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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that people who "Blog"......

76 replies

CricketThicket · 04/08/2010 15:55

are attention-seeking, narcissistic, smug and haven't got a competent grasp of the English language?

Granted this is based on a very small sample, but ffs, does the general public want to see so many photo's and read so much inanity about your everyday life.

Humdrum and boring.

Yes, I know I don't have to read them, and after my recent experiences I certainly won't be seeking out to do it again.

Now, I'm off to my own quite humdrum life, I won't bore you with the details.

OP posts:
MathsMadMummy · 04/08/2010 15:58

oh go on, tell us!

I started blogging, I have written the grand total of 3 posts so far. basically just about fun learnin' activities I do with DD. more for my own benefit really as I hate that feeling of "oh crap I've done nothing with the kids today". not expecting many followers, but it's a nice way for friends/family to see what DD's up to.

Ladyanonymous · 04/08/2010 16:00

I think people who blog should volunteer

2kids2dogsandahorse · 04/08/2010 16:01

I'd have blogged about Bad Harry if blogs had been around

minipie · 04/08/2010 16:02

I always think they're either frustrated journalists, or they're very bored at home.

Or both.

lolapoppins · 04/08/2010 16:02

I have had a blog on live journal on and off for the past eight years, but afaik, no one else but me has ever read it. I have no livejournal 'friends' and have told no family or friends about it.

It's dull, boring and I just use it as an online diary of my dull, boring life, when I am bored enough to tupe a few lines into the laptop instead of doing the washing up.

I would die if anyone I know read it.

EveWasFramed72 · 04/08/2010 16:02

Ummm...I blog. It's all about my children, and it means that my friends and family in America can see photos of our children, and read updates about what's going on with us in England.

My family would kill for humdrum and boring in real life,if it meant they could see my children regularly, but I guess she'll just settle for reading humdrum and boring. How awful for them.

Guess that makes me attention seeking, narcissistic, smug, etc. And though my Master's degree says I have some level of competency in English... apparently having a blog says otherwise?

YABU

ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 04/08/2010 16:03

I don't even blog about my own inane life, I blog about my chickens' inane lives. It has been suggested that 'chicken blogger' is a euphemism, which explains my traffic levels.

coraltoes · 04/08/2010 16:03

no you're wrong.
A lot of blogs are fascinating. My favourites are foody or home design ones. I have picked up loads of great recipes and interior design ideas online and it is great to read how other people have found cooking them etc. When i was getting married there was a great blog by Broklyn Bride which I was hooked on- some fab wedding styling tips.

You can learn a lot from other people, and i think blogs are a good way of doing that. However I don't enjoy blogs about nothing, humdrum ramblings. If you have a blog for your family it is often nicer/safer to host it on a site with a password, that way you can be as personal as you like and know you're protected from too many eyes.

DuncanDisorderly · 04/08/2010 16:03

I volunteer my blog all the time. It is boring to those not interested in my life, but it was started mostly to keep family and friends updated about us.

IndigoSky · 04/08/2010 16:07

YABNU - my thoughts exactly!

I couldn't agree more.

Iloveclimbinghills · 04/08/2010 16:07

This is mean.

People blog for all sorts of reasons. They are harming noone.

My daughter has a blog that she uses to keep her Dad and extended family up to date with what she is doing. Her everyday life is probably dull but to the family she sees only a few times a year it is fascinating. She also has a diary/scrapbook that she completes in the holidays.

I have read a few fashion or food blogs and enjoyed them.

SloanyPony · 04/08/2010 16:08

I think its a bit of a sweeping generalisation to say these things about all bloggers, or bloggers as a collective group.

Some of them are ALSO published authors, for a start.

I think ones who are posting about a very specific topic, an area of expertise or unusual/intense hobby, are less likely to be attention seeking and smug than someone who is posting about their life in general when their life is as unremarkable as the next person. Assuming they are posting about their life - not all blogs are simply about their life.

So if its about an area of specialised interest (fashion, chickens (whatever floats ya boat) training for a marathon, etc, fine - if its very general "my life is very yummy" with not much real content and its not set up specifically for the purpose of keeping your family in touch, then I suppose it could be a little self indulgent, but hey, it takes all kinds eh?

