I’ve spent too much of the past few weeks worrying about how much (or how little) that I know about the topics that I write. I know what I know. I’m always trying to learn more. I’m always trying to describe what I think or feel about these things. That will just have to do. This is my op-ed column to the world. I’m not perfect, I’m often wrong or incorrect, but I’m the only person who can produce this point of view.
I write about technology, pop culture, psychology, sociology, whatever I feel like sharing with the world. Does it have a coherent theme? Not always. If anything, this blog is about one person’s attempt to make sense and find meaning in this world where virtual experiences have become almost as important as flesh and blood experiences. This is a world where millions have the opportunity to express themselves in ways that our ancestors never dreamed of. This is a world where communication between points in the vast majority of the world is virtually instantaneous. This is a world where ideas spread faster than plagues. This is a world where virtual things are as important as real things. The cynicism and occasional resentment of Generation X continues to be challenged by amazing things that continue to happen on a regular basis.
This is a world where older systems and structures are being chipped away by new ways of thinking and doing. Yes, this has always happened, but it seems to happen a lot faster than it used to. It doesn’t mean that everything is collapsing, not by a long shot. It does mean, though, that bits and pieces are disappearing, reshaping, and moving around, which can cause chain reactions of change.
In ages past we had hundreds, perhaps thousands of historians following time tested and honored techniques of documenting what was happening to the world around them. Today we literally have millions of people doing this via blogging and social media. There’s lots of noise, but lots of valuable information to be found here as well. And there’s so much happening that we probably need all of the historians that we can get.
Basically, this post is a message to myself, saying “Get over yourself!”
Getting over yourself is the first step in then being able to really say how you feel, without all the fear and trepidation. Rock on!
Oops … I commented in the wrong post. I meant it for this post, and it went:
I find myself describing what I do in blogs and things like Twitter as, “Thinking out loud online.” It's my way of figuring things out, trying to find out what I really think. I figure if I'm an ass, well, at least it's me.
Thanks!
Yes, I've heard the “thinking out loud” idea expressed before as well. It makes a lot of sense and a lot of good people use blogs that way.
Great timing Mark. I'd just written a blog post and had a bit of a crisis of faith about whether to go ahead and publish it next week.
Was it really informed? Did it need more? Was it too self-indulgent? Too self-involved? Would I irk others? Now … I would have published it … but you helped make the wrestling process in my head shorter. And for that … I thank you.
Hey, you're welcome.
I’m always trying to describe what I think or feel about these things. That will just have to do. This is my op-ed column to the world. I’m not perfect, I’m often wrong or incorrect, but I’m the only person who can produce this point of view.
It's nice to see this Mark and I hope you stay with it.
Thanks Steven!
Don't get over yourself. Get under yourself, so you can see yourself and control the undercurrents.
Right (I think.)