It's about time I turned over a new leaf. I've recovered from the second attack of pneumonia and the interminable cough. I've started jogging around the neighborhood, as well as swimming two evenings a week at a local university—Samyuk, where cheap cafeteria dinners are an added bonus. I returned to CulCom last Saturday for Korean language lessons, for the first time in three months; Wonsuk, my new teacher, is quite fluent in English, and I'm planning to meet him during the week for extra practice. I might even take up Taekwondo, although that will probably have to wait until I get back from my trip to Australia next month. (I can't wait to see you Carla, and Bonita!) I also need to start reading before bed again; no more zoning out to epilepsy-inducing youtube videos (although it has been a source of considerable philosophical inspiration lately). Finally, as fate would have it, I've picked up an old hobby: magic. I was assigned to make the lesson for Magic Day for Hwarang elementary school's summer camp, two weeks from now. I should have just enough time to perfect a few simple tricks.
And another thing. I have to start writing, and not just more of the same. I'll continue to document snippets of my adventures in Seoul, but its about time I fulfilled the promise of this blog's title. Not that I want to burden my (few) readers with every little neurotic dialogue that crowds my mind— however, I do have a lot to say (some of which may somehow be of value to someone, somewhere) and I've been holding it in for too long.
There have been two things holding me back: one being my constant insecurity about puting my thoughts into words; ideas and feelings so often loose their luster on the page, and I despair when I fail to do them justice. The second thing holding me back is my insidious elitism—in this case, an unwillingness to identify myself with the proliferation of verbal diarrhea that is the blogosphere. To me, the web often seems to magnify the worst in humanity, revealing us for the small-minded, attention-seeking, fearful, and vain creatures that we are. What do we do with this miracle of high-speed communications technology and ever-expanding resource of information for which the word 'encyclopedic' no longer does justice? We often forget our dreams, and adopt an indolent and harmful philosophy of instant gratification; we corrupt the language and drown out meaningful conversation; we pervert the compelling ideal of an “online community” into a place where we await the next ego hit, perpetuate harmful cravings, reinforce a culture of consumption....
But this is, of course, only half the picture. There is still plenty of room for honest, authentic voices, seeking freedom from marginalization or alienation. The internet enables human miracles on a daily basis, and has made possible the kind of collaborative opportunities that no one previously envisioned. I believe the future is truly open-ended. We always have a choice, to be catalysts of the values we hope the rest of the world will one day adopt, online and off. Speaking for myself, any list of these values would include democratic conversation, freedom of expression, intellectual honesty, tolerance and understanding, and especially, faith in the power of the human imagination. Although I'm hardly the only one who values these ideas—they matter to many others (some of whom are my friends and family) in a way that goes beyond mere words. I view the internet as a kind of testing ground for the integration of these ideas into a quickly globalizing, technologically evolving world.
2 comments:
Jordan, the last 2 paragraphs of your comments should be posted and read by anyone and everyone who regularly share their views on the internet. It's probably the best commentary I've read that addresses the drivel that is "news" in the blogosphere. You also express the very positive aspects as well as the unlimited potential the internet provides. It isn't elitism to share sincere, well informed thoughts and opinions which I know is what will emerge when you choose to express yourself. We all look forward to more of your writings.
Luis
Don't worry about your ideas loosing luster on the page. They don't. I only wish more people were as honest and articulate in the expression of their opions, and less selfishly motivated in their choice of topic, regarding what they write in the blogsosphere and elsewhere. It's not often that I read something that makes me want to jump out of my chair and take action, but that did. It was just so darn good that I feel like I need to make sure other people know it too, but nothing I can write about it here would make it any better than it already is. Many people may have similar ideas and values, but few have the desire or ability to express them. Then there are the rest of us, who can easily forget what values are most important to us untill someone comes along and says something about it just like you just did.
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