Is disco dead?
Is Elvis dead?
These are the pressing questions of our time and sadly, there are no clear answers.
We live in a social media world, where information is condensed, repackaged then regurgitated straight back into our tiny brains. We’re constantly bombarded with buttloads of useless drivel. We have twitter, youtube, GIFs, Justin Bieber. Everything is getting shorter and more obnoxious. In response our attention spans are adjusting. We crave quick blasts of information and grow tired and bored if we’re forced to focus more than two sec–holy crap, I’ve lost you already, haven’t I? What — this paragraph is too long? Not enough pictures to break up the monotony? You’re wondering where the GIF is?
FINE. Well dammit, here it is! Lap it up! Enjoy it! Get those lazy-ass neurons zapping again in that noggin of yours! God, you’re pathetic!
Ok — I admit, that’s a pretty cool GIF. Who doesn’t like a good snort of jambalaya?
Still, whatever happened to taking our time? Whatever happened to slowly digesting a good read? Whatever happened to Elvis? Is he really dead? Personally, I think he’s on an island somewhere with Steve Jobs and an iPhone 10 giggling his ass off.
But seriously. Is blogging dead? I’m asking again because I forgot what the point of this post was. The GIF above is distracting me. [jambalaya!] Does anyone really read an entire post anymore? [jambalaya!] Like say, any of my incredibly stupid and pointless posts, like this one? [jambalaya!]
Don’t answer that.
[jambalaya!]
I like to think I’m not one to be sucked into the latest trend of super-short bite-sized social interaction. I like to think I am above kowtowing to the masses. I’d like to know what kowtowing means.
So I looked back over my posts from over four years ago and I noticed a startling trend with my blogging (ahem) “career”:
- My posts got significantly shorter.
- My paragraphs got significantly shorter.
- My ass got significantly wider, and okay, shorter.
Apparently, reading anything more than 140 characters is like, so 2010. Libraries are dying. Stephen King is enraged more than usual. What does this all mean?
If blogging/writing/reading/thinking is dead, what will I do with my time now? Talk to my cat Mr. Piddles? Tough luck there. He’s got over 10 million followers on YouTube, the smug bastard. Although, for someone who spends an inordinate amount of time covering up his own feces, I am impressed.
Aw, isn’t he adorbs? I could get lost in his eyes forever…sigh…huh?…..where was I? Oh yeah!
I think it’s time we take back our minds, America! We need to start reading full sentences again! Start thinking for once! Put an end to paying attention to Justin Bieber! Otherwise, our brains are doomed, people! Doomed!
So in the off chance I haven’t lost most of you readers already, here’s a post all about how social media is ruining our minds. Keep in mind, it was written three years ago and in that time I’ve no doubt most of our minds have been completely ruined beyond repair. Anyway, I actually read the article and found it fascinating. Of course, it helped there were a lot of real purty colorful graphics and short bullet point lists or I would have lost interest after the first sentence.
________________________________________________________
Do you think reading is dead? Or Elvis?
Do you like to read long or short posts?
Do you like to read?
Do you know how to read?
Is it because you don’t have time?
Or is it because you really do have time, but you’d rather spend it watching this GIF?
Yeahhhhhh…….that’s the stuff…..
I feel so dirty now.
She's A Maineiac 
I’ll never forget me first TL;DR. It was heartbreaking. I started shortening posts.
So I had to go look up what TL;DR meant. Now I know I’m officially old.
I had to look it up as well. Sigh…
LOL. Sorry about that. (I had to look it up when it happened, if that makes you feel any better…)
Hey! I feel special! I was just about to go look it up too when I paused – wait, what?! – and figured it out in context. Maybe reading isn’t completely dead. Then again, I didn’t follow your link to the article because I’ve got several other blog posts pulled up ready to read and my lunch break is only so long. Gotta go!
Yeah, me too. I feel extra special that I haven’t come across that in my post comments. But then again… if they’re not reading them, why leave a comment? Oh, dear…
I can relate to this. First I started shortening my posts and then I started not posting. Blogging really is dead (and so is Elvis).
Ps – how does one’s ass get shorter?
I’m not sure how it got shorter. I really never knew it was possible, but apparently with my ass, oh it’s possible. It’s so short it’s practically nonexistent. I think it disappeared into my thighs (remember THASS?)
This post made my morning! I totally agree with your thoughts on all of this. I find myself wanting to cut out content solely because I fear my readers will either a) scroll right past it or b) my worst nightmare – just ‘x’ off the page entirely and never come back.
