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“I've always viewed those that keep solid, regularly updated blogs with an equal mixture of admiration and disdain.” (Alex Nelder, AWordOnFailure)
Ages ago, back when Alex and I thought blogging would be “cool” and “fun”, Alex wrote the first post for our blog. It was a kind of defense of blogging; an explanation of why blogs are worthwhile. While I’m typically not a critical person, I must say that that post of his left me puzzled. And, after thinking about it for a while, forgetting it, remembering it, thinking about it some more, and finally having a chance to write out my thoughts, I’ve decided to try and explain why blogs are bad. I think blogging to stupid; there are a number of problems with it.
Probably the most pressing problem with blogging is the threat to legitimate authorship and journalism. A blog is kinda like a mic; it’s a way to get your ideas out there; to be heard. Every time you write a post, blogspot screams “Congratulations! Your post has been successfully published!” While this isn't "real" publication, your views are still out there for all to see in a real way. In fact, things on the internet are vastly more accessible than traditional/legitimate forms of publication. This isn't so much a problem for Alex or I, since our blog doesn't get the same number of comments as The itty bitty kitty committee blog, but it's a danger for the public and the marketplace of ideas when stupid people, bigots, neophytes, and the like decide to blog. Some ideas don’t deserve to stand on the soapbox that is the internet. But bad blogs are out there, acting as a way for bad ideas and opinions to spread like an STI through a college dorm. People get onto their blog and spout ideas that are dumb or just plain wrong; the absence of checks and balances allows them to act as an authority on topics they aren't. Blogs promote the mantra that everyone has an opinion and is entitled to it – which is wrong; only experts and smart people are entitled to their opinions. When you boil it down, blogs are the FOX News of the internet: a way for "information" to get transmitted, when it really shouldn't.
And there's another, more personal, danger that comes with blogging: being misinterpreted. Again, because what you say is "published" on the omni-present interweb it's accessible to (virtually) everyone. And because we all aren’t as clear writers as Alex, if you're unclear in what you say people might take it the wrong way. Here, then, people mistake your views for something that they're not. Another way you can be misinterpreted is why you blog. Your motivation can be, a lot of the time, unclear. I guess this is a risk you take when you blog, but it's never that much fun to reap the consequences of being attributed views that you don't have. Comments are nice, I suppose, because they enable a discussion through which you can get at your underlying considerations… but comments aren’t mandatory; presumptive reactions are much easier.
More superficially, blogging isn't trendy anymore. It's like... something that's used to be new and sheik but now something "serious" people leave to 14 year olds and net-obsessed geeks. Blogging has gone from a new way to communicate to just another away to spew verbal puke. Not that I'm a slave to trends, but blogging now lacks the appeal that once made it popular. There are so many blogs out there that's someone worthwhile isn't really capable of finding the blog they'd be best reading. Soo many blogs are just online diaries… ours is plainly not; but this remains an inescapable stigma. More than anything else, blogs now seems to be mainly a way to communicate with friends and random from the net. Don’t get me wrong, that's okay. But if that's all I'm gonna get outta it, I might as well just talk to friends and strangers on the street than put in the effort of blogging.
So, when people ask me "why do you blog?" (or, rather, what I'd imagine they'd ask if they cared when they I mention that I blog), my answer is: “I dunno; maybe I shouldn't”. Does that mean that my continuance to blog makes me some kind of hypocrite or whatever? I don’t think so, instead I’d say it means that my relationship with blogs in akin to David Suzuki’s with TV: fighting to convince others of the legitimacy of my views via the medium I hate. I could say more, but I think that’s enough for now. This is just my spur-of-the-moment thoughts on the subject. I could be wrong. After all, what do I know.
3 comments:
Blogging is definitely passee. I guess it will be cool again in 10 years (perhaps) in a retro-cool kind of way.
Sweet post, it really made me think. (and lol, but not sadface.)
I think I agree with you on the last two points you made. On the misrepresentation point, there's been quite a few times when I've described things in a trite and flippant way thinking I'm being hilarious. When I look at it in the cold light of day, I find myself cringing at something that makes me sound bigoted, a jerk or worse, an idiot. And blogging isnt cool, theres a bit of n00bishness that needs to be involved in writing down your opinions for the whole world to see and expecting them to care.
But I disagree with you on the idea that blogging is a threat to legitimate authorship and journalism. The idea that any old schmuck like me can throw down my opinions on any thing from whaling, to obama, to 9/11 and expect to be read is an awesome. As long as bloggers dont pretend to be an expert on any given issue, what we are essentially doing is being a more intense version of the guy sitting at the bus stop reading the paper who suddenly loudly announces his views on immigrants. And sure, some of our views may be crap. But the hope is that when they are crap someone calls us out on it, comments on the blog telling us why we are crap, and getting us to reply.
In that sense its just like arguing about an issue while sitting round a dinner table. Except unlike a dinner table, people may be more willing to air their views without fear of immediate rejection. And people can offer reasoned responses, having thought through the arguments carefully. And anyone one can turn up and offer their thoughts, so you are not just limited to your immediate circle of friends, who may share your views.
I could say more, but I think that’s enough for now. This is just my spur-of-the-moment thoughts on the subject. I could be wrong. After all, what do I know.
at least your blogs are able to be intellectually discussed, challenged and legitimised. I think you both put a great amount of effort or at least some thought into what you are both writing. So by doing this and just discussing issues (and being exteremely politically correct about it - as you both are - usually) I would endorse you both wholeheartedly as my main source of information over any bullshitting teenager or even most network newsources that are televised or publicised because there is always bias and agendas oozing out of most sources. I think that there has to be a throwback to honest (or at least [legitimate] thought provoking) news/information, and awordonfailure could be an exemplar for a newage of media.
p.s. this blog me lol at least 5times
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