Wednesday, July 29, 2009

je blog donc je suis? (not an original idea)

I'm disillusioned about blogging. It seems like everyone has a blog these days. It also seems, however, that no one reads anyone's blog. How many blogs have you seen with entries going back for months, with nary a comment to be seen, nary a speck of evidence that anyone but the writer has ever seen any of the words committed to the (web) page? And yet you probably know the feeling, because you probably have your own blog that nobody reads.

This blog is not an exception, by the way, I'm sure there are maybe 7 people who have ever read this blog. And really, why should they bother? I'm bringing very little to the table. I might be saying things that no one has ever said before, but does that really matter, considering who I am? I'm not anyone in particular. I don't have a reputation, I don't have power or influence. I'm nobody, for the purpose of this debate that I am having with no one on my blog that is not read.

And how many times can I write the somewhat ugly neologism 'blog' in this blog post? Are you counting, non-existent reader? You don't even exist, but I'm asking you what you think of this blog, which to me seems to be mostly just taking up valuable bandwidth. I think this is the problem with blogs. There are so many words being written, then immediately published. Snap your fingers and you're a writer. It's way too easy to get a blog, to have a blog, to suddenly feel at least a little bit self-important because you can publish your words at will, theoretically to a worldwide audience. But it's all for naught if no one reads it. The meaning of these very words that I write at this moment varies directly with the amount of appreciation that they garner. Have you considered this?

Insubstantial reader, are you considering your place, and mine, in the "blogosphere" (one of the uglier neologisms, right up there with "tweet", and thank goodness blogosphere is still not acknowledged by spell-check)? Do you wonder if you are anything but an grain of sand in the unfathomable blogiverse? Do you feel comforted by my asking questions of no one, questions that won't, and possibly can't, be answered?

I hate rhetorical questions.

2 comments:

  1. Well, of course, you ARE getting read, but your mother might not be the audience you prefer. I am always interested in reading what you have to say, my dear.

    I might be in the same boat if I ever get my own blog/website off the ground. Some mystery writers find that it's more successful to be part of a group, so that each contributor blogs just once a week and the site gets more attention from various sources.

    Anyway, keep writing. What you post is always well written and entertaining, and it's good practice, even if only 7 of us are reading, although surely there are more than that.

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  2. I read your blog. Your writing is a direct reflection of who you are, along with all else you do. This insight into who you are reminds me of the time I lived with you and G-bav, my man. We lost far too much sleep over the pointless conversations and arguments that arose out of thin air... it was a great year.

    Allan, you take me back, while telling me where you are at the same time. I need your blog, don't doubt its meaningfulness.

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