Mar 07 2007
Where Do We Go From Here?
Given some extra time on my hands this afternoon, I happened to review the content of this blog over the course of the past few months and I’ve noticed a discernible, and disturbing, change in focus.
My earlier posts drew from everyday activities in which I was engaging or interested — including, without limitation, internet marketing, search engine optimization, social networking, Web 2.0, and venture capitalism. Also included were my attempts to refine my writing skills for the ostensible purpose of changing my focus from legal persuasive writing to a more narrative format.
Lately, however, my posts have been reduced to simple, and admittedly mediocre, reviews and/or publication of pre-existing media, music and otherwise. This has occurred for a variety of reasons.
The first reason is that, although I am still irritated about the deteriorated level of intelligent and reasoned discourse as to politics and current events here in the United States, the subject matter no longer raises my ire the way it used to. Perhaps, after having been deluged with stories of unopposed incompetence and corruption for the past 6 years, I've simply become jaded with the entire system – to the extent that even the guilty verdict again “Scooter” Libby and the shame of the Walter Reed Hospital closure are of no greater concern to me than the latest hairstyle choice of Britney Spears. Indeed, based upon reports from our beloved media, one could easily beleive these events are of equal importance in the great scheme of things.
Unfortunately, at this point, the media is probably right. And at this point, even pointing fingers at the fourth estate, which shares much of the blame for such shameful conduct, no longer concerns me. They are who they are, and they cater to the lowest common denominator to which they must cater. There's no such thing as right and wrong; just popular opinion. So be it.
The second subject which I am no longer driven to discuss is internet advertising and online media trends. This has become the case as I have been forced, out of monetary necessity, to abandon the online marketing and retail experiments I undertook towards the latter months of last years. Instead, I have been spending much of my time looking for another paying gig that would not otherwise require me to once again join league with evil Satanic forces – otherwise known as the practice of law. I would much rather put my dispute resolution and writing skills to better use than convincing judges into allowing one evil conglomerate to extort money from another. In this regard, however, I have found that writing about the search for employment is not necessarily the most stimulating of topics to discuss, let alone to read.
This, in turn, leads to yet another subject matter I have avoided discussing of late. The online business world in which I hope to eventually garner wages.
Last week, I fortuitously obtained an interview to work in just such a non-legal capacity, and with one of my favorite internet companies – MyBlogLog. Given the public profile associated with the position (as well as my underlying Jewish neurotic angst), I thought it best not to discuss any of the ideas I have and/or were discussed as to making MyBlogLog even better than it already is – which is, unfortunately, a subject matter I would otherwise very much like to discuss.
I still hold to that maxim to some extent. However, I do believe no damage would be done by simply writing about the fact that I flew out to San Francisco last week to meet with MyBlogLog, and that said meeting did nothing but further increase my desire to work for them. Suffice to say, they have some great ideas and will likely progress into one of the premier “online community” applications on the web (although, quite obviously, their progression would go much faster with me onboard – ahem).
This all leads to an underlying question – as I no longer apparently have the angst to write about the state of politics or current events, I no longer wish to burden the ever-diminishing readers of this blog about my personal exploits, and I am restrained by my own code of conduct from writing about the internet industry I have taken on as a potential second career, what the fuck else can I write about?
Where does this blog go from here? And should I even worry about that issue in the first place?
Ironically, I was talking with Votar about this topic recently. Specifically, to what end do we even have blogs? Is it because we want to obtain what little fame and notoriety that may be available to bloggers in today’s world? Or is it because we wish to use it as a cathartic means of therapy and/or creativity for our own personal reasons? Or is it truly the best way in today's world to meet people of like minds and form new corresponding bonds?
All of those reasons are fine, I suppose.
However, whereas I originally found myself wanting to write about certain topics simply because I thought they merited discussion on a public forum, I now find myself struggled to write about anything I can simply so I have something posted – regardless of the merits.
Publication for the sake of publication isn’t exactly what I had in mind when I started this blog. If it were, I’d have gone to work for CNN.
Hope you get it mate. MyBlogLog is one of my favourite community spaces also and it would be great to see someone of your calibre working there.
