Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Blogging Critics

So, I discovered through my friend Faith at Frighteningly Uncommon Sense (a blog I read regularly) that Brad, over at Bradical Mindspew (a blog I don't read...I sampled it once a couple of years ago, found it rather bland and never went back...sorry) was bemoaning the state of the Kansas City blogosphere.

Apparently, he blames us for his lack of inspiration and creativity.

Here are some of his whinings, er, I'm sorry, I meant to say constructive criticisms:

1. People Who Seem to Have a Site Solely to Make Friends

"...That is kind of how I feel a lot of the KC blogosphere is these days. It’s weird to me, and I feel like a lot of blog postings and inside jokes would be better suited on Myspace or Facebook..."

What the fuck do you care? Don't like 'em, don't read 'em. Didn't know there was a municipal ordinance restricting people who wanted to make friends to just 2 channels of communication.

2. Boring, Uninteresting Information Treated Like It’s Amazing
"...When it comes to these types of posts, you should ask yourself two questions: 1) Will anyone care about this? and 2) Will I, the writer of this post, care to read about this a year from now? If none of those can be answered with a “yes”, please refrain from posting about that topic It’s just a lose/lose situation."

Again, a completely arbitrary publishing standard. In an environment where everyone is able to self-publish to the entire planet, for free, there are no standards. Nor should there be. Write whatever the fuck you want to write about. If someone wants to read it, they will. If they don't, they won't. No harm, no foul.

3. Pointless Quiz Results That Pass as Posts
"...I wish I could say that only 99% of these posts are a waste of time, but I can’t say that in good faith. The statistic is 100%...Let’s face it, if someone posts those quiz results, they’re only doing it to take up space on the blog in hopes that someone will read it and their hit count will be increased."

Who the fuck are you to determine what constitutes "A Post"? For the third time, this is a free medium. People can post whatever they like. Stop fucking reading things you don't like.

4. Looooong Posts That Could Really Be Summed Up in a Sentence
Okay, that's totally me and you are absolutely right. I am one verbose sonofabitch. I suggest you stop reading me too as I am consistently lame and long winded. Hell, I don't like 80% of what I write. I suck donkey balls. You should take me off your blog roll. You should make a post on your blog suggesting that other blogs take me off their blog rolls. I'll even join in the crusade and make a post on my own blog suggesting that other blogs take me off their blog rolls. See? I just used ten sentences to say what could have been said in one.

The point is, the "blogosphere" is full of "Serious Bloggers" looking to forge a blazing, cliche-filled trail through the Earth-Shattering New Medium and thus make a Name for themselves. Most of them use Wordpress and have a vanity .com domain name.

These bloggers love to tell other bloggers "what blogging is all about". They don't go to local "blogger meet ups" to toss back a few drinks and have some laughs, because that would be lame and nerdy. They are too serious and professional for that.

No, they attend National Blogging Conferences and Seminars where Serious Blogging Topics are debated in Panel Discussions, Symposiums and Working Groups. Great Decisions are made and communicated through Press Releases. They like to talk about Standards and Codes of Conduct and Best Practices.

In other words, they are all part of a huge, self-important, pretentious circle jerk.

Look, blogging is about whatever the fuck you want it to be. It is probably the most wide open, unregulated, mass media channel the world has ever seen.

For absolutely no cost whatsoever to you, you can start a blog, write whatever the hell you want, whenever you want, about whatever you want, and make it instantly available to anyone, anywhere in the world with an internet connection and a desire to read what you have written, without any cost to them.

No editors. No publishers. No censors. No middlemen. No boundries.

Just writers and readers, the way God intended.

Nothing like this has ever existed. It's revolutionary. Literally!

So don't listen to anybody (especially me) who tries to tell you what you should or shouldn't be blogging about, what topics are interesting or boring, or "what blogging is all about".

Opinions are like assholes. Everbody has one and they all stink. Except mine. Mine smells like roses and single malt scotch. But I digress.

Write what you want, read what you want. Who gives a flying fuck?

Enjoy!

26 comments:

"The D" said...

This post does not meet
Brads blog post requirements.

Please remove it immediately.

Carla O'Callaghan said...

XO - I love you!

When did the world become sooooo fucking serious?

Shane said...

I try to strike a balance between the two, but understand that as a Web designer, I strongly believe in the concept of Web standards and the state of the tubes.

That being said, posts like Brad's are dumb. I'm sure he's a pretty smart guy, but when companies like Google and Wordpress put out blogging tools that make things free and easy, it's understandable that people will want to use them to put their voice out there.

His post is about as original as the endless stream of "Gloria Must Go" posts from what's-his-name.

Xavier Onassis said...

"the d" - fuck off

keri oki - I love you too! Let's get married and spred the world with my demon seed! You can be my brood queen. Whaddaya say? (I know...moot question...of course you'll say YES!...who wouldn't? Duh!)

shane - "...as a Web designer, I strongly believe in the concept of Web standards and the state of the tubes." See, that's kinda my point. There are folks out there who see the internet as this great huge money making medium, if only they can control it! They want to turn it into the next Print Media or Radio, or TV where quality is controlled, standards are enforced, entry is limited and big money is made by those in control.

That will never, ever happen.

The intertubes cannot be controlled. Chaos and anarchy are inherent in the very architecture of the Internet. The early designers have perfected the technique of peeing in the pool. You can't stop it and once it's done it can't be undone.

Fucking genius.

Spyder said...

I think we should all send Brad recipes so he can make them. Then he would have something to blog about & post photos.

PS. I love you too. Kanga knows. I just have to bring my luvin home to him. LOL!

kcmeesha said...

