Blogging. Blogging. Blogging.
You say it so much that your tongue goes numb. We all live in a blog-crazed, pop-music-obsessed world. No more aspirations to be a writer or a journalist… just a blogger. Has blogging taken the place of journalism or is it merely an extension of journalism? The collapse of Vibe made me question the direction of music writing. It’s unfortunate to imagine, but The Source may soon be knocked out of the box by online music blogging—hip-hop bible or not. And dear, sweet Rolling Stone may soon fade into the pages of history, so run and get your soon-to-be-ancient artifacts.
Seeing that blogging has become so sensationalized, should there be credentials put in place in order for one to be called a blogger, or would that suck the fun out of it? This is a phenomenon that has taken the place of traditional journalism, so maybe there should be some standards set forth.
My trouble with the blog sensation is that people should realize that there is a difference between being a journalist and being a blogger. It’s quite simple to go to blogspot.com and create a diary online, because essentially, that’s exactly what it is. This isn’t the same as sitting through lectures and turning in papers to have your efforts chopped up by some pretentious professor who has made a name for him/herself in the world of journalism. No, it isn’t the same.
Similarly, there is a difference between being a blogger and a writer. We all know that most people who blog just spontaneously started to be part of something; it’s a healthy way to express your opinions. But, is there any passion? Writers, like myself, are the ones who have had the passion for it since we can remember. We have personal “pieces” from our childhood years that we refuse to throw away because in our minds, it is just as good as any Hemingway, Bronte, or Twain… so we imagine.
Writers listen to words, and typically, we have a difficult time sending any shorthand texts because we understand that language is a beautiful, delicate thing, not to be taken lightly. We read emails over before clicking send—this way there are no misspellings or incorrect grammar. And hell, if there is, we send a follow-up to correct ourselves. Such a tedious life writers lead.
So ask yourself, are you a journalist, writer, or blogger? Maybe more than one, or perhaps all three. It’s very likely. When your sitting in front of your laptop, do you feel compelled to write something, anything? Did you catch the mistake in the previous sentence? (It’s one of the most commonly made errors.) If not, my friend, you’re a blogger and nothing more. Not only are you a blogger, but you should consider studying up on basic—and I mean elementary school—grammar. If you’re a punctilious writer or journalist, you noticed and your stomach turned, and you wanted to send me a nasty email and give me a piece of your mind. And that’s okay, because you’d be well in your rights to do so.
This is not to disrespect any blogger. Truth be told, I’ve crossed over to the world of music blogging with this site. I’m no Perez, but then again, who wants the boom-boom-pow upside their head? I’ll pass. All I’m saying is that there’s a fine line between a pastime and a passion and it should be recognized. There’s a fine line between a skinny, pretty girl and a model. A fine line between singing in the shower and being a professional singer. Recognize the disparity before auditioning and making a buffoon of yourself. If you like to sing, hell, just say you like to sing. If you think you look good and your shit don’t stink, just be honest. If you like to give your opinion for the world to see, that’s A-OK. But, know the truth.
That’s my rhythm and I’m rocking to it.
