Week 2: Seeking a best of...

...blogs.

This week, I focus on the best of the blogging world. Unfortunately, there's so many good blogs out there worth mentioning, but when it comes to the genre of war-related blogs, Army of Dude takes the cake.

In all seriousness, war is no laughing matter. Alex Horton, however, manages to make light of the hostile situation in the middle east and writes about his experiences as a soldier in the United States Armed Forces. Through the effective use of still pictures and videos captured while on tour, Horton conveys a brief glimpse of what army life is really like.

It is unclear whether the Army of Dude blog is meant to be actually document the life of a soldier, or simply to poke fun at the predicaments of one. It becomes evident after reading through several posts to the blog that this soldier did not exactly appreciate many of the situations he experienced. The blog itself does not focus on only the war in the Middle East, but also comments - rather sarcastically albeit - on the current political climate as well. The author combines elements of stories, news items, and personal opinions to create a thoroughly engaging blog, bereft of the mundane.

Is this the best way to approach such a sensitive subject though? To different people, different answers to this question will be given. This is only one way to look at the war. The United States Army recruiting website portrays employment in the armed forces, and the act of serving in foreign territories as glamorous and beneficial to the country, but the Army of Dude blog showcases this job in a new light. Does this blog contribute to the war effort? Not necessarily. Nor does it have to. In The Network Society, Darin Barney asserts that "the spirit of our age is the spirit of the network" (2), but perhaps this should be regarded in reverse. Protests of war are not a recent occurrence in contemporary society, nor will they likely have an end. War and the Armed Forces are occasionally regarded as negative aspects of our society, so it makes sense to see a blog that makes light of, and often criticizes, these very things. The spirit of the network should instead be seen as the spirit of our age, as it is created, moderated, and viewed by the people that make the network work. Alex Horton is but one of many with an opinion, and Army of Dude contributes this opinion very excellently through humour, wit, and simple creativity.

Citation:

Barney, Darin. "The Network Society". Malden: Polity Press, 2004.