I’m constantly exploring the blogosphere. And one the things I’ve come across are the way some elitist bloggers and journalists look down on normal people’s blogs. For example one guy wrote that he couldn’t belive that Technorati had started listing MySpace Blogs and how could anybody take anything serious that had been written on MySpace and he wouldn’t want to be on the same list as MySpace bloggers.
There are also complains about web-based blogs. The “real” bloggers use software blogs.
I’ve also read articles by journalists that explain how meaningless blogs are and that they give the illusion to common people that they can write and that blogs can’t be compared to real journalists’ work.
One of my former readers also stated that she no longer reads my blog because she can’t stand reading another line about what I had for breakfast or what shift I work. Well good for you.
Blogs are a true revolution. Rich people, poor people, smart people, dumb people… They are all writing blogs. As always when it comes to the internet, geeks in their thirties and forties have led the way. And as always once there is a way people will come. Blogs are no longer written only by the 37 year old geek writing a review about the latest Graphics card from Nvidia and read by other geeks.
People are writing about their daily lives, sometimes about their innermost feelings and sometimes about truly mundane things, like what they had for breakfast. Sometimes they write anonymous blogs and sometimes they write down their name and put up a picture. It’s their choice how they do it and if someone wants to read my blog I welcome Thee, if you don’t well it’s you loss.
And journalists, well there are people that are writing better than you and get out news stories faster than you and they do it for free, and for their own interest. Yes if I was a journalist I would be worried.
As for choice of blog platform, it all depends on kind of readers you want, the elitist snobs on Typepad that want you to feel honoured to be in their presence or the common people over at Blogger or MySpace. I prefer the last two, what about you?
Beware, the common people are blogging!!!
What do journalists know?! They are so busy "reporting" about someone else's experience, do they really get out and experience life for themselves?! Probably not, for if they did, they would blog!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteI enjoy blogging, it makes me feel connected on a whole different level to people that would otherwise just hang on the periphery of my life. Through our blogs we are able to invite people in and share our experiences...it's daring, and there is an element of risk involved... but getting to know more people in the world...how can that be a bad thing?!?!?
I think they are jealous. In their minds they are doing something marvelous and complex that nobody else can do. And suddenly they’ve realized that anyone with an Internet connection and a keyboard can write and publish whatever, whenever and how often they like on the Internet. This is what freedom of speech and press is all about and for some people it’s shocking when they realize what it truly is.
ReplyDeleteHey Boris,
ReplyDeleteI am Kristin's cousin, also from BC, Canada. I was intrigued by this post regarding what the "common people" are doing. I agree with what you said & I think it is not only blogging, but the entire idea of the internet itself. Information & knowledge (& ease of sharing those) are now available to so many people, and that really affects the power base in society. Knowledge & freedom of speech equal power, and I think we will continue to see the results, as the triangle shape of how power is held in this world begins to flatten, even a tiny bit at a time. To me this is a fabulous trend!
Rena