A Few Of The Basics

Hi.  How are you?  It's good to see you.  There's something I've been meaning to talk with you about, and I think it's about time, okay?

See, you've been putting me down and I'm tired of it.  No, you ain't been insulting me to the friends, or telling my mother anything she doesn't already know.  Instead, you've been putting me in a box ... yeah, that one you got in your head that says I'm supposed to be what you want me to be.  I'm a little tired of it.  Role-playing is nice, but you've lost sight of what's real and what ain't.  And here's the thing, it just ain't that much fun when you do that.  So let's establish a few rules.  Are you good with that?  Good.

First, whatever idea you have in your mind that tells you what a blog should be ... forget it.  It's truly pointless.  No one gives a crap what you expect, least of all me.  For every plaintive little whine you offer about what should be written, or worse still, how it should be written, I can offer you a hundred examples of someone who will defy you.  Seriously, you're never gonna peg us down to your satisfaction.  Go tilt at another windmill.

Second, my motivations are mine.  You don't know them, and you likely never will.  Not because I won't tell you; I do, on a fairly consistent basis.  But you ain't listenin'.  No, it's more comfortable for you to put us all in a group that you can handle within your tiny little scope of fear.  Get over it.  There's tens, possibly hundreds, of millions of us.  To think we're all the same in motivation and desire and need is just frickin' goofy.  Quit being so narrow.

Third, I like you.  I really do.  But that doesn't mean you're my friend.  My friends are people I choose, not you.  If you've met me, and chosen to be my friend, that's terrific.  But quit thinking that we have this big group hug because we share experiences online.  I'm likely (very likely) to say shit that pisses you off.  Quit investing so much in it.  It isn't personal, 'cause you probably ain't my friend.  You just thought you were. You read my site, and that's awesome sweet.  But let's not pretend that we're obligated ... leading to ...

Fourth, I don't owe you anything.  Quit expecting me to do so.  If there is one foundational principle to blogging, it is that we do it for ourselves.  When we start to do it for others we become lame, apathetic, pathetic, joyless ... or worse, we become Michelle Malkin.  I'm not so sorry, but I won't go there.  Not for the people I care about, and certainly not for those I don't.

Fifth, and this is really the biggie, you have the right to tell me when I'm acting like an ass. And I have the right to tell you when you're acting like an ass.  Ya' see, the whole  point of this online thingee is that we have the right to say what we want.  Anything we want.  It can be foul, it can erudite, it can be pornographic (and much blogging is just political porn).  But the one stumbling block you have to get over is that we have the right to post and present it.  And you have the right not to read it.  The odds are on our side that you will.  Question our motivations all you like, but people chose to read the blogs.  That's truly what's right, and just, and Democratic.  It is just people coming together.

Really, I'm glad we cleared these things up.  This is the Intertubes, and the world of the bloggers.  We aren't going anywhere, and attempts to control us will fail.  For the very same reason that attempts to manipulate us will fail, we will simply be in a world that allows it.  There's too many of us, and we have too much chutzpah.  In all it's organic creation, our voices, images and impact will be heard.

I feel better now ... except that I know that many won't get it.   No, many won't get it at all.  I certainly hope that you do.

Comments

[DMerriman]

Cool. Works for me.

[Bill Martin]

Right On! I blog myself and you have posted my very own thoughts exactly. This blog should become a every bloggers opening statement. Call me an ass but this is my opinion as well.

[Shane C. Mason]

Well said. When I first started blogging ( in the last week or so...) I thought that it was a club and it started to ick me out a bit. You have to understand, I have never been a member of any club because the old saying is true. Why would I want to join a club that would have me as a member. Nope, people blog for very different reasons. There aren't 'teams' or 'sides' and there certainly isn't a coach.

I think I blog to homestead the nooshpere, and it is my gift to humanity.

[Dew-R_Lite]

Getting into the electronic drum circle is like volunteering for a real life version of "Fatal Attraction" meets "You've got Mail".

I've long recognized it's my self indulgences that'll get me in the long run.

[Craig]

Getting into the electronic drum circle is like volunteering for a real life version of "Fatal Attraction" meets "You've got Mail".

We have a winner!