not really the point: I was a bit of a clod. I would apologize except that I don't think it's something you can apologize for, and it would make things more awkward. I am sure by not reading the blog and given time, it will all be fine.
Most blogs out there are really diaries that happen to be online, or communities of mates who share stuff. I forget this. The cyber cultures I know are different: punchy intellectual clearing houses like http://www.crookedtimber.org/; brainy, highly-focused academic culs-de-sac like the awesome Michigan series at http://www.h-net.org/; and http://www.pandys.org/, a large and intensive message board (with chat room) for people facing sexual abuse and assault.
This means I have a working idea about blogging that is probably overly expressive, generous but puppy dog-like in its willingness to comment, with a kind of sun-shiney, Tigger naivety about it all. There is nothing unethical with this and it has real advantages, but it can be a problematic style/culture (at least upon interface with others) and wants for social and emotional complexity, subtlety and timing. Or, sometimes hundreds of strangers get drunk and read poetry and sometimes a few people quietly discuss verse, and even though it's all poetry there is a world of a difference.
So, I apologize for bursting in.
Most blogs out there are really diaries that happen to be online, or communities of mates who share stuff. I forget this. The cyber cultures I know are different: punchy intellectual clearing houses like http://www.crookedtimber.org/; brainy, highly-focused academic culs-de-sac like the awesome Michigan series at http://www.h-net.org/; and http://www.pandys.org/, a large and intensive message board (with chat room) for people facing sexual abuse and assault.
This means I have a working idea about blogging that is probably overly expressive, generous but puppy dog-like in its willingness to comment, with a kind of sun-shiney, Tigger naivety about it all. There is nothing unethical with this and it has real advantages, but it can be a problematic style/culture (at least upon interface with others) and wants for social and emotional complexity, subtlety and timing. Or, sometimes hundreds of strangers get drunk and read poetry and sometimes a few people quietly discuss verse, and even though it's all poetry there is a world of a difference.
So, I apologize for bursting in.
posted by Chicken Pax at 5/02/2005
4 Comments:
It doesn't really seem to me as if you were truly a "clod".
Perhaps you had a "cloddish" moment...but it says much about you that you devoted a lot of time and thought to the incident here in your own blog.
You are caring and gentle and trustworthy. I appreciate you very much.
You shouldn't feel bad about that. Isn't the main point of blogging to get different views and thoughts from people you may not have the oppurtunity to speak with in every day life?
Sometimes even the quiet intellectuals can discuss poetry with the drunken stranger!
Thank you!
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