部落客的公共參與

從Smart Mobs那看來的消息。MIT新出版了一本叫做「線上公民生活」（Civic Life Online: Learning How Digital Media Can Engage Youth）的書，其內容在討論數位媒體工具所造成的效應；例如：人們如何利用這些工具學習、連結、溝通與成長。

當中有一個章節，是由Howard Rheingold所寫的，簡單介紹了年輕人可以使用哪些數位工具「介入」公共生活。全文可下載。

大略翻了一下這篇文章，對當中一段對於部落客的描述格外感興趣。它是這麼寫的：

Many bloggers serve as “intelligent filters” for their publics by selecting, contextualizing, and presenting links of particular interest for that public. In this context, a “public” differs from an “audience” because you, in your role as a blogger, have in mind when you write a community of peers who not only read but actively respond to what you write, who might act upon your advice, and who might join you in discussion and collective action.

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What interests you, the blogger? What issue or idea strongly, even passionately, draws your attention and provokes your opinion? Is there a community that shares your interest? Could you and the others constitute a public? Clearly defining and understanding your public is the necessary first step to developing a public voice—the voice you use when you keep that public, and your potential to act together, clearly in mind as you blog.

回想過去這一年發生的事情，是啊，部落客的公共參與，的確是這樣發生的啊。

又，阿孝老師也在今天寫了篇「網路公民行動的政治潛能」，可以當作很粗略的台灣經驗參照（Rheingold自己也說他這篇文章需要更多的經驗研究與之對話）。而一個人，或一個組織，真的有心利用部落格作為一個介入公共事務的工具的話，孫窮理的那篇「工會如何運用網路傳播–從技術、觀念到組織工作」則是列為必讀啊。