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Online Diaries: Transformation of Medium and Meaning - To conclude...

Nov. 8th, 2006 06:23 pm To conclude...

I hope I have shown through the historical transformation of diaries, the misconception of “private” diaries as private, and the idea of all writing as performative, that blogs do not radically change the meaning and purpose of diaries as vehicles of expression. Instead, the online form and its ability to generate numerous readers actually contributes to the role of diaries in people’s lives, through allowing users to form strong connections and communities and learn from one another.

Current Mood: accomplished

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Comments:

From:[info]writingmachines
Date:December 7th, 2006 02:26 am (UTC)

Some closing thoughts

(Link)
Ah, the end! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this (if you made it this far). I certainly enjoyed writing it, especially because I got to do an in-depth study of something I am interested in and curious about. As I hope you’ve seen through my comments, I definitely learned a lot about diaries that I didn’t know, and my new knowledge has made me completely revise my opinion of blogs. In fact, I have to admit that when I first came up with this project idea, I assumed that my thesis would be something like, “The internet has completely changed, warped, and basically destroyed the meaning of diaries.” Instead, I now believe the opposite is true: The internet is the perfect niche for diaries. After all, not everyone has to choose to put her or his diary on the internet. (However, after doing this project, I’ll have to consider creating my own!)

I’m so accustomed to writing standard, Word document papers that this was certainly a treat and much more creative project than I had imagined. In fact, when my small group suggested ways in which I could present my paper online and incorporate myself into it, I was extremely excited and completely thrown by the idea. Of course, more of this project ended up being a critical assessment of diaries than about me, but I hope that pieces of me have still come through. Though, of course, anything I write is perfomative and just a character, right? So how will you know what I really am like?? : )

Oh, I must add one more thing for now, which is sort of a disclaimer and plea for comments, if you want to make them. After doing this project, I see that there are still many areas of diaries and blogs to study and many unanswered questions. (For example, check out this issue-- http://machines.pomona.edu/170L/node/561#comment --raised by a classmate on our class blog and what I respond.) Like any other LiveJournal, this blog, and the argument I make in it, are my ideas and what I wanted to write about, but I would love to hear more opinions/questions/comments/concerns! Thanks for reading!

  

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