The Frenchie in The Holy Land is not dead. Hard to kill this blog that was born by chance, Spring 2005, four years ago and has changed many things in my life. But he must admit I had a hell of a crew's blog ... and then my adventure TechCrunch.fr, which has now been completed, had not left much time either.
I like to take this year to resume a new start, again to share some reflections on the loose life in Israel, on the web, politics, religion, music, cuisine and cinema. Like the good old days, my way of continuing to seek a form of truth.
Yet it is very difficult to re-blogging full time. Lots of things have changed, Blogs are dead? no ... but they took a big hit on the head with the emergence of Micro-blogging, Facebook and others. Time is shortened and the communication in real time. Easier to share a clip or a link on Facebook or Twitter than launching into a long explanatory note. Finally, the blogger is not necessarily a real writer or journalist, tormented by an intense passion for writing, by an uncontrollable urge to smear the white page. The blogger is above all a big sharer of opinions, eager for recognition.
Early blogs were written not fun, or simple desire to share emotions or experiences. Blogging is born of the need for users to become involved and to propose an alternative to information formatted by large médias.Le Blogging should give rise to citizen journalism, and has almost emerged.
But instead of really searching and reading blogs filled with relevant content and different, we started to follow the best of the bloggers and the blogosphere show-biz and forgot the others, those who write for fun and which do not exceed 50 visits per day. We created tables and measurement tools of influence. Gradually, thanks to a small relative success, the average blogger has been filled with a new responsibility, even thought it was important at times. The blogger felt star reporter and has even flirted with the mainstream media. Because nothing is more fun than being a blogger quoted (or guest) to the radio or TV. The blogger wants to be a free electron, offer a source of alternative news, but what is more horny (the word) an informal recognition of the holy mother television via an invitation on a plate or channel LCI? and then everything went faster, the time was shortened and the communication has accelerated. A blog is long and become boring to read. Yet surprising when you consider the growth of video on the web that it consumes even more time.
And then came the Pesonnal branding and his cousin's reputation online. Two first-teases, desperate to seduce the ego of the blogger. In-pen-say-sand: we must heal its image online, that's not worth discussing. It's good for his business, it's good to be known, it is vital to your image, man. A blog is treated better than a good old resume online. A blog is not an area of freedom, this should be a showcase nickel, which serves as a shining instrument communication.Et then talk about themselves and their performance wherever they can; self-linker, include self-impose his name and face. The importance of blogs and social networking, social bookmarking, business and community ... increasingly complicated and abstract.
What is certain is that the blogger has lost his joy, his wit and his irreverence.
I admit I had a little trouble with this constant desire to talk about oneself, to put forward ... even if it's for business purposes, even if it is a game marketing. I also played the game, sometimes with pleasure and often by interest. This permanent Egoblogisme me get away from writing and served me well by other aspects.Je do not spit in the soup with cabbage; Simply find the right balance, it seems, between positioning marketing (rather ugly term I know) and freedom of expression. Find the right proportions. Blogging is not dead but he must regain his humility and "purity" of origin. The revolution of user-generated content has taken place. YouTube and blogs are proof. But we must not forget that this will always end up making the difference is the quality of content, everything else is just talk. And blogging this is not simply a communication tool which is replaced by text messages, tweets or "waves" is also a literary experience and sometimes a means of expression for tormented souls.
For my part, on this blog, I often chose to write about political issues (and it is not good either for the Personal Branding ...) and that we know is dangerous both Extremists dominate the region or religion blinds the minds of some of the others as Arab Jews. Not easy being French and Jewish ... and left. It clashes with the doctrinaire free-feujette beaches of Tel Aviv ..
Yet despite this discomfort persists, I chose to return to the path of writing. Simply for the pleasure of writing even if I do not consider myself a great writer and also because there are subjects on which we can no longer be silent and deserve more than just a link on Twitter. On the Internet, as in the "real world" and in "real time or not," should help continue to support important causes; give, again and again. Here in Israel or anywhere else in this world so deeply buried in the Samsara.
In the meantime, Happy New Year!
