The Problem With Blogs . . .

May 26, 2004 4:29 PM

Blog Obsessed Losers (NYT link) "It seems as if his laptop is glued to his legs 24/7," Ms. Matthews said of her husband.
posted by _sirmissalot_ (17 comments total)

"It was starting to feel like work, and it was never supposed to be a job," Mr. Barol said. "It was supposed to be an anti-job."
Anti-job, that's a word? Or winning the lottery is an anit-job; otherwise it sounds like he had hobby. An occupation is another story.
posted by thomcatspike at 4:39 PM on May 26, 2004

I know this hell. If I don't update at least twice a month, I go completely batshit.
posted by dong_resin at 4:51 PM on May 26, 2004

For months, Mr. Rothfuss said, he blogged at work, at home, late into the night, day in and day out until it all became a blur - all the while knowing, he added, "that no one was necessarily reading it, except for myself."

I love that quote.
posted by _sirmissalot_ at 4:59 PM on May 26, 2004

Anyone ever feel weblogging's rise is curiously linked to the decline of Ham Radio?
posted by Jimbob at 6:03 PM on May 26, 2004

Who you callin' a Ham, Jimbob? (No, Blogging is actually the long-awaited successor to CB radio, good buddy.)
posted by wendell at 6:05 PM on May 26, 2004

Or the decline of usenet? I know someone who's been "blogging" on Usenet for 10 years ... an obscure newsgroup ... I joined her 2 months ago.

I like that better than web blogging.
posted by pyramid termite at 6:07 PM on May 26, 2004

How ironic that the link to the guy's blog is screwed up...heh..

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/27/technology/circuits/http//wigblog.blogspot.com
posted by davidmsc at 6:36 PM on May 26, 2004

I know this hell. If I don't update at least twice a month, I go completely batshit.

What you mean "go," Kemosabe?
posted by jonmc at 6:39 PM on May 26, 2004

That can happen if the laptop gets hot and you're wearing shorts. It's kinda gross.
posted by smackfu at 7:24 PM on May 26, 2004

Google NYT link
posted by ascullion at 10:37 PM on May 26, 2004

Thanks ascullion, I'd never read it otherwise.
posted by Eyegore at 1:05 AM on May 27, 2004

Why is every new thing presented as some socially maladaptive addiction? Is there a journalists' template for writing these stories?
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 7:49 AM on May 27, 2004

I think bloggers are funny.
posted by Ynoxas at 8:33 AM on May 27, 2004

I love blogging.
Bloggers blog for different reasons - some for attention, others for writing, others for a way of coping with whatever problem they're faced with, others as a way to get out all their frustrations. It's therapeutic. It's sexy. It's glamourous. For many, it is considered self-glamourization but this is not necessarily the case. It would be implausible to state that all bloggers do it for the attention because of the many attitudes bloggers have - some don't care how many readers they have, or don't even want readers. Others definitely do it for the attention. Some do it to report on political issues. And many more do it to keep communication between a group of friends who barely get to see each other. My friends and I have a blog that works like that. It's very handy and convenient and it keeps me in the loop.
I'd have to say that blogging has definitely improved my writing, and as a future university student, this can be helpful. Of course, I don't plan on turning in university papers written in blog entry style but let's just say, it's helped me phrase things much more eloquently than my pitiful attempts in high school.
posted by mojo80 at 9:51 AM on May 27, 2004

Yes. And people who watch TV more than 2 hours a day are addicted. And those who read for more than 2 hours a day are definately addicted. I am not even going to mention computer games. So - the only respectable and understandable past time is to make money. What good is writing if it does not get you the big bucks? (stupid article)
posted by adzuki at 10:01 AM on May 27, 2004

I hate bloggers. I'd rather not have my opinion of people lowered by their revelations of how self-absorbed and ignorant they almost invariably are. Before the blogging epidemic, only interesting people were given license to talk about themselves, because it was expensive and time-consuming to publish a book full of one's self-absorbed dreck. But thanks to blogging, the same people that are likely to spend hours on the internet doing nothing are now given license to air their most "profound" and "poignant" thoughts for the world to see.

The apparent conclusion? The more a person is compelled to write extensively about himself, the less interesting he is likely to be. There are some exceptions - witness the microsoft blogs, which are highly interesting. Unfortunately, it seems as though blogs are written by writers who can't write for readers who can't read.
posted by Veritron at 1:35 PM on May 27, 2004

Why would anyone want to write for readers who can't read? Seems like a waste of time.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 2:04 PM on May 27, 2004