The heart and soul of blogging

'The heart and soul of blogging is the individual and/or the group of individuals opining on the fly and responding post-haste to one and all.' [1] And speaking of heart and soul, it is gratifying to see so many participants blogging on this forum about the IGF in Nairobi. It's also interesting to note that most of the posts are from those participating remotely. What a resource the Internet is!

It doesn't take long for us to start taking things for granted, though. I can still remember watching in awe as I received my first fax back in the late 1980s but this soon became part of everyday life. So, too, with the Internet and all its components. But let's stop a minute and appreciate what it is we are really able to do with blogging.

While the term 'blog' was first coined in the late 1990s, similar forums, such as bulletin boards, were already up and running. The Iraq war in 2002 saw many impassioned blogs and measured points of view that transcended the usual left/right political divide. Soon, experts began blogging and around 2004 blogs entered the mainstream of media communication. Now we have a situation where bloggers are sometimes at the forefront of bringing information to public light and have a become a resource for mainstream media. As with all aspect of the English language, the term blogging soon took on a secondary meaning - simultaneous transcription and editorializing. Also know as live blogging, this is when someone post their reactions to a speech/event in real time. As is happening at the IGF in Nairobi and from remote hubs worldwide.

Blogging has become a global conversation which takes place online. Social media strategist, George Siemens, described blogging as 'using a new medium for what it is good for - connecting and interacting'. He also reckons that 'the heart of blogging is linking...linking and commenting. Connecting and communicating - the purpose of the Internet'.

What you are doing, as bloggers, is invaluable. By sharing your thoughts, experiences, and commentary, you are enriching our world and making the IGF all the more real and all the more relevant.

Thank you

[1] Michael Conniff, founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Post Time Media Inc., the leading community blogging company.