on the Uncommented Blog
Feedback is important. Traffic is one thing, everyone who blogs wants traffic, but feedback is what's most important. Ten thousand surfers can venture to a site and read the various opinions offered there, but without comments the blogger is left unchallenged, and unchanged.
Everyone is on a journey, whether they choose to characterize it as such, or not, is irrelevant. Choice doesn't change the fact that from the moment we were squeezed out from between out mother's legs our feet were set upon a path... a journey. "Dead Can Dance" describes it as an... "Odyssey of Self-discovery," and that's as apt a description I've ever come across. Every day we make choices, and each of those choices open new doors, while simultaneously closing others. There is no such thing as procrastination in the sense of choice. "Rush" describes this in one line of lyric... "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."
Choosing to blog, I thought in the beginning, would be an interesting experiment; something to keep my mind fresh, which would in turn help me to develop a habit of writing everyday-- A habit and skill I need if I intend to finish my take on the "Great American Novel."
What I've come to realize is, without visitors who comment, the only thing I learn is a "habit" that may or may not help me to grow. Without an editor I am left to work unchallenged, I do not benefit from anyone else's experience or insight. Likewise, in blogging, without comments the blogger is unchallenged, and left to run amok.
We, each of us, think the way we do because, as Pink Floyd declares on their album, "A Momentary Lapse of Reason"... "I have always looked out from behind these eyes..." It's always been "I, Me, Mine" [that's George Harrison, by the way].
Without comments, our thinking is unchecked and unruly, running roughshod over any truth we, in our lack of experiences-- and we all have them --are ignorant of. Comments force us to think, respond to criticism, and challenge us to look out from behind someone else's eyes.
While some comments make us angry, we should be thankful for them. How else does a child learn to speak, but by listening? How else does a child learn, but by observing? It is so easy to forget that only we can see, hear, feel, what we do. It is the purpose of Rhetoric-- the fine art of communtication via language --to express our experiences to others. And it is our duty, as ever-learning creatures, to accept criticism or praise, and grow from the exchange.
The uncommented blogger is a blistering desert of checked thought. So, when you come across a blog, make an effort to comment. You'll never come away unscathed, but that's a good thing.
Everyone is on a journey, whether they choose to characterize it as such, or not, is irrelevant. Choice doesn't change the fact that from the moment we were squeezed out from between out mother's legs our feet were set upon a path... a journey. "Dead Can Dance" describes it as an... "Odyssey of Self-discovery," and that's as apt a description I've ever come across. Every day we make choices, and each of those choices open new doors, while simultaneously closing others. There is no such thing as procrastination in the sense of choice. "Rush" describes this in one line of lyric... "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."
Choosing to blog, I thought in the beginning, would be an interesting experiment; something to keep my mind fresh, which would in turn help me to develop a habit of writing everyday-- A habit and skill I need if I intend to finish my take on the "Great American Novel."
What I've come to realize is, without visitors who comment, the only thing I learn is a "habit" that may or may not help me to grow. Without an editor I am left to work unchallenged, I do not benefit from anyone else's experience or insight. Likewise, in blogging, without comments the blogger is unchallenged, and left to run amok.
We, each of us, think the way we do because, as Pink Floyd declares on their album, "A Momentary Lapse of Reason"... "I have always looked out from behind these eyes..." It's always been "I, Me, Mine" [that's George Harrison, by the way].
Without comments, our thinking is unchecked and unruly, running roughshod over any truth we, in our lack of experiences-- and we all have them --are ignorant of. Comments force us to think, respond to criticism, and challenge us to look out from behind someone else's eyes.
While some comments make us angry, we should be thankful for them. How else does a child learn to speak, but by listening? How else does a child learn, but by observing? It is so easy to forget that only we can see, hear, feel, what we do. It is the purpose of Rhetoric-- the fine art of communtication via language --to express our experiences to others. And it is our duty, as ever-learning creatures, to accept criticism or praise, and grow from the exchange.
The uncommented blogger is a blistering desert of checked thought. So, when you come across a blog, make an effort to comment. You'll never come away unscathed, but that's a good thing.
from the mind of... Eric | 7:19 PM
10 Comments:
Great post, El! Thanks for commenting on my "humble" (?!) blog! I appreciate your perspective.
Debate is good-it shows us all what fools we are at times. You're right-every blog ought to have the subtitle: "The way I see it"!
How do you apply this to political blogs that don't allow comments? Are these people depriving themselves of valued discourse?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
I'm not actually interested in "Prime Time". I have neither the time nor inclination to stay on top of everything that happens around the world. Unlike the PrimeTime bloggers, my Job is not my Blog, it's merely an outlet; a place to vent.
As to liner notes... they're irrelevant, once the song is sung. And it's obviously never occured to you that Liner Notes can be wrong, nes pas?
"...you don't demonstrate much thoughtrfulness or originality or knowledge to back it up."
Says you. Your comment hasn't demonstated much either. I don't need praise, ass kissing, or ass-kicking to validate, or invalidate what I'm doing here.
I appreciate the comment nonetheless, however simplistic and idiotic. And who the *eff* is elmarykate? Grow up.
Oh! And if you want to be taken seriously you might want to employ a little bit of proof-reading. Unless you enjoy coming across as an illiterate.
Oh, and since you choose to dis me anonymously, consider yourself deleted. It's the internet, you idiot! It's not like I'm going to track your stupid ass down and get in your face. You can be anyone you want to be here, but if you're going to bad-mouth me, kindly utilize whatever balls you have and leave a name.
Chickenshit!
Hmm, good response to blog bot, but what did he/she say?
I, too, remain anonymous, but for professional reasons. I hope that's O.K. with you.
It was puerile, poorly grammar'd, and smarmy... I can't tolerate smarmy. And you have never been any of these.
I have no objection to the "Anonymous" identity.
I wish I had saved it. I let anger get the better of me.
ooo, didum widdle ashley get her feelings hurt? maybe she should go crying to her sister mary kate. hey, i liked your last calendar. you two are soooo hot!!! ok, my name is shane and i'm a junior at osu. go beavers!! what else do you want, my cell #? i don't want that baptist snake handler delrod to put a spell on me!!!!
don't like how i write? deal with it. i'm a chicken? you ready to die for your country buddy? i sure the *eff* am. i'm in rotc now and i'm going to be kicking some terrorist butt while yer still on your little blogger ego trip. i'm illiterate? at least i know what smarmy means, n'est-ce pas?
geez, all you do is pick on people and then you get your feathers all ruffled when someone pciks on you. you get your feelings hurt like a little sissy.
cya. i'm going back to reading glenn reynolds. at least he knows what evolution is. at least he doesn't swear at people.. and you snake people need to read the book of mormon and learn about the one true faith! God hates your blog.
I did my stint in the military, Mr. ROTC. Any what makes you think I'm female? As to the rest, I'll let it stand. You did after all, leave a name.
Good luck in the Army, by the way. Whatever our differences, if you make it to Iraq, keep your head and ass down, and come back alive.
What an amazing country we live in, right? We can disagree, despise each other, and still be joined together in pride for flag and country. And you could count on me to have your back.
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