A blog by any other name...

Seriously, this is going too far. When Norwegian politicians publicly argue the issue of whether what they are writing is a blog or not, and they start defining blogs, then the word is about to lose all meaning. (A: Because Norwegian politicians have learned it, B: Because they think it matters what they call it.)

Kristin Halvorsen, of SV - Socialistic left - argues with Torbjørn Røe Isaksen of the young right, about whether or not Torbjørn has a blog. Kristin's argument was that his blog had no comments, so it had to be a net diary. Torbjørn was bragging about being the first Norwegian politician with the important, sophisticated political instrument called a blog.

I don't know if I should despair over what goes for a Norwegian blogosphere, or be happy it's only about 5 million people in the world who understand the language brilliant debates such as this take place in.

But for a researcher who likes to study pop cultures, cultural changes, the internet and rhetoric, the politician's use of the word blog, as well as how they strive to be the one using it correctly and according to a norm, is fascinating.

Although my personal solution might be to limit myself to New Norwegian blogs only. Is there a portal for New Norwegian blogs? Probably a project for Aasen-tunet...