Wk 6 E-learning post - Blogging

"Either construct a post that critically considers some of the phenomenon that are exemplary of the cultural production thesis: conversations that have turned into online chat, web sites that are expressions of the self, videos submitted to YouTube, and multiplayer online gaming are all good examples. Or consider to what degree blogging has become a naturalised activity: does it feel easier or harder to write a blog or an email - why? When does your blogging anonymity become a become a mirage? To what degree is blogging useful as a form of surveillance?"

I think blogging has become a naturalised activity for some, because of the different possibilities it offers. In some cases blogging can be a way in which talented writers can reach a fairly broad audience without needing to first find someone willing to publish their work. In other cases people are able to seek the opinions of others in an anonymous way- having a blog can be like having a diary that talks back. On the other hand, there are still plenty of people that do not find blogging natural or even comfortable - it can be daunting to write for an audience, whether it is real or imagined.
i find it difficult to compare blogging with email as I do not use either extensively and when i do its for very different purposes, but I guess with email you have a greater perception of control- you know who you are sending it to, and generally trust that it won't be forwarded on if you don't intend for it to be. You also generally know what is appropriate as you know who your audience is, but then in blogs I guess your work generally dictates who your audience is so basically anything goes.
Although anonymity is a possibility in blogging, it is not always a reality. Bloggers can be careful about what information they give about themselves, but may be recognised by people they know offline if they describe certain people or events, or even write in a certain way.