So, here's post number one on what is, surprisingly enough, my third blog. When I first started blogging, my addiction hit so immediately I can honestly say that I would probably have spent more time blogging than socializing if I wasn't so fucking embarrassed about it. See, the truth is, I've been one of those quasi-luddite, pen and paper, pretentious shits that denounce the entirety of blog culture as yet another capitalist device for pacifying the masses - leaving them completely socially inept, staring blankly at a computer screen. I also hate msn speak. When I think about it, there is nothing at all offensive about lol-ing, I just view it as a perversion of proper speech. Yes, that's right, proper-middle-class-white-academic speech. Yeah, so I'll work on that.
I guess blog-hatred just seemed like a reasonable extension of my hatred of msn (rendering extinct meaningful, face-to-face contact with your friends and loved ones) television (I own one, covered in dust and a sheet so that it doesn't look at me funny. I watch movies on it about once every 3-6 months), radio (except CJSR/ Guerilla radio if it existed here and CBC - a guilty pleasure, but it just keeps you up to date on those issues that concern white, middle class Canada so effectively), and popular print media (unless I'm deconstructing Cosmo and Maxim, which is a fun thing to do at parties!). In the past year or so, I've discovered, more and more, the radical potential of blogging. It's like an extension of zine culture, but even more accessible because you don't have to worry about print costs, distribution, etc.
Although I'm sure there are some people out there whose blogs range from completely vacuous to offensive, this is by no means universal, or even common. As a matter of fact, I would say that there is almost always some kind of value to be found in people's blogs. What I've found after reading Tess's blog over the past month and exploring other ones, is that they can be cathartic and emotionally beneficial for the writer - helping them sort out their shit, and such. They can also be productive, offering all kinds of grassroots knowledge and advice, much like zine culture, and trading popular knowledge in an accessible way that challenges those hierarchical systems of discourse that seem to permeate mass media. They have the potential to subvert as an organizing tool. When I was randomly performing blog searches, I discovered all kinds of super-cool social movements of varying sizes that I had never heard of, like Femme Affinity Groups (FAGs). It's also a way of sharing experience in a way that allows the person who's sharing to be in complete control of their own representation, and the people learning from that to be able to learn without being an imposition. The knowledge is there by choice, not via some unreasonable expectation of someone to bridge the gap of your own ignorance. Also, it's just a basic writing tool. Stream of consciousness and just getting the words flowing is really helpful. I remember writing papers after I started blogging and immediately feeling my writer's block and that inner critical voice that is paralyzing instead of constructive going away.
Strangers, or people on opposite ends of the earth, or people in the same city who just want to keep up with each other can use blogging as one means of interaction among many. The idea of interaction with strangers, especially, seems to have revolutionary potential just in that it allows us to step outside our own experience and learn/ organize/ revolt with people we might not otherwise be able to network with.
So in conclusion, I heart blogs 4-ever.
By the way, this week my suspicions that American Apparel is not the guilt-free hipster mecca that we may have hoped for were confimed. Read on. It's worse than I imagined.
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I used to view communication via the internet in much the same way. That it promoted a culture of pastey people who hadn't seen the outdoors or gotten up out of their computer chairs in far too long. And when it comes to MSN, I would still argue that it is a completely false form of communication. However, I too began to explore blogging and the wide world of blog groups that exist recently, and if nothing else they are a really great resource for learning what groups/ideas are out there. Sometimes it can also be scary when you stumble upon blogs that fall into the category of racist, or anti-queer, or anti-feminist and realize that there are people supporting these blogs. That's the thing about the internet I suppose, that anyone (with a computer) can access it and post their views on issues without really being moderated in any way. Anyway, what i'm trying to say is that I struggled for awhile to come to terms with the fact that I not only was spending time looking at different blogs, but was also enjoying writing my own. Alas, it appears that we have joined the internet throngs. I try not to feel bad about it and attempt to take stretch breaks during my internet frenzies. Thanks for writing something that was interesting to read but at the same time totally related to the assignment.
Hey Syd It's Jord
Heather has put you in my Feministeppin group so I thought I'd tell you what's up with the whole thing. We are combing Radical Feminist Cheerleading with Black Sorority Steppin. We watched some videos on both. The Cheerleading was like rhyming political slogans shouted with hand clapping and semi-cheer moves. There's apparently like tons of groups all across the states and the video showed them all at a protest all dressed in pink and dancing and stuff. They said that they cheer instead of having like some dude with a megaphone leading the protesters. The steppin video was more about the actual stomping and creating beats and it was really fast and cool but kinda complicated so we'll see what we're capable of ouselves. Anyway for next class everyone in the group is going to be making up some type of a rhyme/rap/chant and then we will just like put all our ideas together and go from there. If you wanna give me your e-amil adress I will e-mail you everyone elses. We also have to think about costumes and boots to wear and things to put on our boots to make noise and whatnot. And it's supposed to be 30 seconds to a minute. Ok see you next week.
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