Reflections at Pi

There is definitely a style to blogging. The writing tends to be either rather succinct and to the purpose of answering a specific question or less formal, more conversational. I tend to lean more toward the latter in terms of finding blogs that hook me. This isn’t out of the norm for books either, some lead with an informational/colder “voice” and others with a friendlier, informal tone.

Reading blogs seems easier than reading a book. Does that mean they are geared toward those with shorter attention spans? Blogs are, after all, usually short and relatively to the point. I find that after a while, unless a blogger is really compelling, I don’t bother with long posts. Strange that the same criteria does NOT take effect for magazines or books. In those two, the more in depth the better. There is some quality about a computer screen that makes me skim, blast past, in ways I would never dream of doing with other touchable elements of media. And, that tendency seems to get stronger the longer I’m online.

I like the collaborative element of blogs. Getting comments from friends on my online journal helps me stay in touch, picks me up after a bad day, and helps spread news quickly. I like seeing the academic side of that on sites, such as woodward’s site on Extreme Loud and Incredibly Close or the site on The Secret Life of Bees. That said, if given my choice, I’d pick personal blogs, such as Tony’s, first. Probably the gossipy Leon in me.