Here’s a quote from somebody I know:
Blogging is an inherently arrogant concept. It implies that your opinion is worth more than that of other people.
At the risk of offending all my blogging friends, I’m not sure this is an entirely inaccurate viewpoint. Discuss!
My response would be, “so what?”. I might have knowledge you (meaning, “one”), don’t have and if I can give it to you so you also have it, what’s the problem? Is it arrogant that I think I have this knowledge? No, not if I do. I’m sure you (meaning, “one”) has knowledge I don’t have. I’d probably care less that you may or may not be arrogant and care more about having you give me that knowledge in a clear, thorough way.
Scott
I think it’s a poorly formulated thought, displaying a lack of understanding. The source of your quote doesn’t understand blogging as a new mode of communication and resents it. Is talking inherently arrogant? Some bloggers are arrogant, yes, as are some talkers.
yes and no. it is arrogant, but it assumes (at a minimum) that you think others will be interested in your opinion. it does not imply that you think your opinion is worth more, but simply of value.
granted alot of folks are arrogant bloggers, but arrogance in moderation (knowing that you have a valued opinion) is not a bad thing.
perhaps it is arrogant… to assume all bloggers are arrogant…? -dave
Who made the quote? Sounds like a communist to me. “Everyone’s thoughts must be equally bland; great thinkers must be put to manual work on communal farms.” That got tried once; didn’t work out so well.
Just by making the statement, s/he is being arrogant, assuming that their opinion is worth more than that of others. Heh.
The great thing about the free press is that noboody needs to read it.
Back in the day, before blogging and fancy websites, I learned a ton about CAD from the usenet and adsk newsgroups. So for me, it’s simply a way of giving back. There will always be newbies out there…
silly statement. blogging is freedom of speech, don’t like what I have to say, don’t read it. Blogging, to me, is a way to interact with like-minded (or not) people with similar interests (or not). If you were forced to read a blog or if it were put in your face in order to get to more info – yes! that is arrogant.
The ability to argue points of view, pass on information, learn from others and add to a growing pool of accessible information can only ever be viewed as empowering.
Any arrogance would be the trait of the writer(s), easily separated from the content by a discerning ‘reader’.
Thanks for providing the forum to do so Steve.
I think whoever that quote is from is pretty arrogant!
I think that is a pretty big generalization… If one blogs with an arrogant attitude, then yeah; but how many readers will continue to read? If someone has knowledge and is willing to share what they know for the betterment of others, where is the arrogance in that?
I struggled with this when i started blogging. Why would anyone read what I write? I started blogging to store information and knowledge about CAD tat I have accrued over the years for my coworkers. But they refused to read it because they thought they new more than I did. Arrogance is bliss they say. Bloggers must feel they have something to share, or else what’s the point of blogging? I have learned as much from blogging as I did before I blogged. Readers have provided new insights and the research I conducted for many posts taught me more and more. I have been able to spread knowledge through my blog but I have also learned from my blogging experience.
I can only assume the only purpose of this post is to provoke, and that you have, with irony. It is appears the person who said that comment is perhaps projecting their own trait on to others.
Keep up the great blog – that set of videos “Does Autodesk really listen” have made you a folk hero among people I know.
At the risk of being too philosophical, everything we do is arrogance. The only question is, is it beneficial or not?
LOL!!! Isn’t that the truth! Hoo-mans are the only animal that is arrogant.
One of my favorite quotes is “Anger is a gift.” to which I add “Use it wisely.” Same train of (arrogant) thought…
It all depends on the blogger in question. Many people blog for their friends and family, not intending to gain a public audience. Some people are casual bloggers who write about their interests. The bloggers I find the most arrogant are the highly opinionated ones. Highly opinionated bloggers always come off as snobs who are using their blog as a way to talk down to the public. They are narcissists who need an audience to feed their ego. These people usually blog about politics, and most of them have no particular expertise in that field- just strong (and usually uneducated) opinions. The internet generation is a generation of people who like to bloviate, but who generally won’t leave their computer chair to to try to fix the problems they blog about.
Huh! And how is blogging inherently different from writing articles for newspapers/magazines? Or different from writing books? If blogging is arrogant, then it’s also pretty arrogant to write any sort of book, be it fiction or not, expecting that anyone would care to read it, no? Or to write or play music, expecting someone to care to hear it, or, for that matter, to create anything for anyone else’s use or pleasure.
Pshaw!
Well said. I’ve often wondered the same thing. Food for thought.
This post is a blast from the past! That’s why I like to keep my 50 Most Commented Posts list in the sidebar, it provides the possibility of keeping open discussion of some thought-provoking subjects, way after they have scrolled off the front page.
“Blogging is an inherently arrogant concept. It implies that your opinion is worth more than that of other people.”
While I’ll somewhat agree with the first sentence, I’d add “maybe” to the second one. Might personal blogs (opposed to simply postings on social media sites) also be called “vanity” sites? Even if you’re not writing about yourself you are writing about something that interests you. There is a certain arrogance to this, but does it imply you are an arrogant asshole and believe all others are beneath you?
arrogant
adj. having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance or abilities
vanity
n. excessive pride in or admiration of one’s own appearance or achievements
n. the quality of being worthless or futile
For example, I have varied interests and regularly visit many personal blog sites. Some are devoted to plants and plant-lovers. Others may hightlight a local music scene, serve as a portfolio for artistic endeavors, or enjoy talking about CATS.
I’d label all of these “vanity” sites. (They are not tied to a company or organization.) But I’d hardly categorize them as having an “opinion worth more than that of other people”. What line would a Blogger have to cross in order for that to ring true?
P.S. Sometimes people DO have an interesting opinion or viewpoint that I had not considered. I do enjoy learning new “stuff”. ≋;>