Blog Theory: The Last 2 Chapters

Seeing that I am currently in the process of writing out answers for the midterm, I decided to spend the last 2 chapters writing out some points that I took from the reading, and placing it into this post. Here it goes:

1)      Blogging is a practice that includes multiple forms of media integration, and provides a space where people can express themselves. It’s whatever.

2)      Blogs are not as personalized as much as you may think. Yes it allows for unique expression, but there are still limitations. 

3)      Whatever is such an interesting word. The term “Whatever “ suggests apathy, lack of interest, and/or the disposing of someone else’s thoughts or feelings., and much more.  Whatever is unsettling, and for blogging, it’s communication without any communicative effort. As Professor Dean mentioned in this chapter, “whatever”  takes no side, and “neither rejects nor accepts.” When I think of the word, “whatever”, not only do I think of today’s society and my generation, I also think of pop culture entirely. Honestly speaking, for instance,  when I think of most of today’s pop music and how it is received,  I think about how the messages that some music puts out is not based on the true content or meaning, but perhaps intent to make you dance or flaunt your lavish spending,  but not to make you feel.

4)      When it comes to blogging, people can blog “whatever” their heart desires, but the response of content goes unresolved through “whatever.”

5)      The supplying of blog services such as layouts and other features, makes blogs virtually indistinguishable from one another. I agree because although we have the option of personalizing our own blog, there is still a standardized structured that is followed with blogs, as well as other media networks (facebook, twitter.)

6)      We can almost control what we put out, but not how many people receive or react to what we put out. It’s whatever.

7)      There are two types of fantasy –

a)      Exposure without exposure – telling your info to the world without having an exploitation of your information, leaving room for easy monitoring,

b)      The f.a.m.e.  – (fantasy allowing mutual exposure), where people share their life with friends, and also add friends just to gain popularity (say, 1000+ friends). I’ve actually become a victim of this F.A.M.E. fantasy. However, you have no full control of what you are putting out because the info you put out to you network also feeds into advertisements and third parties.

8)      What I derived from Chapter 4 was that users gain a sense of attachment through these affective networks. When the blogging system was down due to a virus, I could not help but think about the idea of blog anxiety, where at that moment  I realized my excessive enjoyment for writing blogs as soon as the system went down, hoping to seek fulfillment in writing yet another blog.