Worldly thoughts about blogging

I've been thinking about blogs in general lately and how they fit in the scheme of things when it comes to life in general and technology. Part of it is because I have been reading The World is Flat - the other reason is because I am participating in a blog that focuses on a knitting book - Mason Dixon Knitting. On that particular blog, folks post their creations and thoughts and comments about the book, but mostly it's about what they have finished, or a question they have about a particular pattern in the book.
Another blog I participate in is a group of mostly women, but there are some men on there, that are involved in the church life - many ordained, but some not - but all have the common thread of being believers and having church being an important part of their lives.
However, I do not know if this is my particular direction or if this is where others are also doing, but I am finding that blogging and reading others thoughts, or seeing what others have to say about a certain topic, especially knitting, church, and education, which are the blogs I tend to gravitate towards is replacing email lists. (whew that was a long sentence and probably needs revising) - I am finding that I am participating in fewer email lists, and using blogs more to get the pertinent information I am most interested. Is it because it replaces some of the drivel that you get on email lists (how many "me too's" and "I agree" does one have to read to get to some meat?)? Is it because of the ownership of the blog that folks reveal more about themselves than they would on a list (I don't think so). Is it because the blog takes on a flavor of its own and it is somewhat predictable and you know what you are going to get?

I find blogs fascinating most of the time and I almost always learn something. I also find those that I hope I never happen upon again (ever hit the "next blog" on the top of Blogger? Whew! Sometimes that'll wake you up!)

After reading a chapter in "The World is Flat" about the history of the Internet, which is fascinating, I got to thinking, what would happen if all of a sudden, we went back to no email, no digital images and attachments, no Internet, no blogs, no online purchases. The thought of it almost gives me a panic attack. Our world would hit crisis mode for sure! However, we survived years upon years without it.

I am thankful that I am a part of this digital age - think I will end my blog posting on that note.