Blogging began with the intention
of providing essentially valuable information. This trend, however, is so
unrestricted that it is has become flooded with whiners’ personal online
diaries. I do not discount those who create sites to truly provide for the public;
they should be commended. But the
large percentage of blogs centered on fruitless prattle is giving the activity
of blogging a very unappealing repuatation.
After investigating more of this
phenomenon, I was only further disappointed. I learned that there are actually people keeping up with
these superficial wastes of cyber-space, allowing such self-centered bloggers
unwarranted support.
Since any person is free to blog
about virtually any topic, blogging is frequently used as an outlet to vent about
trivial and personal issues. In
other words, it is just another way for people to indulge their narcissism.
Although blogs are edifying in
interests such as music, art, news, and literature, personal blogs are not held
to any restrictions, which diminishes the merit behind this trend. Not only is
this freedom siphoning attention from blogs that are thoughtfully constructed
and captivating, but it is also further drawing people to barren, lifeless
entertainment.
“Trackbacks,” comments on blog posts, are also a
controversial topic. There has been a vast amount of criticism about the lack
of qualifications of those who may comment on blogs, as well as on the
unrestricted nature of the quantity of these comments. Spammers can link
unrelated advertisements or links to another blog as an advertising mechanism, a
big annoyance to the person managing the blog. “Comment moderation” has been
formed so that the blog initiator can easily limit or delete the comments left
on his or her site.
If you are interested in starting
your own blog, here are some things to consider: avoid over-posting or over
self-promoting. Stay on topic in order to make the site as organized and
“clean” as possible. Don’t forget to cite (this could be the source of legal
issues). It is also essential to remain vigilant about the material; statements
that may seem harmless could potentially be misinterpreted as libel or slurs.
Blogs can certainly be conceited and hyper-personal, but this
is not always the case. I have found certain music and art blogs to be very
informative and interesting, many of which introduced me to new and exciting
forms of art. It is essential to find a blogger whom you feel is intriguing
enough to follow. Though blogs can become irreversible disasters, with the right
tools, they can also be an outlet for extraordinary intellectual discussion.
