(Russian) writer-bloggers: Digital perfection and the aesthetics of imperfection | Culture and communication in digital worlds

Author(s): Ellen Rutten

Year of publication: 2014

Keywords: Online language, (Micro)blogging, Literature, Creativity, Authenticity

Methodology/Sample: Content analysis/14 bloggers

Reference: Rutten, E. (2014). (Russian) Writer-Bloggers: Digital Perfection and the Aesthetics of Imperfection. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 19(4), 744-762. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcc4.12086

Abstract

This article explores readings of (micro)blogging services as outlets for playful, “imperfect” language. Adopting a transcultural approach, it examines a blog category that has attracted scarce academic attention to date: the creative worker’s blog. Through a qualitative analysis of metalinguistic statements by 14 Russian writer-bloggers, the author tests 2 interdependent hypotheses: (H1) through metalinguistic statements and pragmatic strategies, writers present language play and “imperfect” language as prototypical for new media; and (H2) If H1 is correct, the writer-blogger’s preference for “imperfect” language caters into a broader cultural-philosophical anxiety – one of foregrounding imperfection as an aesthetic counterresponse to digital perfection.

> Summary

The paper explores (micro)blogging as a medium for playful, “imperfect” language among creative workers, particularly Russian writer-bloggers.
It adopts a transcultural approach, moving beyond national boundaries to analyze cultural thickenings.
The study tests two hypotheses regarding language play and cultural anxieties surrounding digital perfection.
It emphasizes the importance of understanding the interconnected territorial and temporal layers influencing creative expression.

> Problem statement

The paper explores the lack of academic attention on creative worker’s blogs within the context of playful, “imperfect” language.
It tests two hypotheses regarding metalinguistic statements and their implications for digital language use.
The study addresses the cultural-philosophical anxiety surrounding the embrace of imperfection as a counterresponse to digital perfection.
Limitations include the need for broader analysis of writer-bloggers’ linguistic behavior and metalinguistic statements.
The research highlights the need for transcultural approaches in understanding media beyond national boundaries.

> Methods used

The author collected metalinguistic statements from public interviews with writer-bloggers to analyze their language use.
A text-based approach was chosen over personal interviews due to the author’s training as a literary historian.
The study tested two hypotheses against metalinguistic statements and authors’ language behavior.
The analysis included counting linguistic errors in early blog entries to assess language behavior.
The research focuses on creative workers’ blogs, examining their playful and “imperfect” language.

> Practical implications

The study highlights the need for systematic analysis of creative workers’ digital discourse across various platforms.
It suggests exploring the impact of cultural horizons on linguistic behavior in blogs.
The findings encourage further research on “imperfection aesthetics” in creative expression.
The paper advocates for a transcultural approach to understanding writer-bloggers beyond national classifications.
It emphasizes the importance of metalinguistic statements in analyzing language play in new media.
The research indicates that understanding digital language can refine theories on creativity and media.