I must accept (rather sheepishly) that I agree with Updike. There is a certain charm about the solitary process of reading that cannot be matched by what he calls a community experience. There is always the risk of one's experience getting diluted if brought into the public domain. In fact, at the cost of sounding bombastic, I would like to believe that there is one truly great work that will be read and appreciated in solitary comfort by me and people like me who carry it within themsleves as embers of a common emotional legacy. No, I haven't gone cuckoo yet.
"...there is one truly great work that will be read and appreciated in solitary comfort by me and people like me who carry it within themsleves as embers of a common emotional legacy." What a fabulous idea! My position in this ongoing debate is that I think we can have both - that technologocal changes will take place but will not displace older entities -- such as books and bookstores. Are there dangers connected with the changes? Of course. And yes the hyperbole is one of the least appealing features of the blogosphere - but it also one of the least appealing features of the MSM at times as well.
I must accept (rather sheepishly) that I agree with Updike. There is a certain charm about the solitary process of reading that cannot be matched by what he calls a community experience. There is always the risk of one's experience getting diluted if brought into the public domain. In fact, at the cost of sounding bombastic, I would like to believe that there is one truly great work that will be read and appreciated in solitary comfort by me and people like me who carry it within themsleves as embers of a common emotional legacy. No, I haven't gone cuckoo yet.
ReplyDelete"...there is one truly great work that will be read and appreciated in solitary comfort by me and people like me who carry it within themsleves as embers of a common emotional legacy." What a fabulous idea!
ReplyDeleteMy position in this ongoing debate is that I think we can have both - that technologocal changes will take place but will not displace older entities -- such as books and bookstores. Are there dangers connected with the changes? Of course.
And yes the hyperbole is one of the least appealing features of the blogosphere - but it also one of the least appealing features of the MSM at times as well.