German sociologist Jürgen Habermas defined the public sphere as a 'network for communicating information and points of view . . . the streams of communication are, in the process, filtered and synthesised in such a way that they coalesce into bundles of topically specified public opinions'(1995, p. 360). The public sphere is closely tied to the media. New media technologies, in particular the internet, have provided unprecedented opportunities for people to communicate information and public opinion.
Blogs are one method of contributing to the public sphere. Roggeveen has written that a blog is a 'platform to push out ideas, information and links to other sources'(2012). However, 'when many blogs form a blogosphere you get a living ecosystem to exchange and debate' (Roggeveen 2012).
As the clip above demonstrates, it is arguable that a healthy blogosphere may just be the key to a functioning public sphere given the access they provide for minority voices and political dissidents. However, as Roggeveen highlights, whilst society has seen an increase in blogs this does not necessarily mean they contribute to a blogosphere (2012). If people blog in isolation there is no blogosphere of the public sphere.
References:
Habermas, J, 1992,The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere – An Inquiry into a Category of Bourgeois Society, Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press.
Roggeveen, S, 2012, 'Is there an Australian Blogosphere?', Lowy Institute for International Policy, accessed online <http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2012/03/23/Is-there-an-Australian-blogosphere.aspx>
I liked how you noted that an increase in blogs does not mean there is an inevitable result of a new and phenomenal sphere (a blogosphere) in a person’s lifetime of experiences, especially if these blogs are simply generated in isolation to the way of the world.
ReplyDeleteHow you preceded the dialogue relating to what determines a blogosphere, you carefully put in place the basis of the public sphere, with the interrelated ways of technology. This has enabled us to communicate through various means from the traditional to applications and technological advances provided through computers and the internet.
There are some really interesting points you raise here, the internet has definitely provided ‘unprecedented’ opportunities for people to communicate. I like your references to ecosystems and the fact that they are living and need to be healthy as a way of describing the ‘blogosphere’, it’s not something I would have thought of but it is a nice way to describe it. I also like the point you raised about people blogging in isolation not contributing to the blogosphere - I do not fully understand it however, seeing as blogs are essentially created to ‘share’ a view. Can you stop people from seeing a blog? I am new to blogging and am unsure about the specifics so forgive me if this question seems silly! Overall well done, nice read.
ReplyDeleteYour point of view is brilliant! I did not think on this way, but it is really cool. You are right that blogosphere can only represent small amount of people in the world. Their opinion or way of think might not be delivered to other people, if the people do not even know there are ‘the blog’ exist.
ReplyDeleteThere are some awesome points in your blog, and your references are all really credible. I like how you have clearly used personal experience to grab the readers attention - worked a treat on me. I also enjoyed that you had a definition of some sort for the main subjects you discussed, ie blogosphere, public sphere and then how individual blogs create the 'blogosphere'. Well done, really enjoyed reading this.
ReplyDeletegreat topic! i never really thought about how beneficial each is to the other, and for that matter how each 'sphere' feeds off the other. lovely an coherent piece which helps so much too! i think blogging is probably healthy (as i think you outline) even if it is for no one else's eyes. throwing down opinions and letting them out cant be harmful. great read and very intriguing!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post as you raised brought some original arguments to the fore front which I otherwise had not really ever considered. A standout argument for me is that a blog really does allow individuals that may otherwise not have a voice, the opportunity to freely express their point of view into the public sphere. A Highly thoughtful post!
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