Bloggers no longer exist
20 May 2008
Joel Postman has a spot on post arguing that claiming oneself to be a blogger is now a misnomer:
A blog is a tool. There is no such thing as “a blogger,” or someone who can be rationally defined by their ability to use a blog, no more so than there are “wordists,” people who define themselves based on their ability to use MS Word. The number of people who blog is now so large, and the things they blog about and the reasons they use blogs so diverse, that classifying someone as a blogger doesn’t makes sense.
The rest of the post is well worth a read.
I’m off making changes to my business cards right now.
5 comments… read them below or add one
That day will likely come, but I question whether we are yet close. I know people – yes, even Zimmerless – who don’t even read blogs. Also, sadly, those who move from true blogging to MySpace and (*spit*) Facebook. And the percentage of the adult Australian population that blogs would be, what, around ten?
Unfortunately I think we’re all still finding that the wider population’s awareness of blogs is still relatively low. The fact that most blogs are hosted overseas and therefore not included in Australian search results is the major reason why blogs have not penetrated the consciousness the big brown land as much as it has in other countries.
Though I feel the desire to publish and reach beyond ones own existing defined social networks is strong enough to ensure blogging does not disappear into sites like Facebook.
Come on, that doesn’t even make sense.
The number of people who [write poetry] is now so large, and the things they [write poems] about and the reasons they use [poetry] so diverse, that classifying someone as a [poet] doesn’t makes sense.
Or:
The number of people who [cook] is now so large, and the things they [cook] and the reasons they use [cookery] so diverse, that classifying someone as a [cook] doesn’t makes sense.
Or:
The number of people who [paint] is now so large, and the things they [paint] about and the reasons they use [paint] so diverse, that classifying someone as a [painter] doesn’t makes sense.
Hi Robert. I know what you’re saying but most people who blog don’t refer or identify themselves as bloggers right now. They don’t participate in blogger meetups, they don’t submit their blogs to blogging directories, they don’t read blogs about blogging. They happily blog about the world and their place in it, they blog about themselves, they blog about politics, they blog about sport, they blog about the bbq they attended on the weekend, they read other blogs of real friends and internet friends but don’t claim themselves to be part of a wider blogosphere or even a microsphere they’re probably very much apart of as blogging is just something they do, not something they are. It’s just the same thing as the majority of people like me who cook dinner each night but I’ve never refered to myself as a cook. Right now it’s only a small percentage of personal bloggers and most of the topic focused bloggers that call themselves a blogger, these are the ones that take blogging somewhat seriously in a citizen journalist type role. These people will always refer to themselves as bloggers but the quote above is more for everyone else who enjoys blogging but don’t identify with being part of a larger community of other people who blog it’s just something they do.
Yes, hopefully true blogging will be able to stand its own versus Facebook. In fact, Facebook could easily go the way of MySpace once some new fashion emerges.
Stateside, where Joel hails from, the assertion would carry water, I’d say. Non-bloggers may soon receive a raised eyebrow there, like someone without a TV.
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