Just-a-Pause: "Blah-cracy" The New Politics of Writing

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These are the days of chat, SMS and blogs. After all, short conversations go hand in hand with the race against time; whether we are running to, or from it, we are yet to fathom though. But that's another story altogether. In this scenario, it seems like books are almost passe. Seems like!

Let's ask the older generation, or for that matter, the literatti, and I am sure they will beg to differ. After all, books contain words that you tend to preserve; whereas blogs are just conversations in print and easily forgotten with the overload of blah blah that we are fed with.

Whether books or blogs, writers are the only one from the creative types who believes that the world really needs to hear what they have to say, or rather, write. Painters, sculptors, poets and other artists do not suffer from this illusion.

Books are remembered for decades and centuries. Blogs are here today and gone tomorrow or rather, over written or over ridden! This brings up a strange point; but true. Though with the help of technology we are virtually within kissing length of each other, ironically, we are moving further away from ourselves. That is where the book comes in; it kind of grounds you.

When people go to buy a book it is with some sort of expectation, while one tends to read a blog for the heck of it and not from a literature point of view.

On one hand, it is considered "in" to have books displayed prominently at home, leave alone if you have actually read them, or even intend to. If you have noticed, typical Page 3 interviews have it in their usual list of questions "What are you reading currently?" or "What is on your coffee table?"

On the other hand, similarly, blogging is considered "in" too; considering that the likes of eminent actors and politicians and what have you, are big on the blog scene and more climbing the bandwagon each day. From the looks of it, Blahcracy is here to stay, and that too with major hype. Welcome to the politics of writing!

Blogging serves a better chance to contribute and take part in the exchange that is "culture." You can say what you want to say at the click of a button and it is immediately added to the history of blah blah. No grilling and mostly disappointing experiences with a publisher.

For an evening's reading, most of the technoratti are likely to surf sites and blogs rather than sit and read a magazine or book. Surfing blogs are like having different conversations at the same time. Although, those who love to read, would after some time, miss the depth of a book.

What would I prefer to write : a book or a blog? Now that's a hard one. From where I see it, books, though it brings some kind of 'fulfillment' once it's done (so I've heard), weighs down on the writer. It is hard work, and often work of a very tedious kind. As compared to that, short stories or thought provoking articles are quick to write and quick on the take too. More my kind of stuff, especially when there is a thought to chew on.

To me, a blog is like many people knitting a sweater at the same time. Ever wonder what this end product would look like? Nah! No interactive techno-babble for me. Personally, I would prefer knitting a sweater by my lonesome self, stitch by stitch, sure to fit well when finished. Actually, replace the sweater with a simple woollen band, its faster and ties things up just fine! Just like this one did.