I was at the preview screening of Hallam Foe last week, invited by the lovely Gia. (I'm not going to review the film as it was still a rough cut, but while I normally like my films to have spaceships and explosions I was enthralled by this film. I would recommend it. I also loved the soundtrack.)
There were 33 of us, bloggers in the main with a lot of familiar faces. Someone remarked that it was the 'A List' of British blogging - something that troubled me a little.
You see, the thing that I love about blogging is that it is something that evolved without hierarchies (apart from my now horribly dated joke). It came about, in part, as a way to build communities without leaders. Every voice is equally valued, everyone has the same chance. It just makes me a bit itchy to think about how some people have been elevated to the 'A List'.
The thing that does give me hope though is this - All the people who I personally know via blogging are all lovely people, something that I was talking with Euan about this very thing. I believe that blogging self selects nice people. If the definition of 'nice people' includes willing to listen to other people, to consider their viewpoints and to examine and challenge your own thoughts then, if not predisposed towards this before starting blogging then the process of blogging will teach you how to do this.
Maybe I think too much, maybe my blood sugar is too low - but I get vaguely embarrassed at there being an 'A List', and even more embarrassed that I might be considered part of it.

