Explore and engage with other people's views
through words, pictures or video.
I was a physical witness to a fascinating discussion on future of Muslim bloggers on the net held by the Radical Middle Way. True to form, the viewers watching online outnumbered participants, and the funniest comment came from an online viewer whose joke was read during the event. A panel of 6 prominent bloggers and forum moderators fielded questions on whether blogging was naff and whether they are destroying real human interaction in their virtual worlds. Their discussion was revealing, particularly the refrain on how the democratized blogosphere is a place where new voices can be heard, naff or not, and that sometimes these fresh online discussions are worth watching and do the ummah proud.
Most of the panel supported the practice of restricting participation and forcing people to use their real names before posting, something which they said builds accountability and improves quality of conversations. Sounds like the internet is becoming more like real life.
A concern of some member of the audience and the panel was that internet relations are replacing and thereby damaging interaction on a local and a physical level. I think there is a way that the two can support each other.
So what do you think? Can conversations online make face-to-face discussions richer? Just by answering this question online, you are making a statement. : ) LOL