MappingTheWeb //

The current state of the blogosphere is in turmoil. Productive discussions and conversations are being overshadowed by politics and hidden agendas. Instead of propagating new ideas, too many blogs are focused on branding and corporate initiatives. The quintessential purposes of a blog are to inform and educate. That in mind, this leads me to my ultimate vision for the blogosphere.

Imagine a blogging experience where no brands or advertising existed. Posts simply consisted of black text on a white page. No author names were displayed. There was no such thing as an A-list. At this point, bureaucracy and politics take a backseat to ideas. Discussions and conversations, in their purest form, take center stage. Ideas become the main source of credibility and authority rather than branding or popularity. Cliques are a thing of the past.

If the blogosphere simply consisted pristine, untainted text, posts would be judged by their content and insight rather than author or source. This would dramatically change the shape and trajectory of the blogging world as we know it.

Obviously, such a vision is idealistic and impossible to achieve. In any case, I think it is in our best interest to keep such a scenario in mind when making important blogging decisions with respect to our content and readers. Genuine, authentic discussions form the basis of the blogosphere. This ecosystem of ideas becomes more valuable and powerful as a whole with thoughtful posts and insightful commentary.