Why blog ? ( commentary )

"Why not? ", is perhaps the better question.

Since very early in Man's time on the planet, humans have chosen to express themselves creatively. There is not a great difference between our ancestors going deep into caves and painting images on the walls by flickering candlelight, and today's blogger sharing his thoughts and views while typing away on a keyboard by the light of his monitor.

While Gutenberg opened up reading to the masses, the Internet and web blogs have given everyone with a computer and a connection the chance publish their thoughts for the world to read. Unlike traditional publishing, the motive is not profit - but simple joy in the creation and effort behind such endeavors.

By some calculations, the estimated number of bloggers is around two and one half million people, or perhaps two percent of all people with access to the Internet today.The earliest pioneers, like Justin Hall who started his blog in 1994, had to work from scratch. Today, one can create a blog in perhaps ten minutes - or less.

Today we have bloggers sharing their lives with anyone that cares to read their thoughts. We have both American soldiers in the front lines blogging, as well as Iraqi citizens. History is being recorded, almost in real time, from thousands/millions of different viewpoints. Hopefully, this mass of information will all be archived somewhere for posterity for sociologists and historians ponder over in the future. It will provide an interesting wealth of information about life in the early twenty-first century, from the most mundane to the most profound.

Unlike any other point in mankind's history, never before have so many people's lives and thoughts been captured like some insect in amber - forever digitally engraved and preserved. Imagine how our view of the past would change, were we able to listen to the voices of those that had lived it. Not just the people in charge, but of those who lived their lives out of the spotlight. To hear not just the general's words - but those of the foot soldiers, and all the villagers too.

The recent disaster of hurricane Katrina showed the ability of the common man to become a journalist. Even CNN was referencing to certain bloggers on their newscasts. One could see the story from the mainstream media viewpoint, or turn to people living in the region writing of what they saw and felt.

This gave a level playing field to those that chose to use it. Information today has been democratized, and so has the media. Journalists no longer need networks or newspapers, artists no longer need agents or record companies. Anyone with the interest and the time can present themselves in to the world, and to anyone that wants to listen to them.

Through my exposure to the Internet, and to such things as Internet forums and weblogs, I have found myself spending more time online - and less time in front of the TV. Why listen to an "expert" , when one can go online and begin to research an event on the Internet ? Instead of one viewpoint, one can find one hundred...or one thousand.

So, spend some time checking out the other bloggers on this site, and on others like this one. Every one of them has something to share with you, if you care to spend some time listening to what they have to say.

Even better, start your own and add your voice to the growing chorus.