Blogging. I wonder where the word came from? What does it conjure up in your mind? Whatever it is, what compels us to sit down in front of our computers and turn those thoughts into a blog and even worse, share that blog with whoever wants to take the time and trouble to read it. Some of the more prolific bloggers turn out several pieces a day, posting them one after the other in a vain attempt to get their word out. Those are the ones that I unsubscribe from as I just don’t have the time and energy to read all of that stuff. Nothing personal but I do not want to spend my days in front of my computer reading other people’s blogs. I have things to do, places to go and people to see.
I blog for the fun of it. I have things that I do in my life that I like to write about and share with whoever is inclined to read my stuff. I don’t make any money writing although everyone, me included would like to. In truth, I am not a true writer as I don’t dream up plots and have shady characters living out their roles until the good guys come along and save the day. Heaven forbid, I have tried but I just don’t have the sort of intricate mind to do it. I’m no good at love stories having made a mess of that in real life. I do have an autobiography that I have been working on for a few years but I don’t suppose that I will ever finish it.
No, I am more of a reporter than a writer. I can write about things that I am a part of or something I am witnessing or an event I am attending, things of that nature. Generally speaking, I have to have a subject in which I am physically involved and then I can transform those events into words for other to read. It helps that I like to take pictures which can add to the story especially if I turn it into a video which can tell a lot more of the story than I can. My words just help to move things along.
Being a member of the blogging community has brought me in touch with some truly wonderful writers and bloggers from all over the world and my in box is filled every day with a couple of hundred blogs awaiting my attention. My problem is I do not have the time to read every one and I generally do a quick scan to see if it is interesting enough (to me) to actually read and digest the content and then add a “Like” if I find it deserves one (in my eyes).
I presume that most other bloggers treat their inbox the same way that I do and even though in the process, we may click the “Like” button without reading any part of the content, we do it to be nice and of course, in the hope that the beneficiary of my “Like” will reciprocate and give me a “Like” for my stuff.
The reality is that we are just playing a big game. I am retired and have lots of time but I don’t want to spend all day reading other peoples blogs some of which really do not appeal to me at all. I have yet to understand how any of the bloggers who claim to have hundreds of “Likes” on a daily basis have anytime to do anything else other than to scan through the hundreds of blogs that they surely receive if they even do that. It is easy to push the “Like” button and then quickly turn off that blog when the screen comes up meaning that you have registered a “Like” without reading any part of the blog. My blog stats say that I have 2530 followers which I find absolutely incredible. Where did they all come from and am I reading their stuff?
Don’t get me wrong as there are a lot of the blogs that come into my inbox that I find truly interesting and take the time to read. I have a few favorites and like them to know that I really like their work by adding a comment or two. They probably do not amount to more than a couple of dozen of the couple of hundred that land in my inbox.
I have been giving this some serious thought and have almost decided that I am going to take the “Like” button off my blogs from here on out. If somebody wants to comment, then at least I know that they have read my work and have something to say be it good or bad. This way, my fellow bloggers will not feel obligated to give me a “Like” deserved or otherwise and in turn, we can express our appreciation of each others work by leaving comments.
So, my fellow bloggers, there you have it. All of this long winded writing just to tell you that I am taking the “Like” button off my blogs. I will wait for this blog to get posted and then it will happen. By the way, many thanks to those of you who have “Liked” my work in the past and truly meant it. I am pleased that you took the time.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention that in the future, I am only going to “Like” blogs that really appeal to me. You could say that I am out of the “Like” game. Nothing personal but I have got to get control over my inbox somehow.
This entry was posted in Other People's Work, People, Thoughts and tagged blogging, blogging community, comments, likes, Other People's Work, Writing. Bookmark the permalink.
The term “weblog” was coined by Jorn Barger on 17 December 1997. The short form, “blog,” was coined by Peter Merholz, who jokingly broke the word weblog into the phrase we blog in the sidebar of his blog Peterme.com in April or May 1999.
Did you know that off the top of your head or did you look it up?
I know how you feel! I really do enjoy reading your posts although I don’t always comment .
I understand. I don’t always comment but I do like to read your blog.
Hi. I read your essay, and I’m leaving a comment! I’ll keep up with some of your future essays, and now and then I’ll add a comment.
Yeah, I understand what you are meaning. If my blog implies that everyone has to comment then I apologize. All I wanted to convey is that the Likes are or could be fraudulent whereas comments because they take a bit longer are generally sincere.
It is true there are people who blogs everyday, “do they work?” or in other words “are they professional” at all. And leaving a LIKE is most part of what I will be doing at blogs now. Since leaving comments is has gotten so hectic that word press is not even helping though they know the problems is getting bigger and bigger. There are some big circles of fraudulent free word press blogs on line. and the names of their blog are always “a name plus numbers. wordpress.com.” these are the stalkers and scammers. What they do, they go from one blog to another and they LIKE what someone has commented at another blog. and plus when you find out, the notifications is full of LIKES from idiots who have LIKED all the comments you have written and that you don’t want to go back and read again. I think word press should banned LIKES on comments we do at other blogs. They should allow LIKES on at the front of each person’s blog. But hell, there is lots going on that are not nice on word press. it is shameful.
There are a lot of bloggers complaining but word press all they say is that blogs are public and they cannot do anything, of course they can do something. One day I started a trail about someone who is a scammer. I reached Nigeria and the person has a blog which he is a priest, he preached the words of god. Then on, I discovered he had over 30 word press blogs that he is terrorising others, but then on he preaches god’s words. I followed the trail until I found his face book. Then I knew who really he was. He has blogs where he writes Nigerian politics. a blog where he is a journalist, and the rest are blogs that he uses to terrorise others. Sometimes he is in the snow in America, which means these are pictures that have been photoshopped. there are far too many anti social blogs on word press. Just don’t know what to do next to stop them. Not to forget, I copied all the blogs, and then one day I sent him a message and allowed him to know that he is an idiot and that what he was doing on line is not preacher of god and that he has been discovered. He never responded to me until now. That is why I blocked all the idiots who tried to follow me and they are preachers of god, I hate this thing on blogs – I don’t want to read prayers everyday. If I want to read prayers, I will read my bible at home.
Religion is also something that I don’t follow on the blog scene. I do not want someone else’s views to be my religion.
Exactly fallcorn. Same here. I disturb nobody with my religion, so I would not allow anyone out there to disturb my peace of mind.
Good post, although I’m not quite ready to join you in removing the like button from my blog. I used to spend two hours a day just reading and commenting on other people’s blogs, but I just don’t have time anymore. It feels rude to me to give up the like game, but to play it well one would need to spend their whole lives sorting through their inbox. It gets exhausting. I’m going to have to dial back the amount of time I spend on other people’s blogs, although there are some bloggers whose posts I genuinely enjoy reading. Your blog is one of my favorites, because of your lack of pretentiousness.
Thanks for your comment. Giving up “Likes” was not really something I wanted to do but I could not think of any other way to get my life back in order.