Sunday, February 05, 2006

theology of blogging

Some thoughts in process.

This blog is gift. As hobby it emerges from surplus; my time, creativity, thought and skill. A gift always costs. Every minute I blog is one less for family or for sipping a pinot.

Gift need not cost the recipient, but it costs the giver. Indeed if it has not cost, it is not gift but work.

It is the choice of a giver to give a gift. This means that consumerism is not necessarily theft of a surplus.

However, a consumer of a gift might note that while given freely, surplus is neither endless nor unlimited. By definition, for a surplus to remain a surplus requires replenishment. Such replenishment is uniquely contextual, dependant on the individual and their unique personality and makeup.

It might be financial,and so the chance to trade in Adense for the replenishment offering by a pinot or a new CD; it might be a comment that offers a new perspective; it might the encouragement of a story returned when an idea or resource has morphed into life; it might be a link or another blog offering creative resource; it might be a relational connection made, a network accessed; it might be hits on a traffic counter.

Method and mode of surplus replenishment may change over time.

Sustainability will depend on the sustainable replenishment and thus the ability to match gift, surplus and appropriately renumerated replenishment.

Posted by steve at 09:59 PM

4 Comments

  1. amen…love your thoguhts.

    hope to see them continue.

    jim

    Comment by jim — February 6, 2006 @ 1:44 am

  2. and like a true gift, the giver must let it go. out of his/her control. cannot force the reader to agree/like/dislike or even open it. gift giving is an act of vulnerability.

    mark

    Comment by mark — February 6, 2006 @ 4:18 am

  3. What makes your blog different is you blog from the heart and reach out to others.
    With a blog like this you may never know how many people you touch, and so it at times may seem discouraging to pursue it.
    I have always felt a blog is a very good ministry tool. So many people are hurting and the computer may be their only link to communication and fellowship with others.
    Exposing your weaknesses to others is also a difficult call, but the problem with Christianity sometimes is that people see lives they perceive as too perfect, good or happy to live up to.
    It is only by embracing our struggles and putting our flaws on the line that we grow spiritually and this is a courageous call that takes time to achieve.
    Many of us read blogs without commenting and if your blog touches or encourages just one person you may not know it, but it will have all been worthwhile.
    My husband sometimes wonders if I am married to my computer, but all good works take some sacrifice.

    Comment by Paula Weir — February 6, 2006 @ 9:07 am

  4. Mark,
    I like the links with vulnerability, which further heightens the paradox of the role of the internet and that perhaps blogging is not the best place for vulnerability because of consumerism, RSS feeds, etc.

    steve

    Comment by steve — February 6, 2006 @ 11:28 am

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