Sunday, July 23, 2006

More about blogging

On Friday BBC London did a feature on ‘blogging’ on the 6.30 pm regional news. The presenter was talking to one of the writers for The Oldie magazine, whose name I unfortunately didn’t catch. She was suggesting that blogs are just filling up cyberspace with boring rubbish. I wouldn't be here if I shared that view, but I did agree with her that if blogs are not about something of real interest, they should at least be entertaining, and I do work hard at that.

Some good points in favour of blogging were made by other speakers too: that blogs enable people to try their hands at writing without need of a publisher; and that people form communities through blogs and their regular followers. Both of these apply in my case, and as I get older and more sedentary, I find that the second of these advantages becomes more and more significant for me. I know I have some regular readers and some of them leave comments on my blogs from time to time, which is great.


But I found myself decidedly piqued at the end of the interview when the presenter asked “Is blogging all done by young people, then?”, and the answer from a corporate blogger was: “Oh no! We have a team blogging for us ranging from 18 to about 30”! Well! Having got to 78 myself I do not think much of his concept of 'not young'. If I thought that all the 30-somethings out there considered themselves to be no longer young, I should feel extremely sorry for them. Please tell me they don't!

2 comments:

West said...

Judith,

I saw the broadcast you mentioned and felt the same. I am 41 and blog with the enthusiasm of a six year old! I hope still to be doing so if and when I get to your age and if I can manage half the eloquence and charm on display in your posts, I'll be a happy man.

Regards,

Bob

Judith said...

Thanks, Bob, I certainly have fun!