This post is hard to write. It raises lots of questions in my head, triggers my inner critic, and makes me worry that I will offend someone. However, I want to respond to Sue’s post and push myself out of my comfort zone a bit. Sue asks some very good questions:
Those of us participating in this challenge are not necessarily blogging on professional topics. Of those that aren’t – do you feel constrained in anyway not to speak out on professional topics? I am not saying that you should professionally blog- just wondering if perceptions of risk to career colour that choice. Of those that do post on professional topics- have you ever felt it threatened your career? And even when it’s posts about topics of general interest to the larger profession? I acknowledge it can be foolish to discuss the specifics of a work situation. We do things to distance our personal blogs from our workplace because we can be uncomfortable and not sure of the reaction when we start blogging. I don’t have my full name or place of work on this blog but anyone could work those things out. I don’t hide the fact that I blog from my management and had these posts auto re-posting to an internal blog as an experiment but didn’t actually expect them to find or read them.
Would I feel uncomfortable and constrained if I knew my management were reading these? Probably. But I am also somewhat comfortable in having a low profile. I am not as exposed as Dorothea because I am not as well read. I am not as well read because I am not as insightful. It’s sad that the insightful voices are those we need and those who feel threatened.
I have been pondering this for a long time, probably since I started blogging. First up, when talking about blogging on professional topics, let me just say that I would never blog about specific situations at work. (I’m sure this is plain common sense.) I also have a simple rule with my blogging: don’t write anything about someone that you wouldn’t be happy to tell them personally. It works well for me.
Am I too scared to say what I believe or think? (Do I not know what I think?)
Do I prefer to avoid conflict? Am I worried that I won’t say the “right” things, and that someone might criticise me – and that they may be right? Am I not entitled to my opinions too?
Do I think that my writing is not good enough?
Do I feel I am not qualified to make statements on certain topics? (When it comes to our profession (librarianship), if we’re not qualified to write about it, then who is?)
All of the above, at various times, I think!
Not long after I started blogging, if I remember correctly, I think I made some self-deprecating comment along the lines of how I wasn’t worthy. I think I still harbour a belief that my blogging is not as worthy as other, “superstar” bloggers. I think Walt Crawford made a comment on this blog questioning this belief (I can’t find the comment, which may be a figment of my imagination; I tried looking for it by going through old posts, but then I started getting sidetracked reading old stuff). It is probably some deep-seated cultural belief that I have, coming from a hierarchically based, class-conscious culture. Being a member of a profession that still remembers the glory days when librarians held the keys to the Holy Repository of Knowledge certainly doesn’t help.
(Certainly many other bloggers may express themselves more coherently than I do, and have more interesting insights to share, but I’m actually glad I haven’t let this belief get in the way of my blogging. This post probably hasn’t been particularly coherent, but ah well, it’s a blog post. It’s not meant to be perfect.)
Lately I have found myself wishing that more Library Leaders blogged. Why don’t more University Librarians blog, for instance? I started listing the reasons: time; blogging isn’t respectable; there are other, established forums…
Then I realised I should stop wishing and start doing. What did Gandhi say? You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
Thank you Sue. Thank you PLN!
8 Comments
I’ve got a semi written draft on this topic as well, also inspired by Sue’s post…that and identity. The latter is one I seem to revisit regularly. I too, worry about offending people, and particularly so for me, some of my likely readers are also my company’s customers. But then, by the same token, some patrons may well read blogs by librarians.
Gosh- but I have to acknowledge Dorothea Salo again who’s post inspired mine.
The day that being coherent is a prerequisite for your blogging licence, is the day I move to my Ted Kaczynski style shed.
I should write something about this too. My personal blog I consider to be my place and where I could write about professional or personal stuff. MPOW knows I blog at Diligent Room (I informed them of this and gave my boss the opportunity to say if he had any qualms about it – he did not). I do blog about stuff that we do at MPOW but not about the sticky side of things.
I find that I struggle to write deep and meaningful professional posts. It is partly because I don’t feel confident that I “know” enough.
I seem to have no problem writing about professional issues and HOPE management reads my posts – I know some of them do. I feel a sense of duty to rouse, stir and provoke in the workplace. However, I feel constrained to write about personal matters. Not sure why. I felt like I was really opening up when I wrote about my owl fetish last week and now I feel liberated! More personal posts will be coming from me that’s for sure.
I’m tired of my own whinging, and have been trying to find some energy reserves to move on in my professional life, and focus on what I can do. Perhaps I will take “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” as my motto. Thanks for your blog. I sure find it worthy.
I question your belief that your blogging is not as worthy as other, “superstar” bloggers.
There, see: You can point right to the comment. (I seem to remember making such a comment as well… and may have said something snarky about “superstar” bloggers. At this point, I don’t believe there is such a category. At least in the U.S., among libloggers, most of the so-called “superstars” barely blog at all.)
snail, identity is too huge a topic for a blog post. (or maybe this whole blog shows facets of my identity?) But I look forward to reading your post!
Sue, you already did acknowledge Dorothea! (I hope she doesn’t quit blogging either.)
ADHD, thanks. Oh, and where is this shed?
Miss Sophie I am working on a post inspired by your info lit one. Also, since you posted about owls, I seem to see them everywhere at the moment 🙂
Restructuregirl (why have you not linked to your blog?), the other motto: “it is easier to ask forgiveness than it is to ask permission” 😉 I am glad you’re blogging!
Thank you Walt 🙂 Your comment those years ago made me think, and helped keep me blogging. (I must find it!)