My posts are still quite lengthy but most of the time I feel like I really need to do some down-sizing. Today’s post is a great example of this.
Love your blog!!!
I used to write 1,000 plus word posts and time and again people told me to stop. Now I’m down to about 400 words max. I have a feeling I’d shoot to blogging stardom if I just started posting a word or two. Maybe I should invent a new twitter but cut it in half? I could call it Twaddle.
Ironically, I think my posts used to be shorter. When I started out, I spent more time on each one and edited them ruthlessly to try to make them concise since I know I tend to ramble. Now, I’m too busy and as a result, my posts have gotten longer because I either don’t have time or don’t want to mess with shortening them. To some extent, I don’t care – which likely doesn’t make me a very good blogger. Sometimes I wonder why I’m doing this and the best answer I can come up with is that I’m recording the stories for my kids. Then I figure what do I care if other people read them? Which is silly… On the other hand, I think we should write what we write the way we want to write it and if people want to read it, fine. If not… *shrug*
Maybe that is why I am not as popular, I never check to see how long mine are. If I have something to say, I say it. It seems my poetry gets longer, not shorter, but then, how do you tell a good Halloween story in just 3 or 4 verses? Impossible I say!
Watch for my homemade Halloween video starring….wait for it….ME! It’s not very long only a half a minute more or less. Even the credits are short because everything was done by ME!
OK, enough shameless promotion, I love your blogging even the longs ones, so don’t ever stop.
I sure hope blogging isn’t dead, cause if it is, then I don’t exist, except to 3 people (and my parents aren’t one of them).
True. If it’s dead, then what will happen to all my loyal spambot followers?
My spambots are what keep me afloat….
I realized something similar about myself a few months ago; in daily conversations I was starting to sound like a headline for Daily KOS. I used to love a good long read and appreciated deeper thought within myself than the headline and opening paragraph of a news story.
But, you know, time….
While downsizing my extensive collection of books this past summer I came across one I’d loved as a kid and made it my goal to re-read. The book was The Old Wives Tale by Arnold Bennett. I first read it when I was 11 or 12. It was a long story and the type was small. I loved having it to read during meals, while waiting on my mom at the dentist and before sleep at night. I’d forgotten what a great feeling it is to be involved in a story and looking forward to more. It took more than a month of delicious reading to finish the book.
I haven’t started another book but I have been reading old New Yorker magazines. All that deep reading is good for my head. I highly recommend Reading! Push yourself away from those addictive GIF’s after the 15th repeat. I think Elvis is truly dead. I think that while Reading is pallid and wan, it’s not truly dead. I like to read relevant posts whether short or long. I think that it’s possible to make time to read and is worth the effort.
Great post! Thanks!
I refuse to stop reading. I am in the middle of about six books at the moment. I read about two or three a month. Even so, I think my brain power has gone downhill just from all the time I spend on twitter and facebook.
And now I will be singing Jambalaya for the rest of the day.
Can you see the GIF? Apparently people can’t and I have no clue how to imbed a GIF properly in a post (this is my very first attempt doing so)
I can’t. :(. Gifs are weird! Sometimes they work for me and other times they don’t
Boo! I’ll try to fix it (of course, what that means is I’ll copy and paste and embed and start screaming at the computer)
Lol I do the same thing! Try the other screen? I forget what it’s called because I’m not at my computer.. One tab says visual and the other tab says text I think. Maybe it would work better from the tab you don’t normally use?
thanks! I did put another GIF up there and hopefully people can see it now. If not, oh well. I give up. This is more proof I should never follow a trend.
Ha! Well yay for the new gif! It’s perfect 🙂
Man, I’m late to EVERY party. I better go check to make sure I’m not dead.
Say hey to Elvis for me.
Will do. I think I just saw James Dean. Catch ya later.
Disco only died in name. Dancing, I’m afraid, will never die. Elvis, however, died sometime in the early 1960s . . .
I think disco, blogging and Elvis will make a comeback someday.
I’m not sure whether or not I hope you’re right!
Wow. That article is a bit scary. I love social media, but I do read books now a lot less than I used to. Maybe time to cut down a bit.
I have to admit, my brain feels fatigued whenever I use social media. I can feel whatever neurons I have left leaking out my ears.