Ewe · 04/08/2010 16:08

YABU

I think that parenting blogs are often as above, especially ones that just witter on about day to day stuff. It's like everything, there needs to be a USP, being a Mum living in the Midlands or whatever and just living your normal life isn't that interesting.

Petit Anglaise however was a massive hit as she was an English, single mother, looking for love and living in France IIRC and actually had a life more interesting than ours. That's the key I think.

laweaselmys · 04/08/2010 16:09

I have a blog.

It's about geeky tv stuff.

So, yes, to inane; no, to about me!

UnquietDad · 04/08/2010 16:10

There are some good bloggers - and many, as Sloany says, are published writers - but there is an awful lot of wittering crap out there.

She may have a book deal but I can't stand Wife In The North. I just want to scream "You have too much time on your hands! Get a fucking JOB!" at the screen.

But read, for example, Iain Dale's Diary on politics, Nicola Morgan on writing, Nathan Bransford on being a literary agent or Keith Topping on TV. They're all very good.

laweaselmys · 04/08/2010 16:11

I went a bit punctuation crazy there. Sorry.

MathsMadMummy · 04/08/2010 16:14

my blog is really boring!

Scuttlebutter · 04/08/2010 16:14

Oh dear, I have not one but two blogs. I have one set up for a specialist hobby and through it, I have met some wonderful people, some of whom have gone on to become friends. I also have a more general life blog. This started when I had cancer and was sending out lots of emails to update people, afterwards blogs came along and I just carried on. Nobody has to read it and it is mainly read by friends, and family especially as we've moved a lot over the years and have family scattered liberally around the globe. The ones for specialist hobbies are fantastic and you can learn so much from them. So, on balance, YABU.

SolidGoldBrass · 04/08/2010 16:15

There are some very entertaining ones out there - the utterly deranged Planet Sad (only suitable for those with a very odd sense of humour but if you think that a series of pictures captured 'Rock Stars Who Look Like Dinner Ladies and featuring Van Morrison, David Coverdale etc is funny, you'll get it) - one about working in a tourist attraction that I had better not name as I know there are some legal issues around it at the moment but it was marvellous..
But the billion and one 'Look! I Exist! I have a cat! Baby! Husband! Look at MEEEEE!' semi literate witterings are dreadful, I agree.

whomovedmychocolate · 04/08/2010 16:16

Right, well I'm an ex-journalist and editor and I blog now and then. Yes they can be indulgent twaddle, they can also be very informative and a method for campaigning.

And a lot of Mumsnet is an alternative for blogging 'a funny thing happened to me today' is just blogging but inciting replies, surely that is more narcissistic?

Plus do you not accept the irony of posting on a social networking site whining about people blogging

YABU.

DuelingFanjo · 04/08/2010 16:17

surely by your logic the people who read them who are worse!?

I blog. I found it very helpful when going through a hard time and managed to build up a network of people going through the same thing.

Not everyone blogs to be read.

proudnsad · 04/08/2010 16:18

OP YANBU.

There are exceptions of course, but on the whole STEP AWAY FROM THE LAPTOP WITH YOUR DULLARD RAMBLINGS.

Do you really think your rellies in Oz are interested in the day to day minutiae of your life?

And to the responses here saying 'I keep a blog but just for m'e...errr that's what is commonly known as a diary.

Fibilou · 04/08/2010 16:18

I blog but it's limited to my cakes and other food related things and as such is part of my business website (celebration cakes)

PfftTheMagicDragon · 04/08/2010 16:19

I think that people who complain about people who blog about their sad inane lives are a bit pathetic.

If you are blogging your feelings, then it's no different to a diary, only for the world to see. And if you are not interested, then don't read.

If you are blogging about a subject, then YABVU - people read about various subjects on teh interweb you know.

MmeLindt · 04/08/2010 16:19

It is Bash-A-Blogger-Day on MN today, I see.

Yes, some blogs are awful, inane and smug witterings that no one could possibly want to read. Some are funny, moving, interesting...

I like to think that mine is good, but then all bloggers do and since I enjoy writing it why should it bother you?

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