Why Do I Blog?
One of the great challenges in blogging is a frame of reference. All bloggers should be able to answer the question: Why do I blog?
Some blogs are well-focused, some are random reflections, some well thought out, some not.
Twitter has helped the blogosphere by providing a home to those of limited thought to reach out to those of limited attention span. Twitting is to communication what candy floss is to nutrition. Initially a quick hit, but, in the end, unsatisfying. Yet this is a welcome evolution in the blogosphere, because it implicitly reserves blogging to those who think before they speak, who want to reach out to those who reading appetite extends beyond the candy floss.
An economist by training, and whose interests are diverse and eclectic, the challenge for me is to develop a coherent terms of reference for my blog. Indeed, what attracted me to the discipline of economics was the balance of perspectives, the macro and the micro view of the world, the theoretical and the empirical, the political and the historical, all with a policy and problem-solving bent to help improve the world, a region, a country or a company, and arguably the individual. I share the view of John Maynard Keynes that an economist “must be mathematician, historian, statesman and philosopher.” And he must write well enough to stir the imagination of lay readers. “Words ought to be a little wild,” he said, “for they are the assaults of thoughts upon the unthinking.”
I have finally discovered my inspiration in Benjamin Franklin’s Junto Society in drafting a terms of reference for my blog.
In 1727, Benjamin Franklin convinced 12 of his friends to form a club dedicated to mutual improvement. Meeting one night a week, these young men discussed the topics of the day. The group lasted for 40 years and eventually became the nucleus of the American Philosophical Society.
Junto, pronounced who-n-toe, was a private forum for discussion and as a surreptitious instrument for leading public opinion. One of the functions of the group was to brainstorm publicly beneficial ideas.
Franklin described the Junto this way in his Autobiography
“I should have mentioned before, that, in the autumn of the preceding year, [1727] I had formed most of my ingenious acquaintance into a club of mutual improvement, which we called the JUNTO; we met on Friday evenings. The rules that I drew up required that every member, in his turn, should produce one or more queries on any point of Morals, Politics, or Natural Philosophy [physics], to be discussed by the company; and once in three months produce and read an essay of his own writing, on any subject he pleased. Our debates were to be under the direction of a president and to be conducted in the sincere spirit of inquiry after truth, without fondness for dispute or desire of victory; and to prevent warmth, all expressions of positive opinions, or direct contradiction, were after some time”
The blogosphere offers a different sort of meeting place. The guiding principle for this blog is to develop essays on any subject or point of morals, politics, science or philosophy.
To frame the discussion beyond the guiding principles, Franklin set out 24 questions to act a guideline, which I have reduced to four
- What is the most interesting thing that you have read, seen or heard in the last month, particularly in the arts, sciences, humanities travels or other parts of knowledge?
- What is the most interesting thing you have learned about life in the last month based on the success or failure of persons or organizations?
- What social goal, strategy, policy or law is most in need of reform in order to improve general welfare of the community, region, country or world?
- What matters of practical ethics have come to your attention in the last month, including manners of living (temperance/intemperance, imprudence/prudence, passion, vice, folly/moderation, virtue, wisdom, actions) with both intended and unintended consequences?
The benefits of this approach for me are several. Developing an essays forces one to develop an argument in a logical and yet persuasive way. It forces one to test the initial enthusiasm they may have toward a subject and to place it before a public forum for comment and discussion. Even without comment, authors are one step ahead in their own development. Indeed, if my experience is not unique, the mind continues to examine an argument even if others do not, such that the author may ultimately challenge and evolve their own position. That others participate in any of several ways, to comment, to brainstorm, to disagree or discuss will further increase the benefits.
