Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Is Blogging Dead v. Social Networking?

I have to admit that I used to enjoy blogging here and letting go my creative juices on many issues.

Now, its Facebooking, and the involvement of real friends and some virtual friends who are almost as close to real friends as friends you have met, touched, or more.

I am a writer at heart and blogging is best for the long diatribes of the mind but Notes are available on Facebook too but are more restrictive in audience than blogging, which is post card like for anyone on the Internet to see.

It is almost that "To be or not to be" moment in blogging but I think both can co-exist if the urge exists to write on postcards or have influence within the blogosphere, before anything hits MSM.

That thought however brings up a threat however to my fundamental core: freedom of expression.

In a Facebook world, you world is confined to your friends and acquaintances you build up there.

In a Blogging world, there are no such bounds and if someone wants to lurk or examine your thoughts, its freely given, with no expectations on anyone of private thoughts as these are public thoughts, free to roam wherever.

In Facebook as in Blogging, you are free to comment or create content but the span is very different hence.

So has the world gotten smaller as Facebook hits the 200 Million mark of users? And less free as a result as any person has only so much time to create or to read, and be passive or active?

Are there trends here to study say in the use of RSS readers v. Facebook time, that some have called "Wastebook" as it is true social time out v. blogging which requires thought and energy if you are the creator of a blog of relevance?

My blog has fallen out of relevance, from likely 1,900,000 ranked to perhaps 2, 500,000th. Do I care?

It is still my portal of expression, my post card to the world of the Blogosphere and should I take flight on occasion to Wastebook or delve into deep subjects on the blog here, either way, I shall take it to the highest level of joy, moment to moment, living more in the now, than ever before.

I think that effect, the "Social Effect" drawing against the "Singular Universe" in blogging is the ultimate tension, and the impact on relevance may not in fact be diminished in the Blogosphere where content is still king, was always king and shall remain king.

Long live the digital pen!