Theory Blogging

Last year I gave a talk in Tuscon on blogging. At the time, I posted a draft of my remarks. A revised version appears in the new issue of Bad Subjects.

Comments

[John]

A thoughtful engagement. Thank you so much for this, Jodi.

[m.]

Thanks, Jodi. Great work.

[marcegoodman]

I confess that my first thoughts upon misreading your first sentence as beginning with "Last night" rather than "Last year" was, "Oh man, I hope she's still here. It would be great to meet her. I gotta call Charlie."

[Jodi]

Thanks, folks!

[gyles]

As I have recently started a blog on a somewhat marginal subject (contemporary art photography) your article addresses some of my concerns and brings up opportunities that I haven't thought of. Thanks a lot!

[McKenzie Wark]

There are different kinds of pleasures people get from writing in public. Personally, i'm probably in the narcissist camp. But some, like the Mr White you mention, get their kicks from a certain kind of sadism. When these desires meet via text, it usually only works for the sadist. The sadist can enjoy it even when the narcisist cannot.

Now, i'm not saying you are a narcissist. But you are definitely not a sadistic writer. So there's no way an encounter like the one with Bill White can yield much for you. On The Well in the old days it was called bozo-filtering. Just block 'em out and feel no guilt. There is only non-communication, but some non-communications are better than others.

I don't entirely buy the defense of blogging. I remember list-server culture was also defended in simliar ways, and also had its utopian moment.

They pass.

I'm also skeptical about its value for scholars, particularly young ones. It may stimulate a tendency to groupthink, and an addiction to a certain temporality for thought. How is one to think in an untimely fashion with a constant hum of day-to-day discourse going on in the background?

[Jodi]

Ken--it's interesting that you mention a concern with group think while others attack blogs for leading to extreme partisanship and polarization, for nasty ad hominem attacks, for displays of egoism.

I think the comparison with listservs is interesting and could be expanded in productive ways. One intersection: moderation--the multiplicity of blogs means different moderators in the same and overlapping conversations; this seems different for a list; also, matters of ego and control are somewhat more dispersed, so, on one hand, specific bloggers can be masters of their domain, so to speak, even as they are guests and repliers in other domains.

On the defense of blogging: I had in mind a limited account, one designed to point out that there are different spheres and groups with dynamics and benefits that differ from those of other spheres and groups; and, I wanted to use blogging as a way to think about academic discussion.

which leads to the last point--this is a huge topic, as you well know, I share your skepticism and guess that I will address that in another post.

[AT]

Really enjoyed your article, Jodi. Made me look forward even more to having the time to get back to this strange practice myself, one of these days soon, I hope . . . .