The Various Faces of Blogging
Blogging, which comes from the term web-logging, has become an increasingly popular phenomena these days.
In the end of the first decade of the 21st century, is there still a point in having to explain blogging? I don’t believe so. The vast majority of individuals already know that blogging means. But to those who are not familiar with the term: what is blogging? Blogging basically means having an online personal diary which you share with the public. Some people write 10 blog posts a day, others write a blog post every two months or so. In fact, millions and millions of people are blogging every day, and some are actually making a decent living out of it.
Some ask what is the appeal of that? Exhibitionism? Yes, to some that is the case. To others blogging means being able to share stories. To other it gives the ability to share work experiences as well as network: there are in fact professional blogs in basically every subject you can think of: internet marketing, cooking, cars, classic cars, insurance, health, GPS satellites, personal computers, headaches, stomach pain, back pain, chronic fatigue and so on.
I have an acquaintance with such a professional blog where he shares certain lessons he has learned throughout his days (he is a manager). I have an additional friend with a personal blog where he tells personal anecdotes about his personal life and family (he has two toddlers at home: consequently, much to say). I have a friend that has a funny blog, where he share all the funny stories he hears of. I even know someone with a photo blog where he shares a new – and amazing – photo every single day. I even knew a someone who had a specialized version of a photoblog he used to share pictures of all the meals he ever ate. Indeed, the blogging arena is extremely diverse.
The point is that this relatively new media offers alternatives that until recently had not existed. In other words, blogging in the 21st century version of journalism. It enables anyone to open a computer, write an article, and effectively become a journalist whose articles can in theory be read by millions. While this comes with a a lot of responsibilities, it is also a great tool for free speech and freedom of information.