Infocalypse - Latest Comments in How can I stop being called a ‘blogger’?

Re: How can I stop being called a ‘blogger’?

jluster — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:04:31 -0000

A dozen or so moths ago, I traveled to Öland, a small island south of Sweden. There I met a guy whose job, believe it or not, was that of a Minstrel. Not one of those colorfully clad losers you see at Ren Faires, no, he spoke no faux Shakespearean, and he didn't tell stories of Kings and Knights. Instead, he was the news, a constant source of new and old tales and stories, and he did what we all do - he remixed content he'd heard, adding his own narrative and observations, becoming a voice of his own.

Unlike the so-called A-List, this assembly of egos and headcases, he made an art form out of relaying information, taking pride in being a conduit, and inviting others to remix his works further, in telling those tales and news to whomever had not heard them or wanted to hear them again.

It is who we are, we remix information, add our own two cents, and hope, to some degree, that someone will find them interesting enough to remix them themselves and retell them, again adapted and injected with opinion and new knowledge. Say what you will, I like calling myself a modern versifier. It gets people interested and gives me a chance to explain more. Writer comes close, too. Maybe start calling yourself a Minstrel and see what happens :)

Re: How can I stop being called a ‘blogger’?

PurpleCar — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:58:52 -0000

Eric, you crack me up. I think you are just suchan early adopter that when things start leaking into the mainstream, it signals you to move on. Or, in this case, 'up.'

I consider you a writer. Writer's write. To most 'normal' people, you are a blogger only because you write online and they don't have to pay to see what you write. Most people don't blog. Or write. Still, they like to be snotty about quality, and paying for something makes people automatically think it is quality.

Maybe you should start charging for subscriptions! You'd probably get HUGE.

Re: How can I stop being called a ‘blogger’?

nonliteral — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 04:42:05 -0000

The problem with being pigeonholed is that sooner or later, most of us get tired of being pigeons...

Re: How can I stop being called a ‘blogger’?

Ike — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 03:32:16 -0000

I know exactly how you feel.

Re: How can I stop being called a ‘blogger’?

ericrice — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 01:55:15 -0000

Watch. Listen. Read.

Re: How can I stop being called a ‘blogger’?

robsafuto — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 01:48:19 -0000

How serendipitous. I recently addressed this same issue on Utterz. Find that post here: http://www.utterz.com/~u-NTA2MDQ2OA/utt.php#utt.... Long story short. I agree that blogging is simply a way that you express yourself. But what are we really doing with a blog? We're entertaining, educating, expressing an opinion, providing a service. That's what you really do. Blogs (and podcasts while we're at it) are simply methods of distribution via the web.

Re: How can I stop being called a ‘blogger’?

mointrigue — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 01:46:58 -0000

I started responding to you, but there was too much. I ended up posting it here.

Re: How can I stop being called a ‘blogger’?

douglaswelch — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:52:15 -0000

This is the same reason I wrote the article "I am a producer, not a podcaster: a while ago. I prefer the more generic term. I also agree that I get tired of explaining what podcasting is. It does indeed take to long and detracts from the conversation.

Douglas

Re: How can I stop being called a ‘blogger’?

Melanie — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 23:12:51 -0000

Being called a blogger in these times is a little like being called an "emailer."

Just take the word "blogger" and change it to emailer and people might just GET what we're talking about.

Blogging is ten years old. That's a long time to talk about something as being novel and emergent. Now it's just another content delivery form. That's it.

Re: How can I stop being called a ‘blogger’?

Paul Raven — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 23:09:35 -0000

Selah, brother.