Time Traveler
Posted by Guest Writer in 
The very act of writing – of creation – is to ossify a moment in time. This moment, however, transcends that time once the audience becomes involved in its being. This act can be as simple as opening the front cover of a book, placing eyes on a painting or sculpture, or strumming a chord on a lute. The main thing is, the audience brings the work back to life. This phenomenon factors into play, into relaxation and stress relief, creativity, and basically being a human being. Where this becomes even more interesting, however, is in the connection between creator and audience, and how, in a sense, this act is rudimentary time travel.
The concept boils down to a very interesting metaphysical aspect especially when blogging and other forms of instantaneous communication are possible. One is writing (or other art making activities) in the present, and that moment is sent along as a post to a blog or website, and others can then claim that moment by observing it. The great thing about our telecommunication abilities today is that the moment can reach the audience so much faster. But it can also be updated quickly, too. Now the creative moment itself is extending beyond just a moment. It becomes a time machine that ricochets from post to comment to update to comment to update, ad infinitum.
When done with intentionality, an author can realize he/she is speaking to the future. But this future is also communicating with the past, your present. An artist, then, is the first form a time traveler can take. The act of being, of timelessness, and of expunction, revolve around our new and slick-fast telecom capabilities, tying the audience and creator into a spiral of interaction wherein ownership and agency become shared principles. For me, this is a terribly exciting idea full of metaphysical, post-modernist potential. Blogging can be exciting and experimental, but it is also the gateway to our past and future in the most immediate way. Live-blogging is one example of written and instantaneous communication.
What do you guys think? How do you view blogging as an art form?
Christopher Savage is a writer living in Austin. He writes poetry, short stories, non-fiction, film scripts, comic books, and one long novel, among other things. He is the founder of the Boho Coco literary zine and blog and is currently attending UT Austin as a Sociology major, English minor. He is survived by his cat Cashew.
I sometimes think manifestations web 2.0, including blogging, are democracy’s revenge on itself, as some wag said. On the other hand, there are a lot of good blogs, such as this one.
It is a good blog, but I like you’re democratic revenge comment. It reminds me of bathroom scrawled walls. Thoughts are impinged upon by latter generations unforeseen.