Are Political Blogs the New Salons of the Twenty First Century?

During the Enlightenment and Renaissance-- the age of conversation-- men and women often congregated in salons in order to discuss politics, civility, and philosophy. Such endeavors promoted discussion and analysis, which, in some form, served as self-reflection and a polite way of checking the government.

The platform for discussing such hot topics as politics, sex, and religion has certainly changed over the past three hundred years-- salons, literary journals, protests, sit-ins, talk shows. Most recently, though, the salon has been transformed into something virtual by way of the blog.

Political blogs are becoming ever-present in American society. Like the salons of the French Renaissance, they discuss the successes, disappointments, and problems of the government and of the country.

Well, discuss might be too strong a verb. True, men and women can respond to blog posts via comments, but I would argue that blogs and comments do not make a conversation. There seems to be little back and forth, very insubstantial argument. And it is argument that brings about change and self-reflection.

Perhaps upcoming technology will advance the features of blogging to include more discussion-like opportunities. Somehow I imagine that concepts like Twitter will be integrated into blogposts so that blogs seem more like a constant conversation.

That said, though, I think the real value of blogs lies in their ideas. But men and women shouldn't have to hide behind a screen to advocate their ideas. While the Internet makes it easier to proclaim certain thoughts, if bloggers are that keen on expressing their opinions, they should step out from the computer and make their voices heard otherwise.

An advocate for conversation-- real conversation-- I fully support a return to the Age of Conversation.