blogs and cheese

Before I even started this site, I investigated the weblog phenomenon, and the community that has sprung up in its wake. From the beginning I never really liked the format. It seemed informal, unorganized, and a little too personal. But on the other hand I suppose if someone's thoughts are formulated into tidy paragraphs they lose some of their personality and realism. Some have long since reached cult status, but for what reason is beyond my understanding.

It seems that most weblogs really just boil down to people talking about themselves, and putting it into a somewhat readable format. Sure some may take the form of reviews or news, but it ends up just being a spot for the author to shoot their mouth off. Hey, I'll be the first to admit that's basically what my site is for. However the aspect of blogging that really disturbs me is the efforts some bloggers go through to become part of the community. I suppose it's that age old desire for oneself to be accepted, but honestly, it borders on pathetic.

The way I understand weblogs is that they are written like personal journals. Which is completely fine, if you don't mind sharing with the general public. But to go out of your way to gain favour with the "famous" blogs, or to somehow gain entrance into the "inner circle" of prominent blogging communities seems a bit heavy-handed. By doing this the blogger immediately assumes that these people will be interested in what they have to say. You could even go so far as to point out that having your journal online at all makes this assumption.

My point is that one's weblog should never be about fame or recognition. If you wanted recognition there are easier ways that don't involve kissing ass or foisting your URL on a more visible blogger. Ultimately if a throng of regular readers is your intention, you'd better have something worth reading.