Read to write. I neglected to point out that I wrote yesterday's "little theory of blogging" after reading this passage from Will Richardson:

I now read with an intent to write, and my writing (or blogging) is an attempt to synthesize and connect ideas, not simply summarize or paraphrase what I’ve been reading (if I even get to that.)

That compresses a lot of what we've learned into a single sentence. Now I'll link it to the "little theory," and this time I'll number the stages:

1) Somebody creates a new tool or technique, such as blogging. In time, 2) some people realize that it is powerful, and 3) they make it a way of life for themselves as individuals, 4) then as members of a small community. 5) As the community grows, 6) a culture is created, 7) which solidifies the power in the lives of many people, 8) even if they are still a small portion of a wider society.

If Will had written his lovely sentence all by himself, a solo genius inventing away in New Jersey, then he'd be at stage 3, I think. But people who read education blogs can readily tell that this community has reached stages 4 and 5, certainly, and probably to some degree both 6 and 7. Stage 8 is a given so far in this process.

I'm not as confident about the next stages -- how do seed communities like this one influence the wider society? Do outsiders need to see ample evidence of stage 7, the far-reaching power at work, in order to get on board themselves? Could we say that the continuing relative isolation of bloggers in society is a sign that we still haven't fully created a culture that makes for power in people's lives. We've just made a good start. Because when people clearly see a path to power, they're going to want to take it. [0 & P]