I'm increasingly tempted to weed out the blogs from my feed which are extreme. I don't have much interest in or patience for either fluffy, devotional blogs or bitterly anti-church gay activism. Both seem, to me, like people trying to convince themselves or parade their righteousness. The extremes seem like people afraid to acknowledge reality because they're so entrenched in ideology.
But I haven't yet. I think there's value in occasionally hearing the "extremes". I don't want to be able to accuse myself of turning a blind eye, or a deaf ear, to viewpoints which might challenge my own or at least remind me of beliefs about which I'm being defensive. I know I, years ago, looked at people who did that as "afraid of the truth" or "unable to argue." Now I see that at least some of those people can argue but are genuinely just not interested in the argument because they don't feel the need to defend themselves and/or know it's probably not going to convince anyone anyway, just as it wouldn't have convinced them before they experienced their paradigm shift.
And then there's the other factor: wait a few months, and those uber-devotional blogs will have a streak of reality, and the uber-bitter blogs will be injected with open-mindedness. Those who were militant or overcompensating out of insecurity will become more secure and consequently more humble and open to challenging data and perspectives. I don't have the energy to keep seeking out and adding, deleting, and re-adding blogs to my blogroll as they shift and change. It's easier to leave them all and just remember which ones I like currently and roll my eyes at the others. ...I wonder which bloggers roll their eyes at mine?
So, in summary: I don't actually read all of the blogs in my feed on the right, there are even fewer whose articulated beliefs I fully support, and some of them I may even remove if I think they're just too destructive or offensive to link to in good conscience, but they represent a wide range of perspectives, and I mostly think that's kinda nifty.
7 comments:
There are always extreme people in everywhere. We cant expect them to disappear. But, hearing their arguments will broaden our mind, thus make us more open minded people. So, at some degree, they are still useful for us.
Joned
I think it's a nifty idea too. Speaking of weeding, come over anytime you feel the need this summer and we can do a little weeding together.
They may spin out of my head.
I was thinking this post would be about how you started smoking pot. You've disappointed me yet again.
I sometimes go through that same process with blogging and facebook and I've come to the same conclusions.
Joned, amen.
Bravone, sounds...greeeeeeat. I'll let you know when that "need" springs up.
Playa, can I watch?
Jon, I love to tease. You'll learn this in time.
I've been thinking the same thing. My main doubt here was that not considering the extremes wouldn't temper my moderation.
I often go through and stop following certain blogs too for the same reasons you stated. Don't feel bad, its not like you banish them forever, you can always go back one day to visit them.
That is unless you're talking about my blog, then I'll cut you!
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