Bloggers on Blogging: Meh

You can read David Appell's takedown of blogging here; I'm not going to comment on the merits of his arguments because the virtues and sins of blogging have been debated ad nauseum and because frankly I wouldn't get anything else done today. (Buy me a beer, though, and I won't shut up about it.) I will say that in the reactions to his post, you can see the ambivalence bloggers you probably know well often have about their own craft. See Yglesias ("I started writing this blog as a hobby; I thought it would be a fun thing to do. And I not only continue to enjoy writing it, but people pay me to write it. But the mere fact that I'm writing it doesn't make it a worthwhile thing to read, which is why the overwhelming majority of Americans have never read this blog and never will.") and Zengerle. Other bloggers I've talked to in my personal life have confessed the same thing.

I think readers can see this come through in my blogging from time to time as well. Recent quotes from me:

At the end of a post about Bush and McCain both wearing crocs: "I get to blog about presidential footwear. It really is a ridiculous thing."

At the end of a long post about whether Mitt Romney's fundraising prowess makes him worthy of consideration as McCain's VP: "Listen, if you made it through this much horse race speculation, I hope you at least took a moment to check out our debate on the future of America's Iran policy."

Which is to say, I hope if you've read me, you've also read something substantive today.

Stupid but probably necessary disclaimer: The blogosphere is filled with wonderful people and wonderful outlets that combine to do wonderful things. Don't get me wrong. But you can applaud the macro while lamenting the micro.

Comments

I'm tired of posts about blogging. But, one more time, I take my own inspiration from the quotes below, by famous folks. But, the real answer to why I Blog is even shorter: Because, I can.

"Freedom of the press is limited to those who own one". --A. J. Liebling

"Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self." --Cyril Connolly

"The most important political office is that of the private citizen."--Louis D. Brandeis

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens(read Bloggers) can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead

Posted by: BloggerRadio.com on 07/12/08 at 4:32 PM Respond

I just received the card in the mail for an offer to receive the printed version of MoJo News.

I notice you said you have "no paid advertisers to beholding to" in the reply card. I'm glad I checked out your site before I subscribed. You obviously have an ax to grind against the republicans. Mind you, I'm an independent type, but where's the fairness and hard hitting reporting on both sides of political issues your reply card advertisement claims?"

If you don't understand the above question. Just wait a couple of years ..you will.

Vince (July 2008)

Posted by: Vince Golubic on 07/13/08 at 6:20 PM Respond

Mind you, I'm an independent type, but where's the fairness and hard hitting reporting on both sides of political issues your reply card advertisement claims?"

Oh, they'll pick a 'favorite'..., always in the Democratic party, always one of the top contenders as determined by party bigwigs (think 'Obama' here), and endlessly trash the other top ones (like HRC, who had a lot to be trashed for) while, for the most part ignoring them if they're in the "second tier", and might pose a threat to the favorite if people heard much about them (think 'Dennis Kucinich').

Posted by: Smart & Fearless on 07/13/08 at 7:00 PM Respond