I still read actual books (as opposed to kindle books) so maybe I’m not the best to judge. I do notice that I don’t get as involved with my reading material on-line and that yes, I’m easily distracted. Jambalaya is a serious distraction you know.
I have a stack of real books and also I use my kindle from time to time but I love the feel of holding a book.
Also, jambalaya is delish. Newman was one of my fave characters on Seinfeld (can you see the GIF I put up there Lisa? seems no one can?)
No I couldn’t either
Enjoyed this post. I still love to read a good book. I get lost in the world of the book, putting mind images on the places and characters. I’m pretty sure Elvis is dead, but his legend will never die. And now we have holograms. Reading isn’t dead and will never die. Short is getting shorter for sure, but that’s because good writing is harder to find. But it’s out there. That’s my opinion, and I’m sticking to it. Jambalaya.
I have to agree with everything you said. Except about Elvis. I’m pretty sure I saw him pumping gas at the Stop N Go yesterday.
Social media can cripple our brains. Or, so I’ve heard. I still don’t have a FACEBOOK account. I’m scared to go that route. Does that make me weird?
But blogging, that’s something I can’t give it up. I’ve tried. I’m addicted to this platform. Long paragraphs, shorts sentences–if it involves reading, I’m in!
No! FB is beat avoided! I recommend staying away, and also that you keep blogging forever because I hoard your words and want to keep doing so forever.
Really? No FB? I’ve been tormenting myself over this nonsense. Sounds like you have legitimate reasons for avoiding this platform. We need to talk.
And, thanks for that comment about blogging. I truly feel the same about you and your words, Deborah!!
I kept disabling my account and then going back because SOME people found my blog through FB, but disliked every minute I spent there. The only thing I miss right now are updates on a friend’s husband going through chemo, but I ask A to keep me posted (and send short notes besides). Part of my determination to leave was feeling so spent. I wanted my conversations to be centralized and accessible whether a given platform comes and goes. For me, that means FB and email. And that feels great, for me. 🙂
Deb, I am getting very tired of facebook in general. I’m slowly detaching myself from it. I used to be obsessed. On my personal account, I post pics of my kids now and then and that’s pretty much it. As for my blog’s page, I hardly ever visit it or engage readers other than the automatic post that goes out that I wrote something. I’m not sure it serves any real purpose for me or my blog though….
Meaning you don’t personally have a FB account or your blog doesn’t? I get you, Anka. I am very close to deleting my own personal account but I’m afraid of the backlash from all those people out there who live for cute pics of my kids and my humble brag status updates.
I don’t have a personal FB account or one for my blog. I thought about setting up an account for my blog. But I didn’t find FB user friendly. Trying to set up a page was harder than navigating WP Widgets!!
I would say, don’t do it then. You’re not missing a thing (well, I can only speak for my own experience here)
Yeah, I’m already a MASTER at wasting time. I don’t need anymore distractions or my children won’t get fed.
Great post, I hope blogging is not dead, if it is then once again I waited too long to start doing something. Oh well, I’m going to keep blogging and reading blogs, I’ll let the rest of the world sort itself out.
Even if it’s dead or dying a long, slow death, I will always be blogging. Even if only my cat Mr. Piddles reads it.
Even if it does die, I suspect I will keep right on doing it! After almost 20 years of blogging, it’s engrained in me. I did of with an audience of five before! 😀
That being said, I have noticed the same trend with my own posts. The shorter ones generally get more hits, except for the show biz ones (which I post on FB because the folks there eat that up, though I seldom meander near FB otherwise).
I remember really liking pretty inspirational posters a few year ago. Now they tend to make me kinda itchy, because you know what? There is only so much wisdom that can be conveyed in six words or fewer! I want the meat.
20 years of blogging! Wow! Five years ago I have to admit I didn’t even know what a blog entailed. And I agree, I’m leaning more toward longer reads and I’m shying away from the quick blurb type stuff.
I had lunch with Elvis last Thursday. He’s lost a lot of weight. He shared his blog website with me.
I still go to the library but check out audiobooks…they read better than me.
I got a letter from Houdini yesterday. Yeah I know it was Sunday.
Isn’t that strange.
Blogs are alive, but I’m dead.
See ya later…
Audiobooks, huh. I might have to try those as my eyesight has gone rapidly downhill the past few years….
