Today's New York Times: "Blogs were once the outlet of choice for people who wanted to express themselves online. But with the rise of sites like Facebook and Twitter, they are losing their allure for many people — particularly the younger generation."
What the hell am I doing? I'm a dinosaur. How did this happen?
"Former bloggers said they were too busy to write lengthy posts and were uninspired by a lack of readers," the report continues. Yet here I am, slogging on. Uninspired? No, only paranoid.
Twitter's 140 character limit has reshaped the way people connect. Internet users no longer need blogs to "connect to the world," they report. Instead, they can "post quick updates to complain about the weather, link to articles that [infuriate] them, comment on news events, share photos. . . . "
" Still, blogs remain a home of more meaty discussions," I read with hope. “If you’re looking for substantive conversation, you turn to blogs.”
There we go. That's me. More substantial, I am.
But here's the part of the story I like.
"Kim Hou, a high school senior in San Francisco, said she quit blogging months ago, but acknowledged that she continued to post fashion photos on Tumblr. 'It’s different from blogging because it’s easier to use,' she said. 'With blogging you have to write, and this is just images. Some people write some phrases or some quotes, but that’s it.'”
The article ends with a portrait of a seventy year old ex-military man who maintains a current events blog (or something?) in Nevada. He spends three hours a day, he says, researching, writing. He just got a Facebook page, but says he doesn't see it as a substitute.
The girl in the picture doesn't blog. She has a couple different Facebook pages. She tweets. She is the future.
Me and the AARP will continue on. . . for a while, in the face of a future of dwindling interest.
Maybe. I mean I have a flat screen HD t.v. and a car with airbags. Who knows what this year might bring.
My son must be a throwback. He writes -- in a journal, a moleskin he carries in his pocket. But he also reads books and plays records. Maybe there is hope.
ReplyDeleteI feel sad for the new generation that must compress everything into 140 words or less.
I liked this entry.
ooops my daughter is probably closer in age to this model -- she told me to add that she loves tumblr doesn't have a blog but does facebook.
ReplyDeletesigh.
also. Borders is closing in Hyannis.
As an occasional blogger I salute you for your persistence and substantiation.
ReplyDeleteL, 140 characters, not words. They never get to 140 words. Borders is closing everywhere. They went bankrupt.
ReplyDeleteR, Yes, I am going for the record : )
right right had my words mixed up.
ReplyDeleteby the way
i like the coloring on this photo.
Yes, I am using a new tool to lighten the shadows when they get blocked up. I still have a way to go to refine it.
ReplyDelete