Blogging has serious limitations. Critics point to the low quality of postings, the lack of research, and the lack of added value. One of Andrew Exum's two reasons for retiring from Abu Muqawama was his dissatisfaction with blogging as a medium; it forces him "into more or less split-second reactions to complicated policy events before I have had the opportunity to research and weigh opposing views" (the other reason was threats to his personal safety, including a call for his crucifixion). One military flag officer (I think it was Admiral Stavridis, but I can't find the quote) is a big supporter of blogs, but admits that most blogs he's seen don't add much value. He cites Small Wars Journal as an example of a quality blog that provides a valuable service. That's fantastic for SWJ, but if that's our standard, most of us should give up now.
When faced with such serious limitations, why should we still blog? What are the benefits?
First, we need to understand that all blogs are not created equal. Different blogs have different roles and should not be measured by the same standard. Some bloggers are established journalists (like Tom Ricks or Spencer Ackerman) or scholars (like Stephen Walt or Marc Lynch) who use blogging as a new medium to share their work and connect with readers. Other bloggers have expertise in specific areas, and blog to share that expertise with niche communities. Good examples arejihadica, which sifts through jihadi websites on the net and provides relevant information and analysis to a Western audience, and CNAS's Natural Security blog. Still other blogs serve as communication channels for governments, military units, corporations, think tanks, and other organizations. All these blogs are "expert" in nature, and in many ways, traditional standards for good scholarship and journalism still apply.
And then there are the rest of us: the non-experts who still feel we have something to say. The role we play is qualitatively different. We are not usually doing journalism or scholarly research; we are having a conversation. If Small Wars Journal is akin to a peer-reviewed military journal, the blogs of junior officers like myself are akin to the conversation you have around the squadron bar or your dining room table. When you're sitting around the bar having a debate about Afghanistan strategy or health care reform, you don't have time to do on-the-spot research and load your argument with citations from scholarly sources. Most of the participants in the conversation are probably not experts. Most participants probably do not fully understand an issue, and probably hold some wrong opinions. These limitations do not mean conversation isn't useful; it has tremendous value. Everybody comes to a conversation as they are, equipped with whatever knowledge is in their heads. They tackle an idea, vigorously debate, and attempt to shoot down each other's wrong opinions. Hopefully everybody learns something, hopefully everybody is motivated to do further research, and hopefully a sense of community is fostered. Just because conversation is informal does not mean it can't be intelligent; I love nothing more than a spirited discussion with intelligent friends.
Non-expert blogging brings this kind of conversation into a public space. Bloggers read one another's work, reinforce or counter each other's arguments, debate ideas in comments, and link to other sources. Even if an individual post does not meet high standards of scholarship, hopefully "truth" emerges from the discussion in the broader community. Most importantly, amateur blogging creates relationships. My blog does not draw many comments, but I have made many new relationships with readers. Several younger officers have written to tell me they are learning from what I write, to ask for reading suggestions, or to ask career questions. I've met peers who are equally interested in shaping the military into a more dynamic, flexible learning organization. I've also received a few e-mails from senior military leaders and defense experts who took me under their wing. Thanks to this blog, I have simultaneous opportunities to be mentored, to mentor, and to network with my peers--as well as keep up lively discussions about hot issues. Blogging is a powerful tool for bringing people together in learning communities.
Most critics of blogging apply the same standards to all blogs. They assume that amateurs are trying to write "expert" blogs and punish them for failing to meet that standard. For centuries, our civilization has equated the written word with scholarship. It is deeply counterintuitive to accept that this new form of writing--blogging--is something much less formal, more akin to conversation. With that said, even non-expert bloggers should still strive for quality, accuracy, and intelligence in what they write. Reasoned, informed conversation is always preferable to ignorant, misinformed conversation.
As for myself, I am making a slight mid-course correction to this blog. Since I began Building Peace, I've struggled to define my purpose. What can I bring to the conversation? What value can I add? I think I've finally settled on an answer. Thanks to the American government and the generosity of my sponsoring foundation, I am receiving the education of a lifetime--learning Arabic and spending two years in graduate studies in the Middle East. I also have abundant time to read and learn. The best thing I can do with this blog is multiply the effect of my education... to chronicle what I'm experiencing here in Jordan, what I'm reading and thinking, and what I'm learning. Perhaps others can virtually tag along on this journey and learn as well. What will this mean in practice? A lot will remain the same, but now that I have a clearer purpose in mind, it will probably be easier for me to post more often. I also plan to begin posting regularly about the books I'm reading. I'm also thinking about a series of posts titled "Things I've Learned." Finally, I changed this blog's subtitle to better reflect this purpose: One officer's education in war and peace: how can we build a better world?
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