Very interesting post. As an educator, I’ve seen the effects of the internet has had on emerging generations in all facets from attention span to language and writing skills. While I fully immerse in technology and social media, I also fight hard to keep to more traditional fare, such as reading (Love Goodreads.com), staying active, and sometimes, just embracing silence, and turning my phone and computer off. This post very closely relates to a film I saw recently, “Men, Women, and Children.” I definitely recommend checking it out.
You have the right idea, striking a good balance between wasting too much time on social media and being in the present moment. I turn off my phone when I’m home in the afternoon/evening with my family and don’t turn it on again until the morning. Blogging is my one big vice I guess because I love to write and interact with my readers. Thanks for the recommendation on the film.
You’re very welcome. When you do catch it, be sure to let me know what you think.
As a new blogger I’ve been told to keep my post under 500 words… that’s hard sometime when it’s a more “insightful” type blog post.
I’ve decided blogging is not my day job… blogging is my pleasure… my release and I will write however many darn words it takes to get my story out.
If people read it or don’t read it AT LEAST it’s out of my crazy brain… which benefits the entire family!!
I LOVE BLOGGING!!!
Totally agree!
Reblogged this on ugiridharaprasad.
This post made me think a lot! I think the blogging world is simply shifting, but will still continue moving forward in new ways 🙂
Very true, most trends change over time and blogging has been around for awhile. I think (or hope) it’s here to stay.
I love a good post about jambalaya & kitties… That’s what this post was about, right?! 😛
I think so….?
Years ago I came across an article entitled “Powerpoint Makes You Dumb.” It does and it was a precursor to all of the damn social media stuff which turns us all into trailers for “Dumb and Dumber.”
God, you’re right. I think Powerpoint is the root of all evil. I blame it for everything wrong with society today.
Me too. Damn those bullets.
I wonder the same thing. Half the bloggers we started with are gone or barely going through the motions. I think it’s because you can get some of that high, that fix of attention from a couple of words or a comment on Facebook without all the work involved in putting out a good post. Because, let’s face it, it IS a lot of work.
p.s. Can’t stop staring at that cat or that dancing GIF
p.p.s. I’m not seeing anything with the jambalaya
p.p.p.s. Have I told you lately that I love you, Miss Darlineator?
So true. What’s sad is the more work I put into a post, the less people respond. Or the longer the word count it is, the more likely no one will actually read it.
And yeah, where have all the bloggers gone? *crickets*
p.s. Mr. Piddles is mesmerizing.
p.p.s. I have no clue how to embed a GIF so I tried it again. If you still can’t see it, it’s basically Newman from Seinfeld outside the Soup Nazi inhaling his jambalaya order and running away.
p.p.p.s. No, you have not. I think it’s high time you do.
p.p.p.p.s I love you, Miss Pegoliciousness
I’ve been thinking about retiring my blog. I’ve been at it a while now and I’m not rich or famous. What gives?
No! never do that! one day we all will be rich and famous, I just know it. (I also believe Elvis is alive, so maybe you shouldn’t listen to anything I say)
I just discovered the Game of Thrones TV and got GOT addicted. I suspect that until I watch every episode, blogging just might be dead to me. 🙂
I have GOT to see this damn show!
It’s sooooooo good! We don’t have anything close to HBO so have to devour the DVDs when they are released. I’m not much of a TV person, but this series is so damn addictive!
But it’s bloody! And oogy! and yucky! And bloody! Very bloody! I can’t handle gore.
I wish I could read more, but I can’t because I’m so busy with work all of the time. I have to be very selective about who I will read now because I have such little free time to do this, and while it’s great that I can still keep up with people like you (for the most part), it makes me sad that I’m not discovering new people anymore.
I will say that when I read something I read it ALL the way through. I’m afraid of missing out on gems that will make my entire morning.
Also, the jambalaya gif isn’t working. WHY WHY WHY? I love a good gif.
http://giphy.com/gifs/ZVR87gcbHL8kM
BEAUTIFUL
I hear you. I have zero time to do much of anything, it’s all I can do to read a few blogs and write on my own damn blog. Most of these blog posts I had written a long time ago and I just dusted them off and threw them up onto the computer screen like yesterday’s leftovers.
I had lunch with Elvis last Thursday. He looks good and has lost a lot of weight.
I also received a letter from Harry Houdini yesterday, even though it was Sunday…is that strange or what?
Blogging is very much alive and well. I’m not so sure about myself.
I’m not sure about myself either. Well, at least we know blogging’s alive, that’s all that matters.
I admit to scanning a post to see how long it is before I read, but I do think great writing trumps all. When I’m really engaged, I stick with it.
