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Blogging Like Jogging, Part 1
By Mark D. Roberts | Monday, November 12, 2007
A couple of years ago everybody was predicting that blogging would take over the media world. Bloggers had toppled Dan Rather. Soon they would replace the New York Times and CBS Evening News.
Now it’s chic to proclaim the death of blogging. Critics, often from the mainstream media, celebrate the fact that millions of bloggers have quit. “The end of blogging is near,” pronounce the pundits, with undisguised glee.
The initial “blogging is the world” bandwagon was silly and naïve. The new “blogging is dead” repeats the silliness and naïveté in the opposite direction.
Blogging isn’t the world. And blogging isn’t dead, either. Rather, blogging is like jogging.
If you’re as old as I am, you might remember the jogging rage. Near as I can remember, it came in the late 60s and early 70s. Everybody bought jogging shoes and little nylon shorts, and then set out to get healthy and lose weight through jogging. Many wanna-be joggers had visions of their svelte bodies winning marathons, even as the waddled along in their Adidas Viennas.
Most folks I know used to be joggers at some time in the past. Very few are still joggers. Some quit because their knees gave out. Some quit because they didn’t get healthy or lose weight. Some quit out of boredom. Some quit because they didn’t look all that great in little jogging shorts. For one reason or another, jogging just wasn’t their cup of tea. (Photo from istockphoto.com)
And that’s just fine, as far as I’m concerned. Though I hope former joggers have found other ways to stay healthy, there’s nothing wrong with the fact that they tried it and decided it was not for them. Most folks, it seems to me, just aren’t cut out to be joggers.
The same is true for blogging. Most of those who jumped onboard the blogging bandwagon discovered that it wasn’t for them. Their delusions of blogging grandeur, with thousands of dedicated daily visitors, didn’t materialize. Instead, they found themselves running out of things to say to the relatively few people who happened to stop by their blogs. And so the bloggers became former bloggers, much to the joy of those in the elite media who prayed each night for the death of blogging.
And that’s fine with me. Though just about anyone can become a blogger, it’s an unusual person who can remain a blogger for long periods of time. The long-term bloggers, in my experience, must have several traits, most of which are somewhat unusual.
In my next post I’ll outline some of these traits, and explain why blogging is even more valuable than jogging. Stay tuned . . . .
Topics: Blogging |
13 Responses to “Blogging Like Jogging, Part 1”
Comments
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November 12th, 2007 at 11:19 am
Mark,
I don’t see how you guys do it, posting original thoughts on a daily basis. I do appreciate what you do. I have trouble coming up with a “From the Pastor” column once a month for our church newsletter!
I have a blog where I post my sermons each week for members of my church or anyone else to read. I’ve found it helpful for that.
Don
November 12th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Don: Well, one might say that either we have too many ideas, or we blog whether we have ideas or not.
November 12th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
Asics Montreals were really good running shoes back in the mid 70s. While I miss those shoes, I have managed to keep up jogging (although not quite as fast as back then).
I have been planning a Blog for my work, but I think that I have more time and energy to keep up jogging than blogging.
November 14th, 2007 at 8:50 am
[…] again I see I am not original. Mark Roberts mused about the blogging game this week as well. See Part I and Part II. (h/t Hugh […]
November 17th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
[…] are the links to a great two-part article on blogging: Part 1, Part 2. Dr. Mark D. Roberts observes that blogging is a lot like jogging, it became very popular […]
November 19th, 2007 at 9:36 am
I was blogging in 2002. There were already too many blogs to keep up with, BUT it was nothing like today. There were folks that everyone knew and you could sort of feel like you had a handle on it.
What is more likely to happen (in my humble opinion) is a return to those days. After the newness wears off, only the serious bloggers will be left. That won’t be bad news.
November 19th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
It could be a soft j — like ‘yogging.’
Pretty sure that pop culture reference may bypass some of the readers.
December 27th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
[…] Blogging is Like Jogging […]
December 27th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
[…] Blogging is Like Jogging […]
January 11th, 2008 at 3:23 am
[…] 7) Blogging is like jogging […]
May 12th, 2008 at 12:20 am
[…] are the links to a great two-part article on blogging: Part 1, Part 2. Dr. Mark D. Roberts observes that blogging is a lot like jogging, it became very popular […]
May 12th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
[…] are the links to a great two-part article on blogging: Part 1, Part 2. Dr. Mark D. Roberts observes that blogging is a lot like jogging, it became very popular […]
November 7th, 2009 at 12:36 am
Супер, благодарю, очень полеpная инфа!