Tracking cultural changes, one book at a time

A new friend, who is also a writer, recently turned me onto a website: goodreads.com. This is a great site, where you can track and rate the books you've read. You can also take quizzes, join online reading groups, and so forth.

At one time, I had tracked the books I was reading by noting the titles and some thoughts about them in a journal. And, Jen and I had a running list of books that we wanted to read, usually taken from the New York Times Book Review. But, through this website, we can list lots of books and even get suggestions.

Now, this is a helpful service but I also have some reservations about using it. First, can we trust that this site will be available long-term? That's one benefit of using a physical journal to track this information. And, I think there is another benefit to using an actual journal. The list of titles, when organized by date, shows the shifting trends in cultural trends. And, it helps me see how my interests and values have grown and matured over time. The website simply does not permit that sort of cultural trending.

I must admit, this is a consequence of the growing importance of technology. Now, we have electronic books and electronic ways to track what we've read. But, we no longer have physical books, filled with marginalia to show that we've read them. Perhaps I'm just too conservative when it comes to the written word but I wonder if these changes are truly moving us forward.

A new week, a new start

The past week has brought some changes in my future plans. I finally became a bit more active in launching a freelance writing business. Those steps have inspired me to begin a new blog, one that is actually available to readers.

In this space, I will address current events that interest me. Anyone who knows me is well aware that I have strong opinions on a variety of topics. So I have decided to create a space where I share those opinions. I know that my readers may not agree with my thoughts but I hope readers will approach this space with an open mind. I hope to learn from my readers and perhaps teach them at the same time.

As a blogger, I promise maintain this area as a space where others can disagree with me, provided they do so in a respectful, mature, and articulate manner. I also vow that I will refrain from hateful, derogatory, and infantile language in my posts. My goal here is to present my thoughts on a given topic in a way that invites mature, lively debate and discussion. Frankly, I think we have lost the ability to debate important topics in this country and I'd like to use this space in an attempt to reinvigorate intelligent discourse.

I hope my family and friends will drop in and share their thoughts here, even if we disagree. With such a wide range of political and religious views represented by my friends and relatives, I am certain they will prompt some lively discussions and a wide range of viewpoints.