Blogs and Working Lives
To answer it presupposes:
- the blog writer knows about the working lives of their readers
- the blog writer has things to say relevant to the readers' working lives or the blog writer has things to say relevant to any form of work.
- the blog reader wants to read stuff relevant to their work or the blog reader 'should' read stuff relevant to their work
As soon as someone uses the word 'should' in a question, it becomes an ethical question. So for someone like me with an MA in Applied Ethics the question is in danger of becoming far too complicated. It all depends on what you mean by 'should'. It could mean so many things, depending on how you dear Reader decide what you 'should' do, for example:
- Do you decide what you should do according to rules, either rules you have set yourself or imposed by a higher authority such as national or international law, the church, Bible, God?
- Do you decide what you should do according to principles e.g. 'the greatest good for the greatest number' or 'do as you would be done by'?
- Do you decide what you should do according to values e.g. engaging in creative work is a 'good' to be valued?
- Do you decide what you should do according to basic instincts or learned automatic responses e.g. applying the car brakes because you or someone else might die if you don't?
- Do you decide what you should do according to self-interest?
- Do you decide what to do according to your conscience? If so, how is this informed? What 'feels' right? Inner parental voice? Peer group? Biblical principles? Church teaching? God?
You can add your own ideas to the above list.
What about me? How do I decide what I 'should' do. If I'm honest it's a bit of all of the above list. My commitment is to try to live by Christian principles and values, based on the life and teaching of Jesus. I often don't live up to this, but that's the aim.
Should this blog be more attentive to the working lives of my readers? I don't know. What's your advice?
This is the 3rd in a series of posts belatedly answering questions put by the Vernacular Vicar a year ago in Blogging, Women and Spirituality. Yes I'm still catching up on this. The first 2 posts are:
Image: Wikimedia Commons, Lego Town Worker
I think only if the working lives of others is relevant to what you wish to blog about.
ReplyDeleteAn an example, I'm a one-trick wonder. Spent my working life in the Army, in many different roles, contexts, countries and ranks. So, I can talk about that sort of thing. But what on earth do I know about people who work in industry, construction, transport, business etc. Not a lot. So, why would I want to set myself up as a commentator on them?
I sometimes think that we always get so-called experts, trotted out by the media to comment on something that's happening in the news. I seem to retreat into purdah until they've stopped pontificating. It seems to me that self-appointed experts are worse than someone who knows nothing about a subject - at least they can question without prejudice.
Other peoples working lives are actually quite interesting, so if I'm able to read a post from someone who can talk with authenticity about their work, than it can be enlightening and a pleasure to read. So, informed, you might comment on something that appeals to you about their work or how they do things.
Thanks for answering my question UKViewer. I also find other people's working lives interesting to read or hear about. Writing about them? Well, maybe there are certain things relevant to all types of work e.g. how people relate to each other, how fairly people are treated, whether the work could be more life-enhancing rather than exploitative or degrading. Yesterday I saw some footage of child workers (effectively slaves)in the cotton trade, working today in appalling conditions. Perhaps I should blog about that as social justice and care for the vulnerable is dear to my heart.
ReplyDelete