A Mere Proposal

Seeing that an idea has arisen that may be worth pursuing, a recommendation may be in order regarding a suitable opening discourse. Here is my modest recommendation. Since there are no rules established yet for the communal blogging endeavor found here, I did not want to sully up our blank slate. So, I give my idea here first to measure general opinion.

It would be useful for me to discuss my desire for a new approach to blogging, and perhaps it will help everyone else to get a handle on their own hopes and expectations.

I believe that the blog is a microcosm of what we have become as victims of post-modernity. We have become private minds living life almost entirely within our own heads. We have lost faith in our ability to adequately explain anything, up to and including giving an explanation for our own thoughts. We are walking, talking mysteries to ourselves.

The blog's very structure illustrates this quite clearly. The main body of text is where I expound on my latest big idea, tell of my recent exploits, relate my present existential crises, etc. The comments, instead of providing actual discourse, are buried beneath a link and do not appear as "commentary" to my text. Instead, comments are tools provided for the passersby to provide a weak recognition that I am, in fact, thinking. Whether I am thinking rationally or not is of no real importance. The links I provide serve to point out the fact that I do know people who may be rational, but I am not addressing them in my text at all (or at least rarely).

In short, the blog functions as a long, dark well in which I may shout as often and as loud as I choose. But nothing useful will ever return from the bottom of the well. I will only hear my own voice, and it will be unintelligible even to me.

How can we ever become better friends? spouses? ministers? students? scholars? musicians? writers? siblings? parents? when our chief interaction partner is our own mind?

Let Us Blog Together

While pondering many things (like the nature of theology, the purpose of blogging, my closest friends, my chosen career path) I read the following article. I found it in a former colleague's blog. It is an interesting critique of Blogs themselves, and may indeed be a way to bring the aforementioned list of ponderables together into something approaching a unity.

The gist of the article is as follows: blogs are inherently limited in their capacity for sustained reflection and interaction among thoughful readers. We have all noticed it before but have perhaps not been quite so articulate (or maybe its just me who is slow). Blogs are supposed to facilitate interaction between readers and author via the "comments" section. However, as anyone who visits any blog regularly can attest, very little actual interaction takes place in the comments section. People may read the comments or even leave a small note. But, if one hopes for a reply or a clarification as a result of the content of a comment, one hopes in vain. A new post is the typical reason people check back later, not an actual conversation or engagement (or even sustained encouragement).

So, as one of my blogging friends has hinted, something new may be in order. It has been suggested (by Clint) that some type of collaborative blogging may be more useful on multiple levels. I suggest one blog, jointly edited by a few people with common intention, that deals with one topic at a time for a sufficient period allowing for helpful, collaborative action to occur in the blogosphere (one month?). Each editor in turn selects a topic (or two) and each contributor can then interact on their own time over the period. Or, a story can be offered followed by critique and discussion and reflection. Or a recent significant (personal?) event can be discussed. (Or we could discuss sermon ideas? Work-related issues? Family? ...)

It is only an idea, and I am not sure if it will work. What I do know is that if YOU are interested and do not respond (in the inadequate comments section) nothing will happen. I promise to spend the rest of the month (at least) on this discussion. I hope to read some comments and/or blog posts on the topic soon.

Blame Jeter

Please permit one post of useless sports drivel, at least until Michigan loses.

Now, I know my baseball team has been at home for quite some time now, but any good Boston fan always has a team in the playoffs when the Yankees are still playing. I have never been as big of a Detroit Tiger fan, but this almost goes without saying. I loved watching the $200 million dollar team get mowed down by some guy named Zumaya who makes the league minimum. There are so many funny Yankee epithets floating about the media right now. (Head to Page 2 for the funniest).

But I have a more serious observation that every Yankee fan needs to at least consider. If being a Red Sox follower has taught me anything, it is how to assess one's failures. So listen up, and I will tell you who is really to blame for the Yankee debacle.

His name is Derek Jeter, and he is your "captain". Yankee fans love to speak of his intangible qualities of leadership on and off the field. His clout with the New York media is unparalled. When Jeter speaks, Yankee fans and followers listen and take his every word to heart. So why didn't he address the single biggest issue that has haunted this team for over a year now: A-Rod. All Jeter needed to do was tell the media to lay off, recite A-Rod's phenomenal stats since joining the team, put his arm around his teammate in front of the cameras, and be the captain. Then, when the press leaves, Jeter can kick A-Rod in the pants and tell him to produce in the playoffs or hit the road. Problem solved, one way or the other.

Instead, Jeter seems content to let the media fry A-Rod all season, distracting the team and ruining any chance of a solid team chemistry. Jeter has not done his job regarding the A-Rod issue, and this calls everything we say about Jeter's leadership and character into question. Any team deserves better from their captain. At best Jeter didn't thinkhe could do anything to help, in which case he is wrong. At worst Jeter didn't want to help a teammate out, in which case he is no captain at all.