Uncool Greg

Possible benefits of blogging:

• Inform acquaintances of my circumstances
• Educate, enlighten, encourage
• Provoke profitable discussion
• Chronicle what may be of later value
• By practice improve writing quality and efficiency
• …

Possible risks of blogging:

• Paralysis by analysis. I’d rather not write if writing inhibits my good action or even good thinking.
• Not appropriately relating to my community. Writing requires some solitude. Introspection can be a good thing, but it is not the best thing.
• Low return on investment; waste o’ time.
• Vanity. “See what I have written! Am I not insightful? I’ll be even prouder once I revise it!”
• Unintended misrepresentation of other people—or accurate representation they don’t want.
• Info-pollution: redundant, valueless, or wrong statements.
• I value genuineness, but  I don’t want my journal to be a whine cellar.
• Suppose nobody reads these golden essays. Sob!
• Suppose—fat chance—my rants become popular. I might get a misplaced sense of duty to post and reply frequently.
• Depth vs breadth.  Many blogs focus on just one aspect of the authors’ lives: family, profession, hobby, or opinion. Focus takes skill. Focus shows appreciation for readers who are interested in your opinions and not your itchy socks.  That said, I am increasingly convinced that people need to encounter an integrated life as much as that is possible, that is a focus on the connectedness of things.

Most of these are good problems to have. Many people have no freedom to write, no means to write, and no time to write.

Regarding emerging “social tech”, I have in mind a Wired article by Howard Rheingold, “Who’s Talking Now?”. Rheingold observes that the Amish don’t object to technology in itself, but rather to the negative effects that cell phones and other technology can have on the individual, family, and community.

“What would that lead to?” another Amish man asked me. “We don’t want to be the kind of people who will interrupt a conversation at home to answer a telephone. It’s not just how you use the technology that concerns us. We’re also concerned about what kind of person you become when you use it.” …

To the obvious question why allow Amish electricity but not public electricity, Amos answered slowly and deliberately, “The Bible teaches us not to conform to the world, to keep a separation. Connecting to the electric lines would make too many things too easy.” …

“Does it bring us together, or draw us apart?” is the primary question the bishops ask in considering whether to permit or put away a technology. …

You find state-of-the-art barbecues on some Amish porches. Here is a tool they see as increasing family coherence: Barbecues bring people together. Asked what kinds of questions the bishops will likely raise about cell phones, Kraybill replies, “Are cell phones being used ‘to make a living’ or just for gossip and frivolous chatter?” …

They’re not worried about becoming people without religion or people who use lots of technology, he explained; rather, the Amish fear assimilating the far more dangerous ideas that “progress” and new technologies are usually beneficial, that individuality is a precious value, that the goal of life is to “get ahead.” This mind-set, not specific technologies, is what the Amish most object to. …

“The thing I noticed about the telephone is the way it invades who you are,” Caleb said.

The article observes that the Amish are open to experiments and re-evaluation regarding technologies. In that spirit, recognizing that blogging can be food for thought or Coca-Cola of the soul, I will give it a try.

In a few weeks I will be moving from the town where I have lived for thirty-six years. Old friends will be interested in my distant adventures.  However, much of what I find adventurous is internal. I already have in mind several rants!  Hence I’m going to subtitle this blog, “adventures and reflections”.

I aim to not discuss matters where I have promised discretion or where people might reasonably assume privacy.  As a hedge, I’ll avoid naming people and places.    Don’t expect short reflections.  No tweets.  To paraphrase Mark Twain, if I had more time I’d write less.  Don’t expect regular updates, though I’m hoping for at least weekly postings.   I don’t know how long I’ll keep writing.

I do aim that you will find something useful here: news, insight, amusement, at least interesting pictures.  I will welcome comments and requests!

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