In the paper this morning, there was an article about this book on the blogosphere. Apparently the author thinks that we (bloggers) are "isolated and lonely, living in a virtual reality instead of forming real relationships or helping to change the world." It gets even better. Blogging is "melancholic and illusionary" and the community of support we find is "not real".
Gee thanks, Mr. Keren, for so glibly dismissing our chosen form of expression and community building.
C'mon though - if this WERE my fantasy world, don'tcha think I could come up with something a little better than this? Not that there's anything wrong with my life, but I'd at least have created a maid. Or even just a laundry slave. And maybe a lovely little cottage in the woods. And a writing career with a nice big fat contract that meant I never had to do a nine-to-fiver ever again.
And another thing - who says community can't be real just because we never see each others' faces? I suppose you think the support we offer each other is inauthentic and "illusionary".
Oh and I just have to ask - what have YOU done to change the world lately? Please tell me so I can toss aside this senseless blogging and follow your lead. I may be wrong, but I don't think writing a book about how pathetic other people are counts for "changing the world".
Maybe you should try blogging for awhile and see if perhaps there is some merit in sharing your thoughts and feelings, getting to know people from other places and other cultures, getting advice on life's dilemnas, getting inspired by how other people are changing their little corners of the world, and practising the art of expressing yourself through the written word.
But what do I know? I'm just a lonely and isolated blogger living in my melancholy virtual reality.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
16 comments:
Ooo! Ooo! I'm gonna use a good ol' "mom" excuse - he's just jealous of those of us who are actually able to have some kind of meaningful community with others through a 'virtual' medium. I'd wager this guy tried blogging and got upset because no one would read it.
And you have to wonder - if bloggers are isolated loners, what does that make a guy who writes about them? Hmmm... Pot? It's Kettle calling...
[Whiny voice]: "...and I don't like Buddhism or the Russian language or opera or trigonometry *either* because I don't understand them *either*."
now heather,
i know that you are really a 97 pound, 34 year old white male living in your parents' basement. but i know this blogging thing has really helped you come out of your shell.
I bet the author of the book has some serious trust issues. I wonder what he has done out there on the internet to misrepresent himself that he cannot believe others would actually be honest?
I read the same article and you wrote exactly what I wanted to say. Have you sent this to him?
I'm not sure I want to read the article, because the guy sounds like a twit.
I think blogging involves people, so some of it I'm sure is shallow in some way, just like some people can be shallow in some way. It is not an absolute.
I guess every one is entitled to their opinion.. but I say.. don't knock it unless you try it.
And about the blogisphere community. I am blown away by the bloggers that I now call my friends.
Yea! What she said!!
Very well said!
Weird. I wrote an e-mail to you today that very much relates to this topic.
This guy was on CBC radio last night. Honestly, I'm not sure I completely disagree with him.
well, I'd really like to comment, but I'm socially inept. And very depressed. I think I'll just click back to my own blog and write something melancholy...
Hi! Yours and another blogger's post about this subject inspired me to voice how I feel about this incredible community of bloggers. I especially LOVED your line:
"C'mon though - if this WERE my fantasy world, don'tcha think I could come up with something a little better than this?"
Thanks for the laugh! If you'd like to read my post, you can find it here:
http://debrasotherthoughts.blogspot.com/2007/02/blogging-amongst-real-people.html
I'm enjoying reading your blog and I'll return! Oh, and congrats on your recent nomination (the one through which I found you)! Blessings, Debra
I got a good chuckle out of this post. Nah, we're doing nothing to change the world. Absolutely nothin'. Maybe we all ought to write judgmental books about other writers. Tee hee!
That guy has no idea.
I blog because I like to write. I used to keep a handwritten journal, now I keep a blog. It is my very own outlet for whatever I feel like posting.
The rest of the entire time: I have to be a mother, a wife, a friend, a maid, a cook, a rancher, a vet, a nurse, a chauffeur and on and on......
I may live in an isolated area in the US but I am far from an isolated and lonely person.
I enjoy reading other blogs. These are people I would have NEVER had an insight to their world if it had not been for blogging.
Who IS he?
What a sad sad little man.
Notice he's not adverse to selling his book in the sphere...
dog in the manger....
Post a Comment