I absolutely agree.
I do the same thing. And I get irritated by folks who don’t use paragraphs. One, long screen of type… is… what?
All of it, Darla, is true. Out brains have become bite-sized attracted to the sound byte. It’s pathetic. If I write a longish post, I’m surprised if anyone shows up! My posts tend to be shorter now. Of course, sometimes I just need to write what I want.
Exactly, sometimes we just have to write for ourselves, even if it’s on the long side and some people might not read it. There will always be other readers out there who will appreciate the effort.
Great post, and I hope blogging isn’t dead or dying or anything else!
I’m not into Facebook or Twitter, and just hope I’m not boring my readers too much to tempt them into hitting the ‘follow’ button to untick me!
I remember the night Elvis died, 16th August 1977…… I’d been married just over a month and was in bed listening to Radio Luxemburg when they announced ‘The King is Dead’.
They scrapped all advertisements and played nothing but Elvis records for the remainder of the night, and I listened to all of them. As for the (now ex) Husband? He fell asleep.
Keep writing! 🙂
I don’t remember much about that night Elvis died as I was 7 years old. But I do remember when John Lennon was shot clear as day.
As for facebook, twitter, I frequent both sites but I don’t feel like I’m getting anything out of it to be honest.
I remember that day too, as my marriage was over and I was back living with my parents.
Blogging is definitely for me, as I’m more of a slow-media type. WordPress is my comfy home-away-from-home, even with the fits and starts with “life” in between.
Where else can I tie a squash recipe in with a hawk stalking the bird feeder? Or “jump script” the hyperlink for that recipe RIGHT TO the recipe at the end, without boring the reader with all the content? Or the recipe short code that turned that same recipe into a printable page for her book (Grandma really liked that one!)? (http://wp.me/p28k6D-1lV). Nuh uh. Can’t do that on Facebook or Twitter.
There are no shortage of .GIF images out there, but the one of my child blowing the hummingbird off her hand after its brief ordeal with Close Encounters of the Third Kind…priceless. (http://wp.me/p28k6D-1l4) Though it doesn’t make me want to get down and dirty like yours.
I’m in it for the long haul. I hope you are too. Cheers, Darla!
True, I consider blogging a slower paced social media and really have enjoyed these years interacting with all of you. I will probably blog for years to come (or a few months at least)
Loved that GIF you linked!
A few months? Are you bowing out?
I’m starting a full time job soon and hopefully my own side business so I really don’t know when I’ll find the time to blog. I’ll always blog I suppose, just maybe a lot less…?
OK, to make a point about my feelings re: word length on the internet, not only did I read your entire post, but I also read through each and every comment! TAKE THAT, SHORT ATTENTION SPAN!
My thoughts: the people with short attention spans are more than welcome to occupy the Bieber/GIF/Twitter side of the internet. I’m more interested in the deep and juicy bits of the interwebs, even if that means scrolling through a 1000+ word post to get there. Like attracts like, no?
Agreed. I live for the juicy bits of things.
I was so excited to read your new blog but then I noticed it was SO so long.. So many words.. and Netflix just uploaded the new episode- oh look! Something shiny!!!!! Wait, what was I talking about?
Words are so 2010.
SQUIRREL !
No
OK.
(that was probably the shortest comment I’ve ever written.)
Interesting and provocative. Blogging might put live Facebook. It has outlived Myspace. But when I started to blog it obviously was a tipping point.
Oh yeah, good ol’ Myspace. I say we bring that back.
Reblogged this on theowlladyblog.
Reblogged this on MARSocial Author Business Enhancement Interviews.
Dang! I jspent my afternoon editing photos for my blog. I should have stopped at one and called it done….
Well, photos like yours are an entirely different story. Because they are actually stunning and worthwhile to look at.
Thank you! I get the same views whether I post 3 or 13. I just can’t stop myself!
I love blogging, and even if only one person says, ” you made me laugh!”, it’s enough. Darla, you make me laugh, so never, ever stop, y’hear me, girl? And these are other things I love, if anyone is…reading….this…….far:
Dumb and Dumber
“Hello, Newman”
GIFs from Ben’s Bitter Blog (am I #4?)
The word “ass” in anything
Most recent great read: The Rosie Project
Have to go blog now–Buh-Bye 🙂
Ermigal you are such a badass…I Luv ya.
I agree, Ben’s Bitter Blog has the best GIFs. I just wish I knew how to download them like he does, he’s the master.
