Do weblogs suck?
Caine: Why I Hate Personal Weblogs
It's a humorous and interesting read. It can be boiled down to this premise though, there are too many weblogs that suck so there should be no weblogs. Of course, at the end of the rant he mentions that there are a small number of legit uses for weblogs.
He has some silent partners in his rantings, one I know even reads this very weblog, even though it clearly falls into the category of lame weblog. At least "Josh" uses his to post his art and "Mark" uses his to test out new and cool things that can help a large number of people.
I'm sure a majority of people in the weblog community would take offense to this because they are, at least a little, vain. I mean, they are keeping a weblog after all! But as I have explained time and time again, so many times in fact that I should make it a link on the front page, that this weblog is mainly for me. It's my outlet and it happens to be public. So what. You're not forced to read. In fact, if you've made it this far I'm impressed!
I waste nobody's time but my own, but it's mine to waste so let it go.
— Ned's Atomic Dustbin
If you really hate weblogs you should stop reading them and come to grips with their existence. I hate mayonaise, so I don't eat it, but I accept that it isn't going away. I don't spend an entire weekend coming up with an essay on all the ways I hate mayonaise and the few acceptable uses of mayonaise, you know, like in tuna fish. Although I admit it would be nice to not have to append no mayo
to every food order I make. But still, you get my point.
But I do agree with the author that the word blog is pretty dumb, but no more dumb than PCMCIA.
All forms of expression are vain. You think writing a song, writing lyrics for it, and playing it in public isn't a form of exhibitionism? It is! Just because there are a lot of songs that suck doesn't mean they should be abolished.
It took me a long time to decide to do my blog. I thought it'd be a self-induglent waste of everyone's time. And, in many ways, it is.
But I dig it. And some other people get a kick out of it, too. So, just this once, I'll introduce Caine to my old friend Heywood Jablowme.
:)
Hehe. I'm glad you keep a weblog. I like to think I had a small part in convincing you to take the plunge, again. I enjoy reading you entries and even following the comments, unless they get past 10 or so and then I can't keep up.
Yah, thar be some wordy bastards who be readin' me blog.
I think people the people who read my blog and comment are awesome.
Vanity is one of the strongest creative forces in the world. Met any writers lately, especially those who get published? Then you know what I mean. This blog thing is just yet another way to foster creativity. Is most of it unadulturated crap? Most probably. The trick is for those who are interested (and those who are not can swim in mayonaise) in good infomarmation to create a way to sift it out of blogs. Hmm... I think I will write an entry about it tomorrow. And Pat, in a way you indirectly inspired the existence of my blog (may thy sins be forgiven), as Kat brought up the idea to my attention.
I'm glad you're writing for "the public." I love your stuff!
i'd be upset with the author, but then i realised he's just as vain as the rest of us. ;)
seriously, i blog for me, and if i happen to make a few friends along the way, or touch someone with a post, then that's great. if nobody reads my blog, at least i still have an ever-changing outlet for my thoughts.