If Benjamin had blogged

I've been in awe of Walter Benjamin ever since I stumbled across him in my 'Theories of Urban Culture' course as a second year undergraduate. Benjamin was fascinated with (brace yourself for a few long words) the social minutia and microscopy of everyday life. In layman's terms this means he wrote about seemingly superficial stuff -- the Arcades in Paris, photography, clothes -- and used these observations to come up with brilliant theories about culture.

If Benjamin were around in 2009 I think he'd have been a blogger. Back in 1936 he wrote a seminal essay on the profound effects mechanical reproduction had on the art work; so no doubt he’d have a few thoughts on the digital age. He also introduced me to the figure of the flâneur –- an aimless wanderer who strolled through the city in order to experience it.

I have very few similarities with Benjamin. I am not Jewish or German. Nor am I an academic (not even a failed one like Benjamin) or a Marxist. I am however a recent graduate, unemployed with considerable time on my hands, who likes to wander. In this blog I am going to attempt to follow in Benjamin's footsteps by blogging on the phenomena of my surroundings -- currently the more humble setting of Stratford-upon-Avon.