Sunday, October 16, 2005

Politics and Politesse

What to blog about? Out of a surfeit of politesse, and a hearty fund of insecurity about accuracy, I tend to avoid politically oriented posts. I've committed some editorials to paper (or, rather, disc), but they remain unpublished. I've concluded that this is OK. Composing such documents helps me to clarify my own thoughts about current issues. Re-reading them helps me to see my inconsistencies, and sends me on fact-checking missions in an attempt to resolve them.

I'm a little bit uncomfortable with the school of thought that treats blogging like reporting. That's a little bit like treating the Fox network as an unbiased news source. Most political or current events blogging is editorializing, sometimes at its best and sometimes at its worst. Passionate invective has its place, but as the sole method of communication it only highlights the all-consuming anger of the writer. It creates a place where one may encounter the power of the written word not so much as a vehicle for convincing an audience, but rather as drug that intoxicates the writer.

The blogosphere is full of writers whose talent is inspiring (Pax and Joe Tornatore, to name two). Their blogs are well worth reading. They relate the day in and day out events of their lives with poignancy and an inherent understanding of their audience. They take delightful side trips into the absurd,the arcane,and pop culture. Forays into political commentary are properly identified as opinion by these gentlemen, and source links are offered. Controversy is not the daily fodder of their sites.

I'm struggling a bit with blogging right now, and I think I'll take a break. My life is good, and I am contented. Day-to-day living is fairly mundane for me and, perforce, dull in written form. Like everyone, I have experienced my share of sadness and horror, but writing about it seems too much like whinging and whining to be worthwhile. Besides, I don't like to revisit those places too often. When I have written about these things in the past, I have experienced real discomfort upon re-reading them.

Writing is therapeutic for many people, and I am no exception, but I'm too private a person to expose very much information about myself, my friends and my family in a public forum. Since I find myself unwilling to discuss my life, politics, and current events in any depth here, and since I have no talent for creative writing, I'm left with nothing to blog about.

I wish you a happy good-bye. See you on the blogs!


8 comments:

Virginia Gal said...

oh Merci I love reading your blogs, I find them always interesting - relatable (is that a word?). I will miss reading your posts, but hope to continue to see you in the blogging world. This is not a good-bye, but a see you later.

Anonymous said...

O MERCI ME, you shouldnt stop writing! Blogging! Although I dont blogg I read them (all of in the office) with such delite and interest! I only wish I could write! I have gifts in other areas though!LOL Keep doing what you do well! It is delightful to read someone who I know has the same viewpoint about some things as I! The mommanator

Dex Baxter said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Dex Baxter said...

Dear Merci,
I inadvertently removed my last post, all apologies. Anyway, In Hollywood we have a saying that goes something like this, "Write it down, run it up the flag pole and do it every day until some one salutes!!"

Don't give up the blog, just take it in a whole new direction -- if you are really in a rut, I could use an assistant. Have you been to the coast? You might enjoy it!

Merci said...

Thanks, everyone, for your encouragement. Maybe I'll photoblog from time to time until I'm inspired by something. I can always find something to photograph!

Joe Tornatore said...

everyone has something to offer with their writing and imagination. i wish i had your vocabulary. i feel like I use the same words over and over. see, over and over.

Merci said...

I admire simple, spare, well-edited material best of all. I think that's why I like poetry; it can be honed down so completely.

Zelda Parker said...

Merci,
No one writes just like you and each author is unique. I will miss reading your posts. Hope to talk to you soon! XOXO