Real Power in a Real World
Who’s looking at my website? Tuvalu? Where’s Tuvalu?
A quick web search found this: “Tuvalu is an island nation located in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its name means ‘Eight Standing Together’ in Tuvaluan. With the exception of tiny Vatican City, it has the smallest number of inhabitants amongst independent nations.”
In the first nine days of January I had over 16,000 hits on one of my websites. “Is that possible?”
Last month I showed Julie how to set up a web site and put one page on her web space with just the word “hello”. I checked and it had been accessed 19 times. I opened the page and checked the counts again – 20 hits. It appears the statistics are correct.
In nine days I had hits from Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Czech Republic, Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan, Viet Nam and about twenty other countries.
Have you ever thought about the influence you have? You write a simple post expressing some wisdom, frustration, solution, problem or thought and people – one billion people – have access to your post.
“Some time in 2005, we quietly passed a dramatic milestone in Internet history: the one-billionth user went online. Because we have no central register of Internet users, we don't know who that user was, or when he or she first logged on. Statistically, we're likely talking about a 24-year-old woman in Shanghai.”
I have tremendous power and with it tremendous responsibility. I can influence the world for good or evil. I can heal or I can harm.
As I write my posts, I am conscious of respecting the people that I write about. I know someone from my past may discover my blog and read about my interaction with them. I tell you about stories from my past but I don’t tell the ones that would be hurtful. What image do I project to those who know me personally? Do they perceive me as being honest or do I appear hypocritical? Do I project one image on my blog and another in face to face interaction?
I think we live in a great and wonderful period in history. I’m posting this via wireless and satellite using electricity provided by the sun. What I’m doing can be done in the most remote places. I have a voice that can reach anywhere – from the heat of the Sahara desert to the polar ice caps. What impression of Americans do I portray to people from other countries? What image of men? What images?
I am king of a virtual domain. May Allah, Yahweh, the Hidden One and Bob give me the wisdom to be honest, compassionate, bold and profane as needed.
A quick web search found this: “Tuvalu is an island nation located in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its name means ‘Eight Standing Together’ in Tuvaluan. With the exception of tiny Vatican City, it has the smallest number of inhabitants amongst independent nations.”
In the first nine days of January I had over 16,000 hits on one of my websites. “Is that possible?”
Last month I showed Julie how to set up a web site and put one page on her web space with just the word “hello”. I checked and it had been accessed 19 times. I opened the page and checked the counts again – 20 hits. It appears the statistics are correct.
In nine days I had hits from Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Czech Republic, Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan, Viet Nam and about twenty other countries.
Have you ever thought about the influence you have? You write a simple post expressing some wisdom, frustration, solution, problem or thought and people – one billion people – have access to your post.
“Some time in 2005, we quietly passed a dramatic milestone in Internet history: the one-billionth user went online. Because we have no central register of Internet users, we don't know who that user was, or when he or she first logged on. Statistically, we're likely talking about a 24-year-old woman in Shanghai.”
I have tremendous power and with it tremendous responsibility. I can influence the world for good or evil. I can heal or I can harm.
As I write my posts, I am conscious of respecting the people that I write about. I know someone from my past may discover my blog and read about my interaction with them. I tell you about stories from my past but I don’t tell the ones that would be hurtful. What image do I project to those who know me personally? Do they perceive me as being honest or do I appear hypocritical? Do I project one image on my blog and another in face to face interaction?
I think we live in a great and wonderful period in history. I’m posting this via wireless and satellite using electricity provided by the sun. What I’m doing can be done in the most remote places. I have a voice that can reach anywhere – from the heat of the Sahara desert to the polar ice caps. What impression of Americans do I portray to people from other countries? What image of men? What images?
I am king of a virtual domain. May Allah, Yahweh, the Hidden One and Bob give me the wisdom to be honest, compassionate, bold and profane as needed.
posted by Paul at 10:39 AM
11 Comments:
Hey man, I just dont get the number of hits you got!! Ive been blogging for one year and since Im pretty well-known in Czech Republic, I got only about 300 unique visitors a day.
How the f*ck did you do that? I wanna a manual! :))
Let's hear it for Bob.
Alex, Sorry for the confusion. I wasn't refering to my blog. I have two domains registered and one of the domains had the hits. The most hits I've had on my blog is 57 in one day. Also, I don't think the counts are unique. I don't have access to the raw logs -- only a summary report.
If you're getting 300 unique vistors a day then you need to write the manual for me!
That I might influence someone has never crossed my mind. I mostly tell tales from my life and make them as honest as possible. I suppose for some parents could use my life to warn their children to steer clear of excesses.
As for what you write - in some ways it makes me wistful. I don't know if it is because you have found something I want or if it is because I'm glad I don't have it.
Life is sweet - and part of the reason is that I am able to read your words. I thank you for that.
I have yet to figure out the hit counter, and I think perhaps there is bliss in ignorance. The funny thing about my comments is that no one has yet to take the time to vehemently dissagree with anything I have said so far, which leads me to think perhaps there is so much overall truth in my rants that a diametrically opposed response cannot be mustered. However, I will be the first one to suggest that MY truth cannot always, if ever, be THE truth, but if it makes one think about those truthes they hold most dear and tempt them to examine them more closely, then my words will have had a positive impact, at least from my perspective. As Bob would say (I can only imagine), only a stone cold fact can make a dent, but a belief based on common sense can nudge a mountain.
Wow...thats 2 awesome thoughts in one day...one here and one at http://www.dragonflybaby.com/ journal. Thank you wondering... Hudaha thunk it too:)
Honest wisdom with a big helping of compassion--that's you!! That's where the "power" comes from--a power that you treat with gentle loving care...
It's great the kinda impact one can have. The internet trully is a wonderful thing. :)
Tag You're It.
Paul-
Being able to directly communicate our thoughts to the masses and listen to their responses gives us a feeling of community with a whole world of people.
It's an opportunity to share our truths, vent our frustrations, and most importantly, to contribute to the public dialogue in a positive and constructive way.
You said something at our blog about me setting an example for others, but I see the internet, and blogs in particular, as a way for all of us to realize we can make our voices heard, and thereby grow into ourselves by following our own advice, and to see how others are grappling with the issues in their lives, and learn from the examples they are trying to live by too.
And I also believe that, without joy, hope & humor, we can't be effective in drawing people into that dialogue, at the same time, the conversation should be honest, and blunt when neccesary, turning to unpleasant realities that need to be discussed openly by people who have no other forum.
It's empowering for all of us to talk about what's happening in the world, and how we might change our lives for the better, because nobody's life today is all peaches & cream, we're all dealing with so much.
And it's not only educational, but enlightening, to learn how others deal with the negative aspects of their experience, as well as all the fun & beauty life has to offer.
I agree with much of what you have said...altho I find it difficult to fathom that mass of people..visiting..me?
But I too am careful and respectful in my postings. Or I try to be.
I see each comment I receive as a blessing of encouragement that kind people are sending me. I might feel different should I get a troll, but that could be fun too..
And yes, thank you for mentioning Bob.
Post a Comment
<< Home