And thank you, I agree, as long as at least one person out there gets a laugh at my expense, it’s worth it. Long live blogging.
I’m all about the complete sentence. Hell, I’m all about the sentence, period. Reading is sexy–right?
Yeah, yeah, it’s been a while, but I’m back—-longgggggg story. Love your post, Darla.
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
Reading is damn sexy. And about your long story…I hope it was a good one? Good to see you back again.
I’ve noticed a lot of the same things. My shorter, picture-heavy posts tend to get a lot more hits than my “wordy” posts, even though I like to think they’re just as entertaining or thought-provoking. I think the only person who read my last post was the one who requested it. At least she liked it, and I had fun writing it. But it’s kind of discouraging to put hours of effort into a post only to have a handful of people read it.
I do tend to have a shorter attention span when reading online (I was going to say on my computer but then I remembered I recently read a 300+ page ebook practically in one sitting – of course, Ted Dekker is nearly impossible to put down, whether in paper or digital format). I generally prefer real books; that’s what I grew up with, and while ebooks take up far less space, it’s not the same.
And now I can’t remember where I was going with this…
I’ve said this many times, but it’s true, the more work I put into a post, the less likely people are to read it. I wrote a bit of fiction once, each post was 1,500 words and hardly anyone read it. But the posts I write half-asleep like this one gets a lot of attention. Because we have the attention span of a gnat.
I was working on a post and just started writing and writing. I realized I was at the 1500 word mark and not even finished and just pretty much gave up on it, realizing that not one single person would continue reading until the end. Maybe if I put a gif of Conan and Colbert shaking their hips in there somewhere? That might indeed be the stuff. I think blogging might truly be dead. So sad.
It sounds like a great series.
I’ll read even your long posts. As long as we can keep The Beebs out of it.
Short posts – please!
Elvis is alive in well in my kitchen every Sunday!
I love to read, and still have a bunch of books to-be-read shortly.
Jambalaya – yes!
🙂 MJ
I always have a few books on the backburner. My mom insists Elvis is alive and well and packing groceries down at the local Buy N Bag.
So very true! I did read the whole post!! 🙂
Well, this gives me hope.
I’m loving that last .gif–so bad of me! I agree. We live in a sound byte society. Patience is a name not a virtue we practice. I have to break up my posts with pictures just so people will read them. Too many words scare people.
I was listening to NPR and they were discussing the new trend of watching YouTube “TV” shows in 4 minute segments. They have two of them out–modern adaptations of Frankenstein’s Monster and Pride and Prejudice (I think). I stopped listening, the program was too long! 😉
Too many words do scare us. I remember my first posts I would put just one picture in, now my posts are all pics with a few words scattered around. I don’t know what that says about the reader but I do know what that says about me: I’m losing my mind.
Is a picture still worth 1,000 words?
I know I’m prehistoric, but I still use *email* to communicate with others, Pinterest to get my GIF and cuteness fix, and blogs for content. I’ve been informed by several people under 60 that I’m as dead as Newman and leisure suits. Oh, well. Elvis and Donna Summer are party pals.
Your comments always make me giggle.
I use email too, all the time. I never get responses from people, but yet, I still can’t let go of that form of communication.
Blogging isn’t quite dead, but the pulse is starting to fade…..
Let’s hope we can shock it back to life with some defibrillators soon.
I haven’t written anything in months. For some reason I can’t write anymore. I don’t know about blogging in general, but I’m unable to find the patience to read a long post unless it’s highly recommended by someone else.
Same here. I’m finding it harder to write and read. Good lord, what’s happened to me?
This comment is actually my post for today— that’s how short they’ve gotten…
Hmm…I think you’re onto something here….I KNOW! We can create a social media site where only 140 characters are allowed! Forcing people to be extra witty! Nah, it’ll never take off…
Lol! And we shall call it TweetSnap! It could be a thing…
I don’t know how it really gets there. I basically post about whatever comes in my mind. I structure my thoughts and start typing. It becomes a pain when you write for others – because you need to publish as per their needs and requirements. Yes, as per the current trend, blog readers are on a decline because people are too busy checking/stalking others on Instagram. It’s the images world – things are quite digital and the world wants to view your life/thoughts structure rather than read it. There are endless images on different Instagram accounts giving life advice, things that make us happy, inventions, DIYs, facts etc. Instead of talking about it, people prefer posting an image. Oh well, I write for myself. To make myself a better writer. So what the world wants whether its virtual texts/images, doesn’t really bother me.
