I have, perhaps rather ignorantly, often disregarded blogging as a rambling waste of time, never really understanding the phenomena. More comfortable with images than words, I previously set up a self-indulgent blog occasionally documenting life observations through photography and sketches. Then I moved to China, where "The Great Firewall" (a strange name for something so invisible) blocked access to a number of Internet sites, including blogspot, proving the significance of the blogging world.
It’s an odd feeling when you are banned from doing something you take for granted, like when you go to a foreign country and find yourself unable to legally jaywalk; it’s all the more exhilarating to do routine activities when you are breaking the rules. There is a trend whereby many of the most exciting blogs are in fact illegal, written by citizens in countries that oppress freedom of speech, such as China or Iran, where the internet and blogging are tightly controlled.[1] Having just moved back from China I am beginning the Theory 750 full of optimism for the freedom of speech that the UK allows, and a renewed appreciation of the internet now that I am free to use it as I wish.
My aim with the Theory 750 is to develop my knowledge on architecture, politics, and all things related, as well as to develop a more fluid and confident writing style, which will in turn facilitate the development and clearer expression of my thoughts and ideas. Mark Cousins writes in our course booklet of the importance of being able to describe architecture verbally, the “centrality of the word”, and what better way to develop this skill than to write every week.[2]
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