Sunday 25 July 2010

Swansong.

The comments on my last post have brought me to a conclusion regarding a question I’ve been pondering for a while: how suitable is the blog format for addressing deeper issues?


I referred in The Summer of Our Discontent to ‘simple cultures.’ Maria asked what I meant by the term and then went on to defend its corollary, ‘non-simple’ cultures. I could have written a long comment back, defining the term and clarifying the argument in favour of the proposition. But I thought about it for a while and went beyond the simple matter of defence. There’s the bigger issue involved: the question I’ve already posed.


‘Simple cultures’ is, I agree, an ambiguous term; and that’s the problem with all propositions of a complex nature. They’re full of ambiguous terms, and those ambiguities must be removed if the argument is to have any weight. That’s why the blog format, with its short sound byte ethos, is unsuitable for this kind of exercise. To adequately address the reasons why people of a certain type of culture are happier, and generally healthier, than people of another would require at least a major essay if not a whole book. This is what gives me a problem.


There was a reason why I started blogging in the first place. I have spent several decades observing that big, nebulous subject we call the human condition. I have moved in a variety of environments during my life - from the public school atmosphere of Dartmouth College, to the hidebound mentality of the Civil Service, to the high pressure world of corporate sales, to the relatively low pressure world of retail management, to the underbelly of deprived inner city life working for a multi-racial charity, to the free-living life of a landscape photographer. I’ve worked in shops, factories, offices, prisons, warehouses, out of a company car, and from my own home. And all the time I was observing people: their attitudes and behaviour, their preconceptions and prejudices. I tried to think outside the box, and I tried to look beyond the conditioning impressed into us by the culture. And I can assure you: once you step outside the tramlines and look back in, the world looks very different. What’s more, once you’ve seen things differently, there’s no going back.


And along with this I’ve tried to make sense of the biggest question of all: what is this thing called ‘being?’ To put it simply: What’s it all about? What is existence? Why am I here? What does ‘I’ mean? I’ve delved into many traditional wisdoms, and one thing has become clear: compared with this question, the complexities of the human condition seem trivial.


And so I reached a point in my life where I became largely alienated from my fellow beings, because I’m the sort who always has to be moving on. Most people aren’t. Most people want to settle between the tramlines, and I can’t stay there with them. That’s OK, apart from one thing. How do I find an outlet for the conveyance of my observations if there’s nobody to talk to? I found the pressure was building, and I wanted some way of releasing that pressure by sending everything out into the ether where it might be picked up and pondered on. So that’s why I started blogging.


Frankly, the blog format isn’t up to the job. It isn’t giving me what I want. It’s generating as much frustration as it is providing an outlet. I can break it up with a few anecdotes, jokes and silly ditties, but the primary purpose isn’t being served, And that’s why I’m packing it in.


Thank you so much to all those people who have bothered to press the Follow button, and to those who have commented on my posts. It gave me a lot of pleasure to see you here. And those few people who have my e-mail address should know full well that further missives will be very welcome. I also intend to continue following a few blogs, and making the odd comment. And I will continue to post stories at A Handful of Stories as promised, unless it becomes evident that nobody is reading them.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

No, no. You must continue the conversation with us. Is it really not working for you?

Nuutj said...

Everything's up to you. Would be good to read your comment or post again.

Anonymous said...

Dear Jeff,
I can imagine that you've become frustrated blogging, in some of your recent posts you complained of being tired of hearing your own voice. This happens to all of us. But your blog is much less of a one-way-conversation than others I've encountered. Your combination of humor, storytelling and insightful social commentary has made it one of my top visited places, and I'm very sorry indeed to see it go.

Maybe I don't fully understand what the primary purpose of blogging is, or was for you. You say you had observations to make and started blogging so they'd picked up and pondered on. Do you really think you didn't succeed in that?

Many people read but do not comment on blogs, as I know some do who I've referred to your site. I don't know why, maybe they don't feel as eloquent as you are and are too self-conscious to give their humble opinion. Others don't look too much in the summer when a lot of time is spent outdoors or on holiday. Or, is it that you were put off by the recent discussion of "simpler cultures"? Personally I don't see the problem – some will agree, others disagree – we all know what you mean and I think a healthy discussion ensued.

You're never bitter or overbearing in expressing your opinions as I find in other blogs (I'm not sure what's worse, an irate conservative or bitter liberal), and yours is a wonderful complement to the arty/dreamy/poetic sites I tune in to (you know them, you're a fan, too). I suppose I thought the like-minded could gather from all over the planet in this blogging sphere and form some kind of contented, alternative universe.

