Opinion - Good blog, bad blog: does the value of blogging outweigh its risks?
After the lecture on internet deaths and such I searched the web to see if blogs are involved. i found an interesting debate at the link below:http://www.editorsweblog.org/newsrooms_and_ journalism/2008/04/good_blog_bad_blog_does _the_value_of_blo.php
As to be expected the blogosphere has exploded with commentary following the New York Times' "death by blogging" article.
As to be expected the blogosphere has exploded with commentary following the New York Times' "death by blogging" article.
The New York Times suggests that the ceaseless work required to stay afloat led, at least partly, to the recent death of two "prolific" bloggers. This, however, leads to the larger question: does the value of a non-stop internet economy outweigh its risks? We can all agree that blogs have become an integral part of how we consume news.
Blogging's viral nature, as well as the chance to engage without a major-up front investment, has enabled the "little guy" in a way never before possible.
Take the recent success of a covert video by an animal rights activist who posed as a slaughterhouse worker for six weeks. The undercover vegan citizen journalist released the video, which went viral within hours on the blogosphere, reports the New York Times. Consequently the slaughterhouse was closed, the United States Congress held hearings, and the Agriculture Department recalled 65 million kilograms of meat, the largest recall in American history.
"to be sure, there is no official diagnosis of death by blogging." But they do hit on a nasty side effect of the ceaselessness that has made bloggers a success; the around-the-clock demands of the internet forces bloggers work extreme hours in order to keep up. The same concerns of excessive overtime hours are weighing on newspaper journalists, who are being encouraged to blog on top of producing articles. It also stands to detract from quality journalism; if journalists have to compete in the same "pay-per-click economy" in which bloggers exist, quality inevitably slides. With these two opposing pulls on journalists' time, it is hardly surprising that newspaper blogs are not yet perfectly oiled machines,
So does blogging need regulation? Healthwise, perhaps the answer is yes. But that would go against the essence of blogging, which owes its popularity and its relevance to its 24/7 engagement. Even the stress-level issue is up for grabs.
mine: i feel that blogging is a way to show the world what interests you, even if no one is looking, its a place to vent and a place to debate, but addicts are risking health due to pressures to blog 24/7. All day bloggers - go watch a movie or play in the park every now and then! Personally i feel there is a psychological issue with blogging.. when no one reads your posts, sometimes it is annoying, and some people could take it the wrong way and become really upset. Also, blogs can be used to say aweful things which can impede on the health of both the blogger and the reader.
what are your views on the health risks of blogging?
2 comments:
I think the whole bloging thing has its good points and bad. I think a lot of people (not all) that blog, especially those who blog a lot about themselves so complete strangers can read about them and a lot of people who are addicted to the internet can be people who are insecure or have other kinds of issues and may be these people arent as strong mentally as others and because so much of their lives are connected to the internet, if something bad is said about something they have said on their blog, or even something in a chat room, or on second life or whatever, they can take it really to heart and this is why horrible things can happen like some people go to the drastic lengths of taking their own lifes etc. I think blogging can be fun for some people, but i feel the internet can take over people lifes and i feel this is sad (not in a nasty way) but how people can be so caught up with something that to me personally isnt entirly real, i think real life is real and the internet can make some people anti-social and niave. I understand that some use the internet to make friends which is fine, as long as they have real friends in real life to. Insecure people who use the internet to be themselves is a good thing, if its helping them adventualy be themsleves in real life. Sorry to anyone who disagrees with me.
'Viral'....the semantics of the word seem awfully appropriate for the sometimes exponentially massive information flow that the net facilitates, don't they? There has to come a point when those producing the sponsored blogs for bucks stop to think "Im a grain of sand in a Sahara of info" and give up the ghost for methods more innovative,unique and attention-grabbing. Or is the largely unmoderated, (and and financially free / cheap) nature of the web with its potential to reach millions...virally...just too alluring? I suspect that the audiences will largely decide that for them; a 'survival of the fittest' scenario.
I'm not sure that it's only bloggers that feel the negative health consequences of prolonged internet use though.... Check out the numbers of hours WoW and SL (and other) online gamers invest. It's truly scary.
It's not rocket science really is it? Like everything else in life...moderation and balance are the key to health and happiness. The universe,our planet, the human body...all largely work at their best on laws of diversity and balance of elements. Yin and Yan, etc. Perhaps it's still so early in the dawn of the digital age that we haven't as yet evolved into the healthy stage of appreciating that these alterntive places our consciousness can go....these alternative technologically-facilitated realities...can only bring us pleasure and productivity without pain and pathology if we balance out our cyber and meatspace lives? We're still, at this time, kids in the cyber candy shop....and we all know what happens when kids over-indulge.
Why do I blog? I love words and cyberspace is the realm of pure words..and ideas...and facts...and tales. Do I care if anyone reads it? Not really...but it's nice if it promotes discussion. As I said, I like words. :)
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