While some folks are still blogging I've begun to think that blogging is loosing popularity. Many blogs have been abandoned. Updating the links on my blog meant removing some expired links that once lead to very good blogs that have simply disappeared.One of the best parts of blogging 3 years ago were the variety of blogs and blog-rings. A post could lead to comments from anyone in the world with a shared interest. In short there was at least the appearance that a person in one place could possibly have conversations with someone on the other side of the world, with someone they don't agree with, or with someone who isn't in your circle of friends on Facebook. I'm sure there are new bloggers; but I am not sure how many.
As Facebook reaches 400 million users it's clear that people are still sharing some on line. The difference is that many one time bloggers have chosen to leave the semi-anonymous world of Blogger and WordPress for the world of Facebook, "friends." In a time when it's becoming increasingly clear that Facebook is viewing their users more as a product to sell to advertisers than as their customers blogging looks more intriguing again.
Maybe its time to return to the vague anonymity of blogging rather than the vague privacy of Facebook. Maybe its time to see once again that blogs offers writers and readers very different opportunities to look at the world in a variety of different ways.
Just a thought.
2 comments:
I link my wordpress and facebook accounts... I like the idea of facebook as I can just write and not have to mess with upgrades and other hassles. On the other hand, I wrote this amazing 3 part series some years back on a predecessor to facebook... and the owner ran out of cash, and their went my content. At least with wordpress I download backups weekly and as such I have full control over my content... no goofy ads either.
You might be on to something.
A few years ago, I had more commenters and I was doing a lot more commenting. Now, I still "lurk" and read, but rarely comment.
And, lately, I've been suffering from writer's block. When I have the time to write, I have no inspiration.
Some of it may be the "microblogging" of things like FB and Twitter, but some of it might just be the waxing and waning of any general hobby.
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