I’m still wading through the inevitable list of things one has to do when one has been away from home for any length of time, catching up on mail, house cleaning, laundry and tackling the garden that has turned into a jungle. However I’ve just a few observations to make and bits of news before endeavours fade (I’m still catching up on the Blog so please forgive me.)
Camille will be away for a few days taking care of personal business and we wish her a speedy and safe return.
Now I’m back I intend to resurrect our experiment with opening the Blog up to public comment – which means that any reader who wants to comment or contribute may do so – however please do this in a responsible way. I apologise for the tight rein kept on this part of Blog life, but as many of you know we have had difficulties in the past and continue to do so intermittently.
On the subject of comments I have quickly scanned some of the debate about Blog health, lack of comment and participation that has taken place while I have been away. I confess I agree with virtually everything that has been said. However it might be useful to offer a slightly different view or more accurately emphasis. Most Blogs on the Web are personal and not communal and it is equally true to say that a considerable number of Blogs are not open to comment at all for the very reasons we have experienced here.
This Blog began as a personal foible encouraged by Jess and Nikkie. Being naturally gregarious a communal venture seemed to have certain attractions to me and out of that grew our present Blog. So my point is that while feedback is welcome and encouraging it is not absolutely vital to the health of a Blog.
Sammie is quite right when she points out that people have other priorities in their lives and that these along with time available ebb and flow with circumstance. To that I would add that this is a perfectly normal and healthy position. In fact I would go so far to say that much of the drama and unpleasantness we have experienced here has been a result of people for whom on-line has become a substitute for real life and I must confess I find it ironic that people sometimes criticise me for the way I limit my time here and have a self-imposed watershed. On line is as addictive as many other escapes from reality, chemical or otherwise and my greatest sadness here was losing a good friend whose leaving was the only way she could control her addiction. To me this is a nice place to come and dabble.
I smiled to myself when I lightened on Sammie’s comment about Maslow, part of my upbringing was having mischievous parents who liked to comment as to where I was in relation to Maslow’s hierarchy at any given time. It is however with tongue in cheek that I must confess that I don’t entirely agree with Sammie (whom I often find I have so much in common) when she says that the Blog is not part of Maslow’s hierarchy. I would argue that it almost certainly is. Just as places like Lit Chat represent for most their struggle to get off (no pun intended) the bottom rung of the ladder or pyramid, I believe, certainly for me, that Blogging is part of my self-actualisation. (apologies to all those not familiar with Mr Maslow). The Blog is part of my creativity and spontaneity. The Blog has also involved for many mutual problem solving as well as discussion of morality, it also embraces facets of the lower rungs such as self-esteem, confidence and the need to belong which have intermittently been important for many here. Philosophically I would argue that if the Blog didn’t touch on the upper echelons of Maslow’s hierarchy I wouldn’t be here. Enough of that though, suffice to say I always enjoy and value Sammie’s input and I’m grateful to her for reminding me of a childhood with Mr Maslow.
Liss is also right, my time here is limited in the same way everyone else’s is perhaps more so in my case. My career is taking off and moving in a new direction at present which will both considerably increase my work-load and time away from home. So Camille is right, if we value the Blog and wish to see it prosper and continue it will require others taking up the baton.
On a lighter note how far up Maslow’s pyramid have you climbed today?
1 comment:
Saffron: As always, your point about Maslow is well taken and understood. Perhaps what I meant to write was that most of us rarely reach the heights of the upper levels of Maslow's hierarchy,and when we do it is like being in Warhol's 15 minutes of fame window, and we are too busy basking in the limelight to actually be that person.
However, I was rather narrow minded in my approach and apologize to all Renaissance women and others who have reached these levels.. Saffron is 100% correct, and indeed one of those people.
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