A creative outlet
ANINDITA BISWAS
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A blog is the best way to get noticed in the virtual world
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Creativity spurts in the most unlikely places. Its fluidity tends to find just any crack to burst through. Though initially designed solely for information exchange, with computers becoming ubiquitous, the internet has become one such haven of refuge for individuals with a creative bent of mind. Despite retaining its extreme commercial usage, the internet has found a place for its human niche, particularly with the advent of the blogosphere.
Originating from the primitive ‘threads’ of conversation on websites and the ultra-complicated Usenet, blogs (web logs) came into existence in the early 90s. Evolving from simple, personal online journals, they have now become a utopian outlet of creativity for individuals with minimal exposure.
For those uninitiated into this all-encompassing phenomenon (albeit, of the virtual world), blogs are free, completely personalised websites offered by blog-hosting agencies. All you need is an e-mail ID and a few broad guidelines to be followed and voila, you are ready to be ‘published’ in the virtual world.
Instant feedback
It doesn’t matter what content you want to put in, as long as it is blog-friendly (videos, write-ups, graphics, music…… the list is practically endless) and you want to be heard. You can publish yourself to a huge audience with just a few clicks! A blog also enables you to have instant feedbacks from everyone you choose to share your page with, including anonymous strangers.
Due to its incredibly varied content and easy accessibility, the blog has become a rage, especially among the urban populace and the younger generation. With its readymade, glossy layouts and incredibly diluted censorship of content, it tends to give a superficial feel of authorship, which proves to be an irresistible lure for many.
Original content on blogs, however, is never guaranteed authorship (as is stated by the fine print of the blog-hosting services) and this leads to a lot of plagiarising issues.
Consequences
Though most people defer from putting out personal information, some (especially teenagers) tend to ignore the security measures and find it out the hard way.
Blogging as a propagandist, mass-media tool has resulted in far-reaching consequences, ranging from toppling governments to hate killings.
However, when used with caution, blogs have also resulted in job and business opportunities for talented individuals. ‘The Best Page in the Universe,’ a blog by internet humorist ‘Maddox,’ has achieved cult status in recent years, propelling him to be something of an icon. Hence, the blog, like most marvels of communication, is only another tool for exposure.
Whether it bridges or widens gaps depends only on the people who use it.
(The author is a II B.A. student of Mount Carmel College, Bangalore)
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