So that's what it's come to. Of course I respect your decision to move on, but had to let off steam about what a shame I think it is. Your voice is one of the few original ones I've come across on the internet and it was just beginning to get heard.

p.s. If you discontinue A Handful of Stories I will give you hell.

Jfromtheblock said...

no no no no Jeff!! are you leaving?? but....

JJ said...

Ladies, thank you for your support. To clarify (in response to Della’s question): The initial purpose of blogging was to get this stuff off my chest. It seemed interesting that the outcome might be that it would also get picked up and stimulate something or other – call it what you will. What I found was actually happening was that the finer points were often being missed or misunderstood. That’s because a lot of what I want to say really needs a 3,000 word essay, not just a short blog post. Frankly, I’m too lazy to keep writing 3,000 word essays, and nobody would read them anyway. So I found myself in a situation where getting this stuff off my chest was simply causing confusion, and I found that frustrating.

Bottom line: I’m a very small person in a very big world. It’s only me; it’s only a blog; it isn’t important. I’m not exactly Jesus or Guatama Siddhartha, am I?

Lady India: I felt blessed by your visits and comments. Your presence was more of a light than you know. If you had a blog I would read it.

Mei-shan: There’s something amiss with either my computer or your blog. Recent attempts to access it have produced an ‘unavailable’ message. I’ll keep trying.

Della: Give over! ‘I’m just zis guy, you know.’ I really do appreciate it, though.

Jen: No, I’m not leaving. I’m just shutting up. I’ll continue to read and comment on both your blogs (and Lucy’s and Carmen’s too.)

Anonymous said...

You're talking to people, Jeff. Sometimes if we listen in silence, it's because it gives us the opportunity to savor your words, and maybe respond in our own blogs, with our own essays, observations, experiences. I think wherever you are, whatever you are writing, you will always have an appreciative audience who sees the finer points and relishes in how your portray them.

Interesting: my word verification says roidamit. A new curse word for when bloggers go silent?
-pnl

JJ said...

I'm shaking my head.

Mystery No 1 - Is that you, Lady India? 'Anonymous' doesn't tell me very much. The fact that you spell 'savour' without the 'u' suggests an American connection, and makes me wonder.

Mystery No 2 - I don't understand why this is an issue. I refuse to be important.

Mystery No 3 - What does 'pnl' stand for?

If you want to enlighten me, please do. In any event, I've had a few scotches, it's late, and so I'm going to bed. Goodnight, whoever you are. And thank you.

Victoria said...

I don't often comment, JJ, because I have a neurological disease (and this will be the only time I ever mention this on the internet) that sometimes interferes with my thought processes. This is one of those days, so I can only echo what Della said...and, I'd read those 3,000 word essays. I wish you'd reconsider.

lucy said...

Why are you leaving us, Jeff?! Don't go!!! Please reconsider, please, please!

I need at least someone rational and logical to correct my thoughts, or at least provide me with a friendly shoulder while at the same time giving me sound advice!

If this is your final decision, I hope we can still keep in contact via email! :)

JJ said...

Victoria: You honour me. I can't thank you (and the others) enough for saying this. I think you'd find any 3,000 word essay from me terminally boring, though. There's one up at A Handful of Stories. I think that will do for this life!

Lucy: What can I say that I haven't already said in comments on your blogs? (Portrait of the Sky is very elegant, btw.) You should know how fond of you I've become over the last few months. Sometimes I've had to fight back the urge to be didactic, because then I'd be one of those whingy old folks that Carmen so loves to complain about - and rightly so. I don't think anybody should have need of me, but if you want to correspond any time, my e-mail address is on the blog.

So, should the rest be silence? I don't deny having been moved by the reaction to my quitting - and a little surprised because I don't see myself as being in any way significant, and I don't think I want to be. But maybe it isn't about that anyway.

Mmm. Never let me be accused of intractability. I'll think about it.

Again, thank you.

Maria Sondule said...

One reason I like blogs is that one can write about something and a slew of different opinions (at least in your case) will show up in the comment box. Where else will you find such a diverse audience?
I'm not for or against you scrapping your blog, since it's yours. But if I were you at least I wouldn't delete it, because then if I felt like it I could come back and post again.

JJ said...

Maria: Thank you for commenting. The problem isn't the variety of opinion, it's the fact that it's very difficult to get across the finer points of meaning in something like a blog post.