Cheers
FT
Aw reading about your life fed my lowest common denominator. Speaking of lowest common denominators, I doubt most people know what that is, since most of us failed the TV show, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? But I do enjoy reading your blog, especially seeing the music clips, and when you pay homage to my rants.
I hear you man. In a way, I feel the same. I went from posting nearly every day to posting every few days. Of course, my site is somewhat different than yours in that mine is probably less substance in general. Though I confess, I never set out to have the site be a deep-thinking thing, and I think it’s still evolving. But that said, I have similar questions - where do we go from here? I think part of the hesitance to continue the commitment is that there are roughly 75 gajillion blogs out there. What purpose does yours (or mine) serve, given that there are so many people out there who probably sometimes have similar thoughts/ideas/posts?
But I suppose the more important question is: Does it have to serve a purpose? If so, why? It depends entirely on how you look at it. Yes, I certainly get a little thrill when someone posts a comment, because it makes me feel like one of the popular kids. But that’s not it. I treat blogging as two things: an online, stream-of-consciousness journal, and a way of remembering things. Mainly because I have a rather poor memory. But if you feel you are blogging out of a desire for social or political discourse, but instead are just posting pictures and music videos, without any of the originally intended substance, then… well then you may think your mission is failing. But if it’s simply a self-indulgence, then who cares what you post, as long as you are enjoying the process. It’s a question you have to answer for yourself. I haven’t full answered it for myself. Yet.
But yes, I think we all find ourselves writing something for the sake of writing something. And I think that might be the biggest fault. Because once one begins to do that, it means that you’re no longer writing for yourself, but solely so for the benefit/amusement of others, and you draw no real joy out of it. That’s what I’m trying to cut down on.
Two final points in this excessively long and barely coherent comment:
1) Don’t spend to much time on contemplating the philosophy of blogging in an of itself. Instead think more about what you get out of it. If posting pictures of kittens and puppies make you feel good, then post pictures of kittens and puppies. If it’s a cathartic exercise to get out your feelings on the state of world affairs, then do that. I know I tend to over-simplify things with this common, cliched thought, but it usually works for me - do what you like. That’s it.
2) I made it this whole way without swearing. Pretty impressive, no?
If you truly intend to write, then you push yourself. It’s a discipline. But there’s no deadline looming over your head.
Quality over quantity.
Oh, and fuck you. (You know exactly for what.)
Tree, thanks much. Send good thoughts towards Berkeley.
Shark, thanks for the compliment, back at you.
Chez, I love you too, kid.
TK, I’m not sure that was actually you writing, what will no cursing and all. But yeah, you put the nail right on it - whereas Chez has a very good point about working on writing skills to better my discipline, it needs to be for my benefit, not for the benefit of any (perceived) audience. I feel caught between wanting to maintain readership and waiting to write something that truly intrigues me — like strippers and the such. I will say, however, I don’t like the idea of cutting down on the content simply because, as Chez noted, you must sometimes push yourself to write, as it is a discipline. But if cutting down on content betters the final result, damn the readership (all 4 of you). You’re right, I must do what I like, as long as I enjoy the process. If others don’t like it, so be it.
And rest assured, I will never, never, NEVER post pictures of kittens and puppies … unless they’re getting disemboweled or something equally sinister.
“And rest assured, I will never, never, NEVER post pictures of kittens and puppies … unless they’re getting disemboweled or something equally sinister.” I have the exact same policy on my blog. There are enough pictures of kittens and puppies on the internet.
Actually, I stand corrected - there’s a puppy in the “Greenskeepers” video immediately preceding this post.
Precious.
“Actually, I stand corrected - there’s a puppy in the “Greenskeepers” video immediately preceding this post. Precious.”
You sell-out! hahaah
Correction numero dos: there is a picture of a fatheaded kitten with a crotchety expression in the log of your recent visitors.
Sorry to hear your recovery from the legal world isn’t going so well.
Good luck. I think they have a winner too. You’d fit right in!
Sauerkraut:
Hardy har har … har … har, har.
it feels good to know that i am not alone.
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