Dakota

Bloggish Narcissism

My nettie friend, Gary of Inkmusings , told me about a serial novel on Thinking Out Loud , That Girl's Blog, in which one, if one had the talent and inclination, could participate.

On my way to the novel, I discovered that Annette had an entry about blogging as a narcissistic activity. It probably is a narcisisstic activity for fifteen-year-olds, but then again, so is everything else when you're fifteen. After all they are "finding themselves". Would that more of us would have done that much earlier. It's very important.

What happens when you put the power of a blog in the hands of someone who is somewhat more developmentally mature? (Unfortunatelyy there are approximately the same number of bloggers over 22 , as there are navel piercers .) Blogging just happens to be a better idea.

Today a friend told me about a blog discussion at a dinner party on Saturday with a group of black and white lesbian and straight artists and shrinks. They all thought blogging was a narcissistic activity. Though they have never read one, they have read about them.

Of course it's a narcissistic activity . Here's what John Perry Barlow has to say about that in his blog. It is part of an entry honoring the disappearance of his friend, Spaulding Gray. I found it solid justification for participation in the narcissistic exercise that is blogging.

" Among the beliefs that he [Spaulding Gray] and I shared was a conviction that making public the intimately personal is a revolutionary act in an atomized society where many feel compelled to play so close to the chest that they can't read their own cards. Being emotionally naked before strangers extends to them a permission for self-revelation they badly need if they are to loosen the shackles of their own quiet desperations. It is a blow against the pursuit of loneliness."

Most important of all, the political blog is the voice of truth, in the era of media distortion and fiction. If you have been looking for the Liberal Press in the newspapers, you might as well be looking for The Holy Grail. Atrios , Pandagon and Daily KOS still wonder where George W. was for that whole year when he wasn't in the National Guard. Meanwhile ABC is picking on Kerry because he threw away his ribbons, rather than his medals when he returned from Viet Nam, not to mention the horror of his hairstyle. Why after three shocking books by former colleagues and the 9/11 Hearings damning this administration in their bullying unconsciousness, do the Group that Runs W's ratings go up?

It's as if we stand by, and, rather than chasing the mugger, we admire his ability to run like a gazelle. The Political Blogs are the only ones chasing the mugger.

Who are the heroes and who are the traitors, and who are the disinterested who drive by in their SUVs?

Ah, but the clowns-- many of whom have blogs--are doing their job. It's getting to the point that the clowns the only ones who can stand up to the monarchy. Gary Trudeau , Howard Stern, Al Franken , Dave Letterman , Michael Moore and Dave Barry are following in the footsteps of Lenny Bruce and Wavy Gravy .

All the best blogs

Photo note: There we are, the bloggers, just blatantly staring back at you.

Posted by Dakota at April 27, 2004 02:02 PM