"We're always behind metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much that we crash into each other just to feel something."
--From the movie, Crash
As a relative novice to the blogosphere, I am always amazed that someone, anyone, would take the time to read something I have written and then take the additional time to comment. After all, there are sooooo many blogs out there. By some estimates, there are between 70 and 112 million blogs currently available online and over 175,000 new blogs being created everyday. This does not include microblogs such as twitter and plurk or individual posts to social networks such as facebook or myspace.
That's a lot of content to wade through.
But as I take my first few tentative steps into what is truly the final frontier, cyberspace, I'm learning something invaluable and truly unexpected. Yes, there is merit to having something to say and then having the courage, foresight (or ego) to write it down and click "publish post" (the first time I did that I was terrified; I thought....what have I done? Can I take it back? What if this really sucks?) but I am also beginning to think the real value to blogging isn't the necessarily the addition of more content to the universe of existing content, but the opportunity to create connections and start discussions. Ultimately, a blog represents your point of view. You have a premise supported by reasoning; it's much like making a case in a court of law. But when someone adds a comment to your blog, it is, metaphorically speaking, much like an unknown hand pulling you back as you're about to walk into oncoming traffic. It's a voice, sometimes a whisper, sometimes a shout, saying "yes," "no" or "have you thought about this?" These voices, these connections, unsolicited and unexpected, are the real value because they are the building blocks of knowledge, growth and change.
In "Turning to One Another," Margaret Wheatley writes: “Human conversation is the most ancient and easiest way to cultivate the conditions for change - personal change, community and organizational change, planetary change. If we can sit together and talk about what’s important to us, we begin to come alive. For as long as we’ve been around as humans, as wandering bands of nomads or cave dwellers, we have sat together and shared experiences. We’ve painted images on rock walls, recounted dreams and visions, told stories of the day, and generally felt comforted to be in the world together. When the world became fearsome, we came together. When the world called us to explore its edges, we journeyed together. Whatever we did, we did it together.”
So thank you.
Thank you to each and every one of you who have taken time out of your undoubtedly busy day to comment on something I have written. I am truly honored. But more than that, I have learned much from you. You've pulled me back, made me think, made me question what I think I know. That's a good thing.
--From the movie, Crash
As a relative novice to the blogosphere, I am always amazed that someone, anyone, would take the time to read something I have written and then take the additional time to comment. After all, there are sooooo many blogs out there. By some estimates, there are between 70 and 112 million blogs currently available online and over 175,000 new blogs being created everyday. This does not include microblogs such as twitter and plurk or individual posts to social networks such as facebook or myspace.
That's a lot of content to wade through.
But as I take my first few tentative steps into what is truly the final frontier, cyberspace, I'm learning something invaluable and truly unexpected. Yes, there is merit to having something to say and then having the courage, foresight (or ego) to write it down and click "publish post" (the first time I did that I was terrified; I thought....what have I done? Can I take it back? What if this really sucks?) but I am also beginning to think the real value to blogging isn't the necessarily the addition of more content to the universe of existing content, but the opportunity to create connections and start discussions. Ultimately, a blog represents your point of view. You have a premise supported by reasoning; it's much like making a case in a court of law. But when someone adds a comment to your blog, it is, metaphorically speaking, much like an unknown hand pulling you back as you're about to walk into oncoming traffic. It's a voice, sometimes a whisper, sometimes a shout, saying "yes," "no" or "have you thought about this?" These voices, these connections, unsolicited and unexpected, are the real value because they are the building blocks of knowledge, growth and change.
In "Turning to One Another," Margaret Wheatley writes: “Human conversation is the most ancient and easiest way to cultivate the conditions for change - personal change, community and organizational change, planetary change. If we can sit together and talk about what’s important to us, we begin to come alive. For as long as we’ve been around as humans, as wandering bands of nomads or cave dwellers, we have sat together and shared experiences. We’ve painted images on rock walls, recounted dreams and visions, told stories of the day, and generally felt comforted to be in the world together. When the world became fearsome, we came together. When the world called us to explore its edges, we journeyed together. Whatever we did, we did it together.”
So thank you.
Thank you to each and every one of you who have taken time out of your undoubtedly busy day to comment on something I have written. I am truly honored. But more than that, I have learned much from you. You've pulled me back, made me think, made me question what I think I know. That's a good thing.
Because, in the end, I don't need to be right.
But those of us in the learning business, whether vendor, educator or administrator, can certainly learn from each other and collectively arrive at the right answers. Or at the very least, ask better questions.
But those of us in the learning business, whether vendor, educator or administrator, can certainly learn from each other and collectively arrive at the right answers. Or at the very least, ask better questions.
So please keep commenting. Let's keep crashing into each other. Because these are the connections that keep us alive, allow us to change and force us to grow.
Posts
5 comments:
Being new to blogging myself, I find that I too question what I write and hope that I am presenting myself as an intelligent person. My one hope is that I am just able to positively contribute to another educator/classroom out there.
Mike,
Once again you have written an excellent post! I have made sure to add your blog to my list of "must reads". The insight and passion provided with each posts paints a picture of not just an intelligent person but of a great human being. I look forward to your future posts.
Now, to find time to add to my edublogs site after being further motivated by this post.
I am relatively new to blogging also and I have the same concerns and questions. But I love Margaret Wheatley's work so that led me to your blog. Keep going. Thanks. Jann
I meant to ask, what that her the latest edition of Wheatley's book or which edition because I think it was recently revised. Jann
You are absolutely right ... so many blogs out there ... it becomes a challenge to choose which ones to follow. But it is the same with authors, musicians and other artists - you can't follow all. In the end one finds an echo in a blog ... if we have similar voices, if we can continue to learn from one another, we will find our blogs to be valuable communication tools.
Post a Comment