Blogs vs. a manual Journal
by Krystal Demaine
According to the Princeton University Wordnet Web (2010) a blog is defined as “to read, write, or edit a shared on-line journal”. It is common for people to keep a journal, however one does not commonly feel enticed to share it. This is where a blog is different than a journal – a blog allows the journaled information to be viewed by anyone who has access. Blogs however can be blocked or restricted by certain viewers; where as a manual journal could actually be more easily “hacked” into. Blogs are digital, which allow various forms of visual and auditory media to be presented. One could offer this in a manual journal, but it may be cumbersome and less “user friendly”.
One of my favorite films to portray the blogging experience is Julie and Julia (Ephron, Lawrence, Steel & Robinson, 2009). This blog offered a “pay off” as the authors writing was turned in to a book and a film! So if one were to choose… a blog or a manual journal, one must consider the pay off, what would like to be presented, and who is allowed to view it. I wonder if manual or paper journals will ever become obsolete? I guess it is a matter of comfort and opinion.
Ephron, N.,
Word Net Web. (2010). The Trustees of Princeton University 2010. Retrieved from http://wordnet.princeton.edu/
I love this one- it's a regular internal debate for me. Which is more permanent? more private? more "safe"?
ReplyDeleteI think it's an issue related to generation. Kids today growing up on media who constantly type and hardly ever write anymore may find blogging less cumbersome.
I still just love the smell of fresh pages on glue binding, and the feel of the paper with a favorite pen in hand.
I imagine there must be some studies that look at age prevalence of bloggers. Now one thing about blogging is that not every blogger is a would be manual diarist. The accessibility and concurrence with which blogging touches the rest of the bloggers life makes it easier and more desirable to blog. But we certainly cannot credit blogs with inventing the journal or diary, as this has been done for ages right back to the journal cave wall.
Rachel, I am struck by this phrase you wrote "journal cave wall", I'm going to think about this more, initially it brings to mind the innate human need to record and reflect, to share experiences with others generation to generation.....there must be sociology/psych research on the history of the journal/diary, in text or image.......I'm inspired to look this up! Thanks Rachel! Amy
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