Blog It And They Will Come
A writer writes about the culture, desert, country or creature that he cherishes. He speaks of his desire that it's unique charm and character be preserved. While he praises its beauty and uniqueness, he describes too its fragile qualities that too easily might be lost. In his writing and speaking about it to those he would bring to share his concerns, he uses the name of that special place or special creature--a name that previously, few had known. People become curious. They take their vacations to go add the rare X bird to their life list. They come in droves to camp in the threatened forest of Y Scenic Area that had previously been poorly known and not often visited. And in the end, the writer who cared so much and wrote so passionately and often for his special forest or unique genus of prairie grass has been the cause of the very problem he set out to prevent.
"Fred, if you keep writing about Floyd and its charms, it won't be long before it grows to become a place not like the one you photograph and write about."
I hear something like this admonition with increasing frequency lately. And frankly, it is a conundrum from which I don't know how to escape.
"Write from the heart. Write what you know. Write every day." This is the discipline and mission that launched this blog three years ago. Short of moving to some seedy part of a large and very ugly metropolis, if I write what I know and describe and photograph what I see every day, then I seem doomed to save the village by destroying it.
Do you understand my dilemma? Is this something that arises from your blogging, speaking, writing or photography? And if so, how do you deal with this damned-if-you-do conundrum?
For those who already know about Floyd County and plan to come to visit anyway, this weblog is very visible and often visited to learn what living here is like. The presence of Fragments didn't create the interest or demand. It may, however, reinforce the visitor's desire to come here or reassure them that it is a destination for a night, a weekend, or for retirement years. But the blog doesn't actively encourage businesses to relocate here or strip malls to mushroom on the streets of town--as some of my doomsaying advisors warn.
To the contrary, I often try to point out in these posts that the population of Floyd County is (mostly) very concerned about the prospects of too much growth too fast. We don't have adequate zoning in place to deal with subdivision sprawl. We lack adequate water to meet the needs of a large population and may already be near the maximum sustainable drawdown on the water table. We have a charm that is a property of a certain scale of things, a certain rhythm and pace. Less is more. An influx of demanding urban-flight immigrants is not compatible with the consensus identity of who we are as a town, as a county.
I may have passively become somewhat of an ambassador for Floyd, as are other Floyd County bloggers. But none of us are active promoters or solicitors for real estate or commercial growth in Floyd, even while our blogs may indirectly provide the kind of information about living here that you don't get from a Chamber of Commerce or Parkway brochure. As Floyd County bloggers, we do have a responsibility to show both sides of living in a very rural, isolated and slow-moving Appalachian county. But if we write what we know, we can hardly avoid adding Google hits for the word Floyd. Our words and images do not have advertisement at their root. They may, however, have it as their fruit. And herein lies the rub.
Comments
Back to the basics of physics. Something observed is different from the same thing prior to observation...just observing changes the thing.
Never mind writing about it. Or advertising it. Or inviting others to come and share.
Yes, there is responsibility in what we write, but it is at our own peril if we attempt to fly in the face of the laws of physics.
And no, remarking the dew on the lily is not, not, not the same as inviting the hordes to come and pick it.
Posted by: Karen | July 11, 2005 7:23 AM
But won't they also be afraid of the vicious dog and stay away?
Posted by: susan | July 11, 2005 8:00 AM
I promise not to move there, Fred, I just like reading what you have to say!
Posted by: kenju | July 11, 2005 8:24 AM
Those drawn to Floyd by what you have to say would be horrified to find urban sprawl. Write on.
Posted by: Lisa | July 11, 2005 9:55 AM
I think that those who read your blog will come for what you write about and will not be of the ruinous ridge raider variety. In fact, they could conceivably do more good than harm as they perhaps build in harmony with the land as opposed to those who come for other reasons... BTW, while watching a slide show put on by one of our staff who recently returned from Ireland, I learned that the Irish do not allow ridge top development there as it will harm the views... food for thought, and better yet, a precedent!
Posted by: Carl | July 11, 2005 10:02 AM
Here's what you really need to worry about...'
Should Oprah Winfrey ever decide to do a show about Floyd...talk about unwanted attention.
I had the same concerns recently for a little villiage up in northern Ohio called Lakeside. CBS did a special segment about it two weeks ago. I watched it and heard what was said about it but I still found it difficult to believe. People don't lock their doors there and strangers walk right in and the owners are good hosts and make the strangers feel right at home...offered them food and drink, a place to sit and good conversation. Some businesses there operate on the "Honor" system. No clerk, no cash register. Just a jar of money. Take what you want and make your own change. I think the residents there are about to undergo a rude awakening and soon. There's always someone willing to do whatever it takes to mess up a good thing.
Posted by: Clarence | July 11, 2005 1:22 PM
I find your blog very informative. I planed on moving to Floyd well before I found your blog, I had all ready bought the property, but before visiting your blog I did not know about the ecology of the area. I did not know that Floyd was set on a plateau and that water was at such a premium. Walking and driving through the county water seems so abundant. I did not know that water does not flow into the county and what comes from the sky is about all there is. Because of what I have learned from your blog I am rethinking the type of septic system I plan to install. I want to be as water friendly as I can. Although my house will sit on a hill side I have no intentions of taking the top off of it so I can have a 360 degree panoramic view. People are going to move to the area you give some of us something to think about and an incentive to change as little as we can.
Keep up the good writing!
Posted by: cindy lee | July 11, 2005 5:45 PM
I can't even tell you how many people have told me that Bowen Island Journal was the thing that made them move here. It must be a half dozen or so now. THing is that I likethem all, and they have all made excellent contributions to island life. So maybe it's not a bad thing - if our readers are joining us, it bodes well.
Posted by: Chris Corrigan | July 12, 2005 2:00 AM
You might be interested to know that I just checked my HO stats, and a recent visitor landed there via a Google search for "prettiest town square in america." Hmmm. Maybe I should shut up about Keene already. :-)
Posted by: Lorianne | July 12, 2005 2:52 PM
I disagree that you or anyone else has a "responsibility" to write about Floyd. Maybe you can clarify? I like the fact that you like Floyd, and that I can read your log and stay in touch with my memories of Floyd; however, the saying, "Hell is other people" is too true. My guess is that employment and wages are the main drivers of population growth and NOT blogs, so Floyd has little to fear.
Posted by: Jim | July 17, 2005 9:10 PM