I always had an idea, a vision really, to create a diasporic-wide think tank type blog. I envisioned that it would focus on discussing issues, exchanging ideas and creating strategies, with the objective of developing concrete and viable solutions to tackle the concerns relating to those of us of African descent worldwide.
I shared this vision over at thefreeslave blog page and I was overwhelmed by how enthusiastically it was received. It is not necessarily an original idea on my part and others have previously either engaged in similar discussions or have created such a venue. However it garnered much discussion, offers of assistance and words of encouragement.
Others have joined in on the discussion and are rolling toward forming a think tank blog, Exodus Mentality, Francis L. Holland, Field Negro, Prometheus 6. . The think tank has branded the group with a theme and with a spear. Republic T may be now occurring in afrosphere/blackopshere/AfricanAmericanosphere/afronetizens/villagers.
After my post recounting the “blogroll purge,” I wrote another piece about the African American blogosphere. It got link by several other black bloggers, but has been overshadowed by the “purge” post. But I think there’s a link between the two, especially when it comes to African Americans and other minority groups and how they built communities of their own.To read the rest click here.
When they found themselves effectively shut out of the dominant power structure, they built their own. In some cases, when they were denied service or treated badly in existing establishments, they started their own and refused patronize establishments where they were neither respected or valued. They started their own newspapers, radio stations, social clubs, professional associations, etc., and they defined and celebrated success within those spheres.
They often did so out of necessity. Faced with a dominant power structure that wasn’t likely to change, they had no choice but to build their own. They did not accept the argument offered: that if they could not succeed under that status quo because they were not good enough. They created communities that served them well for a long time. (Probably because members of those communities assumed some responsibility to and for each other.)
That’s basically what I’m saying, that people who are frustrated with the what the believe is an insular top tier in political blogging (which is actually a very small world, especially when pared down to progressive political blogs only) should do. Stop pouring time, energy, passion, and bandwidth into theirs, and build your own.
The difference is that our spheres are naturally linked because instead of being solely based on factors like gender, religion, or ethnicity, we are also linked by interest and experience across our many spheres. If human nature creates systems in which inequality is inevitable, then human diversity — encompassing all of our varied experiences, passions, pass-times, and personal interests — may be the best way to overcome that inequality, or at least to start.
In the same way that sites like Amazon and phenomenons like eBay or Amazon have created the “Long Tail” by making an unlimited supply of content available to even the tiniest demand, the internet and blogging have made it possible for people who would once have been disparate and disenfranchised by distance to build communities where they can connect with one another and potentially an impact that would have been out of their reach before. It’s what Chris Anderson wrote about in The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More, as well as on his blog.
Other bloggers suggested ways to build community. Electronic Village with a family pledge. African American Political Pundit commented on Dr. Lester K. Spence on the building of community. And I can't forget the words of James Clingman, Jr of Blackonomic$, in stating if you want to rename a sign in your neighborhood just do it. It's is after all your neighborhood. I weighted in early on my views about the blogosphere here. The world is not flat but it has become more connected, and get little play by the established mainstream media including their African-American writers.
