Monday, May 5, 2008

Blahhhgs

If I wanted your opinion I would ask. If I wanted your personal, ongoing, without prompt, diatribe about your daily process of dealing with getting through the day with all the little quirky things about life you find perplexing, I'd fucking ask. Blogs seem to be an open page for people to pour out their self absorbed, and often neurotic tendencies towards a particular subject. Having said that, there are blogs that I visit daily. So here I am, a big fat criticizing hypocrite. 

Blogs are the opportunity for everyday people to have a chance at expressing their personal opinions to the mass minions. Sure it's great to give people a voice, give a voice to the financially ill, the marginally distraught, the categorically shadowed, sure that's fine, but what if their voice is annoying and stupid? Most personal posts that I've read by people seem that way. I read some of http://purplepiranha.blogspot.com/ and wanting to induce vomiting  because of the smarmy and self seeking tone I heard. Who ever it was writing the vain renderings of a pressed upon teacher had their head shoved far enough up their ass to start the process over again. It just irritates me to hear people talk about their personal lives like they have something to complain about or how ironic, or zainy it must be to be them. I got one question, what makes you so fucking special that I'm gonna wanna read your shitty writing? I noticed he tried to dress up his page by adding a purple backdrop and a rainbow ribbon that read open minded (the cue that it was gay friendly), as if gay people can't be exposed to what the real world has to offer. Jesus Christ, do us a favor and don't save everyone, leave the overly indulgent, self absorbed, politically correct, spineless assholes. Of course we know you don't exist Jesus, so go about your fictitious way. 

5 comments:

Ajay said...

This post, although amusing and well written, says very little. Perhaps it was attempt to be sarcastic and humorous, but I found it offensive. “If I wanted your opinion I would ask.” Well, you did ask…. When entering piranha.blogspot.com, or whichever personal blog it might be, you are entering an individual’s domain. In turn, you did ask to hear the “self-absorbed” teacher’s opinion. Its unfortunate you had to suffer the “smarmy, self seeking, tone” by the “pressed upon teacher who had their head shoved far enough up their ass to start the process over again,” to the point of nearly vomiting. However, the only guilty or severely mistaken individual was the one entered this teacher’s online dairy-like weblog.
I apologize in being frank or using your words against you. Yet the self-righteous and overly “tongue and cheek” tone of this post warranted it. Yes, weblogs are domains where “everyday people” can share their opinions, perceptions, interests, experiences, etc. but there is more to them. There is truth to the “blahhhhhg” nature of weblogs that you so aptly named. However, the webloggers face the same monumental issue that all expressions (in media, art, commentary, etc.) encounter: Who will actually ask? Who will ask for this individual’s perspective of the world, their personal lives, or some particular subject? There must be something to offer, if not, like yourself, no one will give a shit (ask).
The beauty of blogs is that unlike other information conduits, anyone can participate and create. In contrast, on television we are given the options of the solely large corporate news channels (ABC, NBC, CNN, FOX) with their “opinions, perspectives, and discretions.” In the blogging world, anyone can achieve the “blogging dream” (parallel with American Dream) of gathering thousands of hits per day. When thousands of people log on or “asking” for an individuals content (opinion), that person gets money (ads) and power (influence and respect). We must remember, the teacher’s blog that you arrived at probably receives at most a few hundred hits per day. These hits probably stem from some communal acquaintances that this teacher acquired through time (i.e. the bloggers he linked to).

deb said...

I agree with ajay. I think that if you don't want to read about the "vain renderings of a pressed upon teacher," then don't. That is the beauty of blogs, it allows people to express the emotions and opinions they want to, but it also allows others to read or not read their blog. Like ajay said in most forms of media we have very little choice about the kind of opinions and information. On the internet there is a lot more freedom and choice.
I also think that blogs are a good exercise for writing and expressing oneself iin an artistic way. For example the waiter blog was actually quite creative and detailed. Blogs create and give people happiness and if you don't want to read them then don't, but I think calling blogs a "personal, ongoing, without prompt, diatribe" is just plain superficial. People are trying to be creative and express their opinions. They work hard at these blogs and I think that generalizing so much about the nature of blogs is just wrong.

Nick Sanchez said...

It is true that many blogs are bland, or written by people who severely overestimate their own interestingness. But, like Rebecca Blood's article said, many blogs are not the dairies that you so describe. Many are more filter based weblogs, which means they are sharing interesting, often obscure things that often turn out to be really cool. For instance, I read several blogs who cater to the music community, one in particular, missingtoof.com, posts some realllllly obscure music and remixes that are pretty much available only through the complicated interwebs. Without this blog I would not have experienced some of the best music of my life--music that would NEVER make it to MTV or radio.

Sure a lot of blogs are bland and boring and oftentimes vain. BUT, just like digging into a new album, sometimes you have to eat a little bit of crap before getting to the really good stuff, which is typical of life in general in my opinion. BUT if you prefer to be spoon fed pre-packed corporately-run media in all its forms, please do so and stop tearing down people who are trying something new.

Caroline said...

Dave, like the others who have commented, I too feel the need to respond to you passionate posting. I agree that many blogs are poorly written and that some write about stuff I really don't care about. That's where you, the reader, come in. You DON'T HAVE TO READ THEM!!! As Ajay said, when you enter a blog, you do indeed ask what's up in that person's world. I think some people write blogs just to write, and maybe not necessarily to be read. It's pretty neat (I think) that "communities" of readers and bloggers can form when you think about the tenuous nature of blogging. (PS. I don't take your attack personally.) :)

Amanda said...

Even though alot of people don't agree with your point of view, I asked myself alot of the same questions when looking into blogs. Who's to say they have an interesting enough life to post it on the web for others to read? I don't like personal blogs for that reason- they are self absorbed. I would feel vain to write about my life everyday on a blog. Who cares about me and what i do everyday? and why would i care to share it with perfect strangers? Sharing my day is strictly done with my friends and family.