The Idea Dude

CONNECTING THE DOTS ONE AT A TIME

Thursday, June 08, 2006

For whom the blog tolls

We were chatting about blogs today and how social networks are really islands. How you become more than an island and connected to the rest of the network is the existence of one individual on your island who is connected to one other island. This is a much better description than the usual six degrees of freedom paradigm because that does not convey that in life, the internet and the blogosphere, there exists a myriad of interconnected mini communities and families. I read an article today on Pope John Paul II and how he had canonized more saints (over 480) than the rest of his predecessors put together. The article postulates that one of his motives was that he recognized that in order to grow the power of the church, he had to win all communities far and wide and creating saints as focal points in each community not only strengthened the community but also drew that community closer to the church. Whether it is true or not, it certainly makes sense to me. The currency of the church is faith, that of blogging…reputation.

On the topic of islands, I received the famous prose of John Donne from my friend, Tealeaf (my perpetual fountain of information). It reads:
"All mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated...As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come: so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness....No man is an island, entire of itself...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." -- John Donne

In the spirit of the prose, I will translate this contribution into modern day context of what has become my blogging sickness. Hopefully, you will forgive me for the poetic injustice I'm about to do:
"All of blogosphere is of one author, and is one volume; when one blogger dies, one blog is not torn out of the Internet, but translated into a better language; and every blog must be so translated...As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the blogger only, but upon the readers to come: so this blog calls us all: but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this blogging sickness....No blog is an island, entire of itself...any blogger's death diminishes me, because I am involved in blogging; and therefore never Google to know for whom the blog tolls; it tolls for thee." -- The Idea Dude

BTW: Technorati reports, the top Technorati honours goes to a Chinese blogger, and Boingboing is officially dethroned after its long reign as king of blogs. The king is dead, long live the king. It also observed that only 30% of all blogs are in English, I am still at this point, digesting this fact and figuring out what this means to the future of blogging as we know it today.

4 Comments:

Blogger "ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi Vern,
That Chinese blog has been number 1 before and before that too.

What a beautiful observation you wrote here with so many heartfelt connections. I'm moved by reading it, as I am by so much you say and write.
Liz

10:26 AM  
Blogger The Idea Dude said...

To inspire and be inspired is best blog gatorade around.

Thanks for taking the time to read and listen. You do that so well.

Vern

11:10 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I should read other blogs more often. I wasn't aware that a Chinese blog was #1.

11:58 AM  
Blogger The Idea Dude said...

Thanks for stopping by.

I'm sure that's changed by now. The blogging phenomenon in Asia is extremely large with incredibly following. I read somewhere that if every one in North America was online, it would be the same as 20% of China's online potential.

3:39 PM  

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