What’s the point of having a blog?
Our blog has been around for quite a while now, we’ve had highs and lows, but what is it actually worth? Should it over-reach and try and contribute to national debates? Should it be a point of contact for students and young people to the labour movement? Or perhaps it should be a place where contributors can highlight news stories that might be of interest from a variety of sources?
I personally think it should be all of these things and more, but I’d be interested to hear what other people think?
I enjoy this blog.
PS You should use “try to” not “try and”. A schoolboy error.
would you like to become our blogs new proof-reader, the position is currently held by one my cats.
Ok – I think you meant one OF my cats
Moving on from the literary qualities of this blog (which, I have to say vary enormously) and back to the point of this post.
For a blog such as this (ie a ‘group’ blog, as opposed to an individual one), the aim should be to provoke discussion, and to listen to other people’s view points (you do the first part well, but the second part less so well). Obviously you are going to toe the party line to some extent, but that does not mean you should blindly follow this line. I’m reasonably sure most of you don’t do this, which is a good thing.
I actually tried to justify blogging to myself a while ago: http://thecowfield.wordpress.com/2008/02/18/to-blog-or-not-to-blog/ to limited success.
I think your blog here has the edge over BUCF’s blog for example because it seems much less formalised, and more student-y, but that’s my own opinion. They try to tackle big issues much more than you guys do, but I feel that is to their detriment slightly. In terms of readability, BULS’s blog is better because you have shorter posts, with some humour thrown in, compared to BUCF’s (I think). That said, I still disagree with quite a lot that comes out of this site!
Thank you for your input Luke. I read most comments on this site, and by doing so I believe I ‘listen’ to others. However, I find it rather insulting, patronising and unjustified that I blindly toe the party line. Perhaps you’ve not heard that our coming priority campaign is to call on the Government to equalise the minimum wage across all ages? Read my comment on the post below, and I express my dissapointment with the Government’s position on expenses.
I have not blindly followed anything, ever, if I agree with something the Government does I am inclined to say, and vice versa. The idea that BULS blindly supports the Government is outrageously untrue.
I think it’s a good idea to step back and think about why you do it/what are you trying to achieve. My views on your strengths and weaknesses would be quite similar to Luke D’s.
TG, or whichever name you are using atm, re-read my comment, I said “I’m reasonably sure most of you don’t do this”.
Also, there is a difference between reading things and ‘listening’ to things. The impression I get is that most contributors to this blog and those who comment (myself included) are unwilling to have their minds changed. Perhaps this is a fault in all of us…
What I meant by the “party line” bit was that obviously this blog will have a Labour slant, emphasising Labour qualities over other parties. But you shouldn’t (and don’t) accept all that comes from the mouths of government officials.
Yes and my point Luke is that I don’t and I find the view you’ve expressed twice now hear, unfounded and unjustified.
I’m willing to have my mind changed about what the purpose of this blog is, if there are some good suggestions. I see what you both mean about whether this is nationally focussed or student focussed. I quite like the fact that, most of the time, we don’t profess to an expertise on big affairs of state, which colleagues at BUCF do. Rather, this blog is a bit of fun but I think a proper balance should be sought.
I keep switching computers and that’s why the name changes, it’s just automatic.
Well, I enjoy reading this blog and I decided long ago that I’d rather make a meal out of my appendages than vote for Labour in the next General Election.
Most blogs are for refining the views of the author and challenging those of others, as well as filling in hours of tedious insomnia and recycling surplus bile.
Great info – keep up the great work.
Hi guys,
It’s really important to provide a space where people can dip in and out of conversations, most listening in and lurking about, others talking and debating.
We’ve put you on our new space http://www.netvibes.com/compassyouth so people can hear what’s going on in Brummie!