Comments on: Why Blog?

By: Angela Erisman

Angela Erisman — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 17:01:16 +0000

Hi Doug,

You’ve inspired me. I left my own response to your question on Imaginary Grace.

By: doug

doug — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 15:53:00 +0000

Iyov & Sam: I enjoy your blogs muchly. Scott, I encourage you to start one.

By: Rev Sam

Rev Sam — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 14:31:45 +0000

Interesting. I only discovered you recently (via Ancient Hebrew Poetry I think - that or Better Bibles) and I assumed you’d been blogging for a long time. You seem to have a very settled style. We also seem to have a remarkable amount in common.

The best thing I’ve read related to this topic actually comes from Philip Pullman, in an interview, and I liked it so much I stuck it on the side of my computer. It says: “follow the whole of your nature and write the book that only you can write, and see what happens”. Change ‘book’ to ‘blog’ and there’s enough of an explanation for anyone. BTW FWIW my answer to the question is here.

By: scott gray

scott gray — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 22:51:46 +0000

doug–

i like to think about things.
then discuss them with others.
then think some more.
five years ago i was awarded? earned? a masters degree in pastoral theology from a catholic university. there are 150 alumni/alumnae from my university that graduated near or since my graduation date.
i tried to start a regular retreat weekend (twice a year) among alumni/alumnae last year.
sent out 150 letters.
got two participants.
like you, responding to blogging is currently my only connection to scholarship.
i appreciate Tim’s ‘rewards of blogging,’ and wish i had been as articulately rich in my appeal to others, to come think with me.
in some ways, my education was about indoctrination, in some ways about training, and in other ways about being exposed to as many academic stimuli as possible. once there is a basic understanding of the paradigm and the tools, stimulus is what i consider to be the backbone of education.
i’m glad you and so many others are thinking out loud in blogs, and for now, i’ll just tag along.
thanks again for the interesting stimuli.

scott

By: Iyov

Iyov — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 22:11:51 +0000

Your post, as usual, is fascinating. I find your comments about academia particularly interesting. I wonder if the perspective from within academia is substantially different than without; I would point to the large number of academics who blog — often touching on points outside their areas of expertise. The reality of academic life is that like every career, it has its share of the mundane, the over-specialized, and at least in American universities, there is some question as to whether faculty common rooms actually exist. (As with so many aspects of life, idealism fades with age, so perhaps graduate students experience more of the pure Platonic dialogue than faculty members. And, as we say here in the US [this doesn't quite carry over to UK academic ranks]: some professors are more full than others.)

Lest my remarks be incorrectly read as having a touch of weltschmerz — let me hasten to add that academics have more freedom in their intellectual pursuits than most other careers; and for those who cherish research, it has many benefits as a career choice. However, as with so many careers, I think the perspective from inside is different than from outside. (I have heard many clergy say that this is true for ecclesiastic careers.)