Interview with Blogger Luminaria

By The Pakistani Spectator • Aug 21st, 2008 • Category: Interviews • No Responses

Could you tell us what made you decide to blog, and what was the inspiration behind it?

I’ve always kept journals to get hold of my thoughts a little. As I felt the global political atmosphere growing dense with danger and fear, it seemed crucial to me to have a means to connect my thoughts with other human beings as we work to disseminate massive amounts of information ordinarily censored by corporate media. This, to me, is democratic thought. How lovely to work with complete strangers all over the world and discover our common ground. I blog here.

What do you think sets Your blog apart from other blogs?
Honestly, I don’t think my blog stands out from the plethora of blogs out there, political or otherwise. All I can say is that sites like TPS, searching, RSS, social networking, etc. increase the odds that readers will hit some target on my blog and maybe find something that interests them there and from there move on to discover more. Isn’t that what increasing consciousness is all about?

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?
Resilience and adaptability. When things get really dark, I stumble around and bump into walls looking for a match to strike so I can find my way out. That’s a metaphor I use to remind myself that only the friction of resistance brings heat and light to see the situation better. Hence my alias, “luminaria.”

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?
The happiest moment was when I found my biological aunt after feeling so lost and alone all my life. The gloomiest moment of my life was, believe it or not, when the Supreme Court handed Bush the presidency in 2000. I got this horrible dread in the pit of my stomach.

Urdu Blogs have got huge potential, when do you think they will really take on the online horizon in Pakistan?
The only way I could possibly answer this question would be if I were Pakistani, which I’m not. All I can say is that I dream of a day when every person, regardless of nationality, has the right and ability to express themselves freely and creatively.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?
Ibiza, New Zealand, the Black Forest

What is your favorite book and why?
Currently that would be The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein because it exposes the way multinational contractors and corporations reap massive profit from disasters and how shock therapy (torture) is used to control human beings way beyond the obvious detention camp situation, as envisioned by the likes of one Milton Friedman. This is stuff we all need to know if we’re ever going to halt these crimes against humanity.

What is your favorite meal, dress, and sport?
I love ramen noodles topped with bits of meat/tofu and fresh veggies, and I shop at thrift stores for my clothes, so I fancy myself a minimalist in those departments. I don’t bother with spectator sports including television, but I love to roam/hike–city, country, and places between.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?
Body language.

How can bloggers benefit from blogs financially?

Obviously the best way to benefit financially right now is for bloggers to accept paid adverts. Apparently this strategy is profitable, but some bloggers take advantage and splog other bloggers (too lazy to write their own, they rip off content from other bloggers and get paid for it). This has happened to me more than once and it took a lot of work to get them to stop stealing for profit. My blog has a Creative Commons license and doesn’t accept paid adverts. My philosophy is, steal all you want for personal use.

Do you think bloggers tend to remain somewhat self-centered and really don’t go out of their shells?

Yes, of course, same as in physical life. I think most people are afraid to come out of their shells because of old mindsets. There will have to be a fundamental shift in human consciousness for people to come out of their shells.

What do you think where the Pakistani blogosphere is right now?
I confess, I’m a self-concerned American blogger and am unfamiliar with the Pakistani blogosphere. But The Pakistani Spectator is making me more aware of my deficiency and that’s a good thing. What I do know is that like most other countries, Pakistan is in terrible turmoil especially since Musharraf resigned, and all the more critical for Pakistani voices to be heard.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers?

I don’t have a “top five,” but random blogs I like are

James Howard Kunstler (http://kunstler.com/)
Glenn Greenwald (http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/index.html)
Deprogram Your Mind (http://dprogram.net/)
Fabius Maximus (http://fabiusmaximus.wordpress.com/)
Culture Change (http://www.culturechange.org/cms/index.php)

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?

To me the word “unique” is meaningless. But “stunned” for me must have to do with how many comments a blogger gets on any given post. The individual blogger that stands out in my mind “stunned” me years ago was the famous dooce (http://www.dooce.com/). Dooce is a personal (not political per se) blog which is still so important in some circles that its owner has registered its name. I haven’t figured out her secret yet, but when I do….

What is the future of blogging?

Without a crystal ball I wouldn’t presume to know. Blogging seems increasingly threatened by powers that don’t want us talking to each other and sharing information. Right now (unfortunately except for countries like China) we’re enjoying a wild diversity of expression “under the radar.” Blogging (and text messaging) at its best could be our last resort for free speech; a freedom that, in this tech-driven world, has the potential to keep humanity from annihilating itself.

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?
Blogging is an extension of my personal life. It’s like carrying things through both sides of a looking glass. What I mean is, I take things from blogging into my personal life and vice versa.

What are your future plans?
I’m applying to grad school where I plan to work towards a Masters in Creative Writing. Generated from work spent improving my craft, I plan to write fiction and poetry that not only entertains but makes a difference in this world, maybe even changes a life or two by examining (im)possibilities.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?
Other than gratitude for being allowed to share my thoughts, I send appreciation for what TPS is doing by reaching out and bringing people together–one more beautiful and peaceful action that the world so desperately needs.