Blogging and Podcasting Are Gatekeeping Concepts

Humans are meant to think and share their thoughts in writing, audio, and video.

The fact that this is called “podcasting”, or “blogging”, or “being a YouTuber” is simply a remnant of a primitive and unhealthy society that we need to evolve away from.

Everyone on Earth should be enabled to learn, and grow, and think—and to share their thoughts and opinions with others. They shouldn’t have to, of course, but it should be normal to do so. They should be raised to think that it’s part of their value as a human to think for themselves, and to have ideas and opinions that are valuable to others.

Right now that’s not the case. Think about what percentage of people in the world think they have ideas to offer. I’d guess over 99% of the world (who knows the real number) thinks having and sharing ideas is special, and not for someone like them.

We saw this before with the democratization of reading.

500 years ago, only certain people could read. And if you heard that somebody was trying to learn, it would be a great surprise. Everyone would say, “Hey look, Sally is trying to Church.”, or “Bobby wants to Clergy.” The act of reading was associated with special activity, like being a priest.

That’s what blogging is now. Or podcasting. Or being a writer, or a public intellectual. They’re special words for things that shouldn’t be special.

As it turns out, everybody should read. And that’s why it was an evolution to have the printing press and the widespread distribution of reading. Well, now it’s time for that to happen for thinking, writing, and sharing those thoughts with others.

So try not to think of blogging, podcasting, or making videos as special activities for special people. Using those names is self-gatekeeping for behaviors that we should consider normal.

We as humans should all think. We should all feel. We should all imagine. And we should all be encouraged to share.

Not certain people. Not special people. Everyone.