Ever since I started blogging back in January of 2008, I’ve encouraged and practically forced others to start blogging. Partly because I felt as though everyone had something valuable to say – anything from tips on sewing to customizing a Linux install.

Obviously there’s been an explosion of blogs in the last few years. Technorati indexes 1.5 million posts in real time. And, of course, we all have to find ways to differentiate ourselves and building a fan base isn’t always easy.

But what I really want to talk about is what happens after all of this has been accomplished. First, let me set up a couple scenarios that will hopefully resonate with you.

Scenario One: Let’s say for example, you’re a blogger that’s worked hard to build a sweet looking blog, you’ve mastered the skill of creating sticky content, optimized for SEO, and even have a solid flow of people interacting with and carrying on the conversation. You’re reaching a decent sized audience, have all the ad’s in place, and make a few bucks a day on average. Yea!

Scenario Two: You aren’t one of those money thirsty types, you have a much more noble purpose. You’re all about making an impact on the world – promoting a good cause, spreading ideas that will revolutionize the way we think and live. Society improves, people are blessed, the world is a much happier place, etc, etc.

Granted, scenario two seems much more worthwhile, and I’ll say right now: I’m a big fan. However, the value in both scenarios seems to be a bit lop-sided. Please don’t misunderstand me, I am all about the conversation, the extension and passing of something beyond the scope of the blog itself. And, I admit, their needs to be an instigator, someone to initiate the conversation and provide a foundation. But I long for a medium where there is an exchange of value, directly in proportion with each giver.

Is it forums? I don’t think so. They’re a great place for exchanging valuable information, but I’m talking about value beyond information – the world is absolutely full of information. Is it money? Maybe. Exchange of goods and or services? Maybe. I can’t quite put my finger on what this should look like, but something that satisfies the needs for both the blogger (giver of content, receiver of attention) and the reader (giver of attention, receiver of content) in a way where both can be rewarded and encouraged to continue to provide value.

Who knows, maybe the problem is the medium itself. Blogging was designed to function as a medium and maybe, just maybe, there’s no room for backwash? Something to think about.

I realize this is more of an abstract post, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about quite a bit lately. Hopefully I’ve made some sense, but feel free to ask questions or make suggestions. I’m all ears!