My name is Nathan and I am currently a sophomore originally from Bloomington, IN. I enjoy music, traveling, and trying new things. I love the outdoors, and going backpacking especially. I took English 201 to become a better writer, as I feel writing is one of the most powerful tools that someone can have. In general I'm fairly laid back and interested in what other people have to say.
Brief thought or two on blogs:
I have never blogged before, and don't have too much experience reading them. I have my doubts as to whether I think blogging is a good form of communication. While a blog's ability to give anyone with an internet connection a space to express ideas or a passion is a good thing, the fact that one can say anything in this space creates the potential for abuse. The abusers may be a small minority, but there will certainly be people that change facts, steal ideas, and cloud discussion to further some personnel agenda. This combined with the fact that the author can make up any qualifications he may like about himself, to an extent at least, furthers the uncertainty that surrounds the content on someone's blog.
More traditional media sources have problems too; perhaps I put too much trust in publishers and editors in providing me with accurate information. They too may have agendas; especially the agenda to put out what will sell well, even if that means changing some of the content, or dropping more scholarly works for works that give more thrills. Thus I am interested in seeing how my initial thoughts on blogs, as legitimate sources of information beyond opinion, develop as we progress through the semester.
I try to live my life by getting as many good experiences as time will allow, and exploring the outlet that blogs provide many people will be another experience that can better me as a person. I go into this class then with an open mind, and interested in classmates reactions to communicating in this form about the subject of authorship.