Posts might get shorter or longer – its not the size that matters but the ideas and thoughts that make a difference. Its more of quality than quantity. Its the content that matters most. So what you want to talk it out, you type it anyway. 🙂
Yes, instagram and twitter and reddit and mishmash and flimflam etc. are where it’s at now. Sad.
I will still try to write actual words and sentences though, screw what people want.
Do you guys know Stephen Fry over there? Anyway, he says that the short bites things we’re into now is actually going back to how things used to be, when people first started writing they would just write a few words on a rock or something, and then gradually things evolved into big tomes of writing, and then we’re going backwards again. We don’t actually read less though do we, we’re always reading stuff, just lots of little things. No blogging isn’t dead! Please tell me it’s not!
Hmm…interesting point. I suppose then the only direction we’re headed now is back to caveman days where we’ll just grunt and point at each other. Sounds good to me.
Word Press wouldn’t let me load my video. 😦
Here it is on my FB page if you can get to it. Would love an opinion.
Hmm won’t let me put my FB page either, oh well.
My job involves posting stuff on Twitter (twittwat) and Facebook (face ache) and I find it all so inane. Lots of self absorbed people showing off. At least blogging is real writing with paragraphs and a point (mostly). Now if only my domain hosts got their finger out and fixed mine I could post some more inanne drivel to amuse people 🙂
Brevity is not what hooks me. It’s a good story well told. Something to make laugh or think or reflect.
I hope that blogging is not dead. Some might sound the death knell for books, too. But, at least with a book, you can tune out the commercials. 😉
I agree about shortening your blog posts. I am a fairly new blogger but even then I wonder is my blog posts too long that folks don’t want to read what I have to say? Then I start to question if it’s interesting enough, or that I have written something that folks want to read, etc. Then I get so confused and depressed that I go watch a gif to cheer me up. 😀 God I hope blogging has not kicked the bucket as I just started! lol
Darla, you ALWAYS make me laugh! 🙂 And yes, Mr. Piddles is “adorbs.” Seriously so. Also, leave it to Elvis to score the first iPhone 10. Your humor is much welcomed on this rainy Friday, my friend! I hope you have a relaxing, slow, weekend!
yes, I’m just NOW seeing your comment! Hope you had a great holiday, Melissa!
I too am wondering if blogging is dead or we all are writing for ourselves. But Darla, it’s people like who keeps blogging alive and blogosphere active with posts like this one. Great post. And Justin must be very disappointed if he read this one. 🙂
Yes, I know how to read (comprehend is a whole other issue, though), but I don’t have the time to read nearly enough and that includes my favorite magazine, The New Yorker. I need a 30 hour day to fully do everything, include sleeping, so something’s got to give. That something is usually blog-reading. I do make an effort to read my core followers, bloggers who comment on my site, and I try to write comments that show that I’m not entirely burned out on theirs. Keeping up with bloggers I follow is time consuming but I do read posts in their entirety. Due to time constraints, I’m less inclined to follow new bloggers. Striking a balance is a challenge for me. I work full-time, I have a masochistic spin-bike schedule (I packed on 15 pounds of lard during my first three years of writing my site that I shed this year) and overall, I have a very active life beyond the blogosphere. As proof that I’m the consummate glutton for punishment, I’m also trying to write other pieces outside of my blog.
That was very generous of you to include my candy corn post in your Posts I Like sidebar. Thanks!
As language teachers, the 5 second attention span is something that challeges us daily.But the fact that there have been 145 comments before this one means that there are STILL people out there who do read a post till the end, no matter how long it is.
Personally, I think blogging and writing isn’t dead and will never die.I won’t comment on thinking,though. That’s dangerous territory.
What might be dying is reading and we will end up writing just out of the sheer pleasure it gives us no matter if there’s someone out there who can/wants to read.Something like a selfie in word form.
BTW, I like your selfies!
I am too lazy to read a long post, love reading short posts with pictures. A picture is sometimes worth more than a thousand words
Brilliant! Obviously I’m social media challenged, as I’m just reading this. But I read the whole thing. Too funny.
Blogging never dies. It’s the place for introverts to speak up
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Blogging is alive and well. Your blog post is proof. Good writers are alive and well. You are living proof.
I really hope it’s not dead! I’ve only just started
Don’t die! You can’t leave us with just Twitter.