Welcome to my C list blog

I wasn't aware of it until today, but I have a C-list blog. How exciting!!! Does this change the way I view my blog? To be honest no, I knew that only a small number of people were reading my blog and to be even more honest I cannot see why people outside our class would want to read this. It doesn't contain any gossip (did you hear Angelina might be having twins?), witty political commentary or insider secrets on how to drop 10 pounds in a day. However, to me this experience of writing a "series of dated entries" is new and I confess somewhat exciting, it doesn't even feel like an assessment. Participating in this social experiment of creating an online community in I guess what you would call a somewhat controlled environment has made me realise just how easy it is to make and become part of a virtual society.

I have actually never had much of an interest in blogs and knew/know very little about them, but increasingly I find myself reading the blogs on nzherald.com and exploring other blogs that are out there. In some ways its like reading a magazine, but you don't have to pay for it and it is more up-to-date. I like the idea of multiple contributors when it comes to blogs. I know that saying the internet is democratic would be a somewhat wishful and naieve statement, but allowing multiple contributors at least gives people who are passionate about a topic room to have their say. Mass media already permeates our everyday lives whether we want it to or not, it is inescapable. It seems only natural that it would manifest itself as blogs on the internet as well. I don't think that blogs are challenging the role of traditional mass media, rather I think they are making it more accessible to the masses. They compliment it as they are still putting the news out there, its just that the format is slightly different. Peoples responses and comments can be viewed as essentially letters to the editor in another form. As for a code of conduct, I like that idea, but it would be difficult to police and it would have to be careful not to limit people's right to free speech too much. The internet as a forum for freedom of expression and opinion is what makes it such an intriguing and exciting thing. You never know what you may find. Diversification makes for a better world, homogeneity is boring. Long live blogging!