I'm playing catch-up. A while back, LacitheCat kindly tagged me as one of her 5 in the Thinking Blogger meme. Now it is my turn to single out 5 bloggers that make me think.
Here they are:
Safiya at Outlines. A mid-20's Muslim convert who recently got married. I love seeing the world through her perspective, and always learn something from her posts.
Mike Hu at Thinking Differently. A very interesting man who has a background in exercise and conditioning, but who makes some pretty profound observations about education.
Cait at Surviving South Africa. Peace Corps volunteer in rural South Africa. She talks about teaching, village life and culture shock.
Bart at Daze of Our Lives. One of my first blog friends. A sensitive, introspective thinker in the Netherlands with fabulous images in each post.
Kristine at Notes from the Laundromat. A talented wire artist (among other things) who is finishing her degree. She will soon be famous - I am convinced.
Rules:
For each one of you that I've tagged: to continue this meme, choose 5 bloggers that make you think! Then link here to track the exact origin of this meme.
5 comments:
I’m glad I’m still making your list of favorite blogs. This is a link for a listing of blogs in which I find myself in the company of the most formidable original thinkers in the blogosphere -- http://freedomkeys.com/blogs. I think I made that list on the strength of one of my discussions on Ayn Rand. There are a few intellectuals in the world in which I’m considered their heir apparent, and so my writing seems to be a continuation of their thoughts. Krishnamurti is another, Eric Hoffer, Henry Miller, iconoclasts all.
I looked at your other nominees and wondered what I had in common with them. I like your blog because it is honest and straightforward -- not trying to manipulate and deceive like much public writing, unfortunately. So it is very relaxing to read about ordinary stuff in a perceptive and intelligent way.
I really feel like I can experience life on the other side of the world through another’s senses -- if they are good enough about communicating it, without the usual interference of egos, hang-ups, ideologies, etc. A lot of people have agendas and needs -- beyond that of communications. There are rare people in this world who have this tremendous drive to share information -- and experiences, as a collective intelligence.
The traditional mind is a self-isolating activity and preoccupation, in competition with every other. So I think a very new kind of life-form has been created by blogging -- in addition to all the other more typical uses of it.
A science fiction writer, Theodore Sturgeon, created a concept of collective being in More Than Human. Essentially, they were a group of people who were highly specialized but together, were a superior life form. I think the better manifestation of it is that the individuals contribute as optimized human beings -- from the start rather than as incomplete parts of a greater whole. That’s a 20th century concept -- of the specialized existence being meshed to achieve a whole.
The characteristic of life in the 21st century is the completeness -- in each individual, rather than as cogs in a machine. It’s not everybody who wishes to share their lives with others. A lot of people still feel that is a violation of who they are. What you are doing is creating life in the new way.
Thank you so much! i would tag you back, but's it's against the rules....
thank you ali, i feel honoured to be commended by you, my blog has withered away to a form more concentrated, less helpful and too distracted for the time being, for reasons you would perhaps understand but which i can't divulge right now..
you're a special person, i knew that from the first moment i landed on your blog, you see and think about so much of the world we always should be focussing on, instead of settling for the disturbing blight of western 20th century complacency...
in so many ways i feel i've failed, in too many ways i suspect well meaning and intelligent adults fail themselves in the face of their changing lives... no crime but such a sad loss because i know i/we could have done better under different circumstances... the world is large, we are small but we all can make a difference in our own ways, no matter what...
keep well, be good, remain excellent ;-)
bart
~Mike - I think what you all have in common is that you are writers, thinkers and artists with uncommon stories. You all have little twists and details that make me think (just as the award says). You all break paradigms, upturn stereotypes, offer an honest voice that is a pleasure to read.
~Safiya - The sentiment is what counts! Thanks.
~Bart - Thank you for this comment. I'd say that most all of what you wrote about me can be turned back as a comment on you. You are also a thinker, introspective, a special part of the blogging community.
You are a very hard self-critic. I understand that, too, but - honestly - I think you owe yourself some serious credit in all of what you are going through. I obviously don't know the details, but the mere fact that you are contemplating your role in it all is a testament to your sensitivity and awareness.
Stay well, keep writing. :)
Congrats, Ali - a well-deserved honour! xo
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