I don't think Brad's post is so dumb. Everyone has preferences and we all skip certain things. He just described his.There are few things that I automatically skip. That doesn't prevent anyone from posting them on weekly basis. I am not sure what everyone is pissed off about.A guy has his standards.So what.

Anonymous said...

"Look, blogging is about whatever the fuck you want it to be."

Amen!

MoxieMamaKC said...

I agree with Shane...all in moderation..I HEART you, XO for calling it just the way I dish it...F'IN' write what you wanna write...is he the King of Kansas City and the personal Joseph Goebbels for our community? If so, I haven't been informed. I'll update my roladex just in case...

"The D" said...

When Shane refers to "Web Standards" he is referring too standards as in Codes, such as, HTML, and, XML and others. Not standards as in decency. If there were decency standards then we would never have unlimited porn available 24/7.

And dude my first comment was HILARIOUS you totes LOLed, and you know it.

Green-Eyed Momster said...

You should run for President!

Xavier Onassis said...

spyder - good idea. my beef stew or burgers. greg's fried chicken. smother him with links.

meesha - I don't think his post is dumb either. I just think it's silly when someone rolls out a map, takes out their compass, circumscribes a perimeter and declares that everything inside this circumfrence is a Blog, everything outside this circumference is worthless crap. Fuck 'em. Who cares what they think?

heidi - thankyouverymuch

moxiemama - "moderation"? I gave that up for Lint years ago and never looked back. "Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks." Robert A. Heinlein

"the d" - I stand by my original comment. Fuck off! PICKLES! PICKLES EVERYWHERE! heh heh.

Xavier Onassis said...

TraceyTreasure - yeah. Here is how that would go. "Today I would like to announce..." and milliseconds later every media source in the world is trotting out all of my shallowly buried skeletons, followed by my humiliated withdrawal from the race. Total length of candidacy...about three quarters of a second. I am a firm believer in the Low Profile approach to life. Attract as little attention as possible! No good can come from ambition. Pride cometh before The Fall. Hubris. Not good.

FletcherDodge said...

Lame: Writing a blog post criticizing other peoples' blog posts.

Lamer: Writing a blog post criticizing someone's blog post criticizing other peoples' blogs posts.

Lamest: Posting a comment criticizing someone for writing a blog post criticizing someone's blog post criticizing other peoples' blogs posts.

Fate said...

*cough*

For some reason, this seems to apply here....

Brad said...

Wow. I make one blog post highlighting my personal preference in what I like to read when it comes to personal blogs, and the next thing I know you're treating me like the anti-Christ. The point of what I wrote about was about internal conflict I've had to continue doing something I've done for half a decade. There were no personal attacks on anyone, and it sure as hell wasn't some lame ploy to try to get more people to read my site like some people *cough*tony*cough seem to do.

I'm obviously naive and clearly underestimated just how seriously people were going to be offended by it. Anyone who knows me knows I'm not that type of guy.

You're right, anyone can write about what they want. Do you honestly think I'm dumb enough to think that they can't? We all know what we like and don't like. What's the big deal? Damn, bloggers be sensitive.

JustCara said...

Brad is just being a butthurt little crybaby - "I haven't felt like blogging lately and it's all your fault. Here's how it's your fault in a bullet-pointed list." What a f***ing narcissist.

Donna. W said...

Well said. I couldn't agree more. We can all read what we like and stay away from blogs we don't care for; no outside judge is needed.

Some of my best reads are Kansas City blogs, by the way.

SmedRock said...

Some one has to stand up for the D. That jar he was issues at Boot Camp is a a bit tight, and made his brain soft.

:)

Chimpotle said...

You two should hook up at the next meet-up to have an indian leg wrestling contest.

GB, RN said...

Only if they are wearing speedos!

Green-Eyed Momster said...

I just want someone in the White House who can THINK!

Like the guys before you haven't had any skeletons?

Anonymous said...

Your lovely bald head graces TKC's website once again.

Unknown said...

Sorry Bra, but you have entered the cycle of blogging

http://minjungkim.com/2005/05/31/lifecycle-of-bloggers/

And yea XO you just got him more hits... easy way to tell everyone... hey, I am back!

:) Brad, would you rather be called the anti-tkc? ... not sure how he got dragged in, if you wanted on drama... LOL just saying.

Faith said...

Brad said, "I'm obviously naive and clearly underestimated just how seriously people were going to be offended by it. Anyone who knows me knows I'm not that type of guy."

And you know what? I don't think you're that type of guy. But you wrote about the KC Blogosphere specifically. Mentioned things that several of us do, i.e. write about topics that are currently daily events for us, or about what we choose to post (like what quizzes have determined us to be, etc...), and deemed them unneccessary to be written about. Mundane. Boring. Worthless, even, in your opinion.

Backtrack all you want, man. You wrote it. You should stand by it.

I just found it odd coming from someone like you. You seem like a pretty easygoing, cool, fun guy. So where the hell did the judginess come from? Saying that it was just musings about your own reflection on what YOU write about is bullshit, IMO. Now, that's just MY opinion, of course, so it shouldn't matter much in the scheme of things. But I thought it was a sucky thing for you to do.

There are some musings that should remain private. That's what journals you actually handwrite in are for. But you knew that some of us read you and link to you. So why would you say that stuff if you didn't expect it to bite you in the ass? (Which, as I recall from your post, you totally actually expected it to do. I just sped up the process, was all. Because it was offensive to me. Whether you read me or not - which I find it hard to believe that part of that post wasn't aimed at me, as all I've written about lately is (a) my home renovation and (b) being sick - it's offensive all the same.)

Anonymous said...

"Just writers and readers, the way God intended."

I thought you didn't beleive in God.

Anonymous said...

"Just writers and readers, the way God intended."

I thought you didn't believe in God.