is writing someone's biography in the future become easier with all the diary blogs and photoblogs around the net?

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writing a biography of a 21th c. artist, will it become easier in the digi age?

― Erik, Tuesday, 15 July 2003 08:46 (twenty-two years ago)

You know, I still have this sneaking suspicion that people who actually DO interesting things don't have the TIME to keep a blog.

― kate (kate), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 08:47 (twenty-two years ago)

apart from the ppl who use their blog as an art-form perhaps.

― Erik, Tuesday, 15 July 2003 08:50 (twenty-two years ago)

it won't be easier. no archives of today's blogs will exist anywhere in any medium in 40 years time. I seriously doubt anyone's archive of sent/received e-mails will either. Usenet will last forever, but I have my doubts about messageboards.

in fact, the situation for biographers may well be more difficult, as people will have moved their lives from relatively durable paper to surprisingly ephemeral computer media.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 08:53 (twenty-two years ago)

apart from the ppl who use their blog as an art-form perhaps.

Yeah, but if you already know every tiny minutia of their life and inner thoughts, why would you need to read a biography of them?

― kate (kate), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 08:55 (twenty-two years ago)

If by biographjy we mean the subtle teasing out of an inner life then probably.

If we mean trying to turn it into a grand narrative which explainations for hidden themes - then probably not. Suggesting that Hitler became anti-Semitic because of a Jewish art dealer will be a lot harder when we have a blog which presents him as mundanely anti-semitic from the start.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 08:58 (twenty-two years ago)

One problem is that bloggers self-mythologise.

On the other hand, I think that anyone writing a bography of Terry Pratchett would be helped by the fact that he contributes regularly to the newsgroups about him, answering questions and clearing up misunderstandings. His posts are very characteristic of his style and often witty. It beats me how someone can write so many books and still have time to pour comments onto the internet, but some people are Bachian or Dickensian like that.

― fougasse (Jake Proudlock), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 09:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I have little faith in the archival future of blogs. People always seem to be losing stuff and cursing blogger. It will be even harder for them to keep tabs once they're dead.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 10:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I suspect Kate's initial comment is OTM.

― Mark C (Mark C), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 10:46 (twenty-two years ago)

His posts are very characteristic of his style and often witty

I'm not sure that both of those things can be true.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

but if you already know every tiny minutia of their life and inner thoughts, why would you need to read a biography of them?

yeah, thats part of my original question. what will be the future of biography then?

― Erik, Tuesday, 15 July 2003 18:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I suspect Mark C's initial comment is OTM.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 19:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I suspect that Horace's initial comment is not as OTM as Mark C.'s.

― Chris P (Chris P), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 20:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I seriously doubt anyone's archive of sent/received e-mails will either.

Why's that?

― Chris P (Chris P), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 20:13 (twenty-two years ago)

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