To Blog or not To Blog

As my countless number of supporters (estimated in the tens of thousands) already know, I have been maintaining this "blog" for the past two months for my English 225 class at the University of Michigan. Since I began this epic journey towards a greater understanding of human existence through blogging, much has changed in the world, including: gas prices (down in Michigan to around 2 dollars), the stock market, and also my definitions for writing and argument.

That last paragraph is a perfect example of the unique freedom of afforded by blogging. I can essentially say anything I want as long as it can be backed with sufficient evidence or a solid motive. I can be satirical, as I tried to be in my last pargraph, I can be serious, as I am in many of my blogs, or I can just share my opinion on any old topic of my choosing (as long as it pertains to the class curriculum). In an essay, especially one for a class like English 225, I often feel constrained to speaking in third person, and keeping any personal biases or opinions out of the paper. Basically, I feel like I have to be as objective and fair as possible. While this should also be a top priority in blogging, I feel like it is my job to speak my own mind on every subject I address. Obviously, claims and warrants without evidence are still useless, but I think a little more subjectively is definitely appropriate.

However, there are definitely also constraints on blogging. Sometimes, it is hard not to feel a little self-conscious during posts. I feel the need to constantly ask myself whether the reader has any interest in what I am saying. When I am writing a paper for class, there is an obvious reason for my work's creation, but here it feels different. While my blogging is "assigned," it feels like a very freelance and individual operation, so it is really my word and opinion that is on the line. Also, a blog is often not the greatest space to develop the type of argument I was taught to make. This type of argument is best created through the typcial 4-8 page paper, where there is plenty time and space to carefully and neatly lay out different evidences and support for my different claims throughout the paper. In my blogs, I have to make my arguments in a much shorter and informal space, which is uncomfortable at times. I think this opportunity can be fun, but is definitely pretty challenging at times.

I would for sure say that blogging has opened myself up to a more broad definition of writing and argument. As opposed to before, when my definition of argument and writing was more generic, meaning I did not think there were that many ways to creatively or originally write or propose an argument, I now feel aware of the adaptability of argument. A strong, succinct argument can be made not only in a newspaper article or 5 page university essay but also in a 2 paragraph blog. An argument could be made in one sentence, as long as there is a warrant, claim, and evidence provided. An argument could even be made in a photograph, even though that is not really relevant to what I learned from blogging, so I'll leave that discussion for another day.

To wrap this up, I won't shed too many tears the day I hang up my figurative writing cleats when this class is over, but I will definitely keep in mind the interesting lessons that blogging has taught me.

5 minutes until Election day...