Has anyone noticed that personal blogs have recently taken a turn for the worse? People are either shutting them down or are only posting stupid things like quotes. About a year ago I would be reading an entry a day from all my friends. This year I only have one personal blog that I read which is updated on a somewhat regular basis. Even my friend Tony has recently shut down his personal blog due to a lack of things to write about.
So what’s going on here? I have a few theories. My first theory is that no one cares. People are starting to take a hint that no cares about their personal life. The only people who care are their friends, who most likely were there when the crazy stuff went down. Second, blogging requires work. In the time people spend writing about their life, they’re starting to do more interesting things. So instead of remembering the good times, they’re out creating more good times. Finally, I think the mass populous has moved onto MySpace. MySpace has the same benefits of personal blogging without the extra time required. People can just setup a profile once, then use that profile to keep in contact with all their friends just like they used to on their personal blog.
With that said, I don’t think personal blogs will be around much longer. The blogs which are focused around one person’s life are going to fade. What personal blogs remain will be topical; focusing in on a subject which interests the author. They may still be writing about their life, but they’ll be talking about tricking out their car and not where they woke up last night.
12 Comments
I concur.
Very true. I am one of the blog erasers. It was mainly due to lack of what to write. I couldn’t find a niche I can get into–and others were so much better anyways. I really don’t know what I want in a website though. Right now it is just my web gallery but that is just personal too. Unless you are a business or news, etc., I think the web itself is getting stale. I used to spend all day and night surfing countless sites, but now there are just a few I frequent and then get bored. Discussion boards are great though but only in certain niche markets like TV show theories (especially Lost).
As for myspace, i too had an account but got rid of it around the same time I got rid of my blog. It wasn’t maitence it was just stupid. It was full of teens without a clue. It was full of adverts, took forever to load. It wasn’t enjoyable.
But good article because I was just thinking the same things recently…
I blog about my personal life from time to time. I just need to get better at writing and then I’ll boom back.
There needs to be something to revolutionize personal blogging — in the same way that Myspace revolutionized social networking among those who knew nothing about social networking (I hate to admit it, but Myspace is a highly successful social network). If it isn’t revolutionized, blogging will soon became a resource of opinion based on whatever niche market you are interested in.
Haha, thanks for the shout out. I feel that personal networks like MySpace, Facebook, &etc. are a major waste of time. However, the majority of my posts were creative writing pieces. But nevertheless, it is pointless. And MySpace, as I said from the beginning, has the poorest design of any such site I have seen. Not to mention, social networks are practically more intricate e-mail interfaces. Pictures, documents, music, and the lot can be easily shared through e-mails, assuming you have someones address, which is easy enough to acquire.
In my opinion, the creation of personal blogs was only to supply an online journal. Many people keep journals on a daily, weekly basis as is, I sometimes write. But with the ease on online entry, interests turned to the internet. Then, bloggers made entries public leading to the social networking craze. What could be next?
I agree. Take my blog for instance, my writing is like a lost soul and I have found that topical rather than personal is a better read adn gets better attention.
I blogged about my personal life way back when I was in college. Then I became a teacher. I was so tired at the end of each day that I let the blogs die. Plus, it was too hard keeping track of my fake names for the students. Now I don’t blog about personal things and I get other people to blog for me. It is a highly preferably system, especially considering how non-tumultuous my life is now.
i think you hit it when you said people are out doing things and the popularity of myspace. myspace kills 3 birds with 1 stone: e-mail/blogging/becoming a pedophile
When old ones drop off though, 15 new ones replace them. I think perhaps the scope of the personal blogs that you pay attention to might be either too narrow, or once you see one removed you never actively try to find another. The number of blogs is increasing greatly each day.
Oh, and my personal blog rocks.
LMFAO
I guess when I refer to personal blogs I’m talking about the Xanga and LiveJournal variety. Blogs on services like WordPress.com and Blogger seem to be more focused and aren’t blogs done by 13 year olds.
Now regarding the bigger picture of blogs, they are increasing, but not in the way that blogs initially started. Companies and newspapers are starting to take advantage of blogs instead of individuals. I think that’s the mass majority of new blogs now.
Oh, and your personal blog does rock, but that’s because you write to a larger audience and not your friends like a common trait of personal blogs.
If you want to read a personal blog that will make you question the great fundamental issues of life itself than head on over to myspace.com/easyreader1. It isnt one of those sickies trying to bother the young uns. It is an enlightening look into the modern phenomen of technology and our role in blah blah blah.
just read a few blogs and thank god your life is better than mine.
You make some good points. I’d have to agree somewhat that personal blogs, those that write primarily about their life, will fade somewhat. However, I think personality blogs will always be an attraction. Like Brent says, if the person blogging is amusing or insightful then people will read it regardless of what it’s about.
I think it’s personal blogs without depth or dimension that will die. Kinda like good writing, regardless of the focus, will always find an audience.
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