Legal Commentary

I have resisted blogging for many years, first because I did not really understand it, and then because I was scared to do it.  Five years ago ?Ivan Tribble? published an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education cautioning academics (particularly junior scholars) about the dangers of blogging. Tribble?s essay and follow-up generated many responses defending and validating the practice of blogging.  And of course, blogging has evolved and become more acceptable in the years since the essay was published. 

Nonetheless, the core of Tribble?s concern rang true for me.  As a law professor, I put myself and my ideas ?out there? on a regular basis.  In class, at conferences and in writing.  Yet, there is something different and infinitely more frightening (to me at least) about blogging.  In addition to my usual fear that other people know more than I do about a given topic, or will see a mistake in my work or be offended by what I have written, there is an added time factor.  With most of my written work, I write, rewrite, then send to a few select people for comments, then rewrite again, then send out again to a few more people, and so on.  So there is time to gauge the response and adjust the piece accordingly. 

Blogging is different.  To be interesting, it must be current.  And staying current does not give you the luxury of testing the waters.  Instead, you just put your thoughts and opinions out there in real time and hope for the best.  (Although, if I am honest, I will admit that I did run this introductory post by my usual first readers ? my mom, a trusted colleague and my research assistant.  Some habits are hard to break!).  So thank you for allowing me to guest blog this month; I am looking forward to it (sort of).