Amba wonders if some bloggers are feeling blogged out?
A bunch of us seem to have gone blooey all at once, as if responding helplessly to some shift in the heavens, or in the collective unconscious. The cultural wavefront has moved on, but whither? Twitter feels transitional, somehow. But blogging just seems to have peaked and ebbed . . . to have reached a saturation point, or point of diminishing returns. Maybe after several years of emptying out our minds daily (like chamber pots?) a lot of us are running out of things to say, or feel in danger of repeating ourselves. Maybe, with the exception of those blogs that have broken through — become established institutions in their niches, sustained by massive rewards, expectations, and inertial momentum — a lot of us just couldn’t keep up the effort any longer. Myself, I felt right on the borderline between private and public: blogging was no longer something I was doing just for myself, and so there was guilt and sorrow involved in (mostly) quitting. But I plum ran out of gas. (A gasbag without gas?)
She wonders if Ann Althouse first sensed the blooeys, and looks at the work-to-payback ratio of blogging. You’ll want to go read it.
Am I blogged out? Yes and no. I recently had a big-time professional author-type tell me to “stop writing for free.”
Well, I’d love to get paid for everything I write but chances are even if I were, I’d still be blogging about something because I’m an opinionated puss. And maybe that’s the difference between burning out and not. If you’re blogging for anything more than love of throwing your opinion down, if you’re obsessing on your sitemeter numbers, eventually this thing will begin to feel like work, and you will begin to feel harassed, burned out and underloved.
On the other hand, I keep trying to focus more on faith issues, and still I find myself writing about politics, even though I am sure it is not good for me or my soul, and it makes me crotchety to Joseph Marshall, when really, I want to go back and forth with him about Buddhism and Christianity, and the practice of contemplation.
Some one asked me – I think it was Jane Hanson on the last episode of In the Arena, and that’s still not online – about my desire to pull away from politics. I think I paraphrased Michael Corleone in Godfather III; whenever I think I’m out, it sucks me back in. But there is, increasingly, a sense that both left and right are far off the rails. It almost feels like whether you’re liberal or conservative, if you’re not in a constant state of umbrage-taking hysteria and high dudgeon, you’re not “doing it right.”
I say, screw that. I can’t help thinking that when everyone is so very enthralled to the age and hyperventilating, it means we’re all caught in an illusion, and our vehement enthrallment is part of the misdirection. When I get emails complaining that I’m “not angry enough” whatever the issue, it does not spur me on to greater passion. It just annoys me.
Perhaps some of what Amba is describing is simply exhaustion following what was an almost surreal, two-year presidential campaign and historic inaugural. Perhaps the blogosphere was able to coast on some residual electoral fumes, but those are spent, and all we have to write about now are the same old things; lying politicians, expedient politicians, the decline of journalism, and how that decline is assisting in the takeover of American industries by a government with a very big appetite. For more thoughts on the death of journalism and a comparison in how old media operates vs alternative media, Melissa Clothier has the goods.
Btw, while the collapse of American journalism is sadly moldy news, the “takeover of American industries” is pretty new; it’s just exhausting to write about, isn’t it?
I’m not tired of blogging; but I do try to take Sundays off, now, and part of Saturday. I wish I had the energy and focus of, say, Michelle Malkin or Ed Morrissey, but there is a reason why they’re ‘net superstars and I’m not.
Meanwhile, the site re-do seems to have been stalled. Blogging will be light today, in hopes that I won’t be in the way of anything. BUT…if the sitepage seems unchanged for too long, try a hard reload (shift and refresh simultaneously).
Some random links:
The President: will continue to speak moderately and act immoderately. Whatever happened to “actions speak louder than words, just word?”
MoDo plagarizes: And uses Pelosi-esque excuse. Part of the “smart” crowd at the “cool” table in the high school lunchroom.
Kathryn Jean Lopez hearts The Donald.
Wall Street Journal: Does elementary math; High Taxes + Tax base moves away = Lower Tax Revenues
The Thugocracy: Goes merrily on its way while press ignores.
Amy Welborn: Does Obama at Notre Dame.
Ralph Mcinerny: The Catholic House Divided. Divide and conquer?
The NY Times Investigates Itself: And decides it’s just great!
Let’s all beat our breasts: Remember when it was Catholicism that was the big “guilt-inducer”?
Share your First Communion Story and Win a prize!
Five Feet of Fury: Special Brands of Idiots
Insty: But where would they get the money?
Hitchens: Rightly notes how the inability to mock our leaders makes way for the tyrant.
Conversion Diary: Religion and Science; no conflict
Making vows: Feel kind of bad. Sr. Mary Peter makes solemn vows in Texas, where the PCPA’s hope to establish yet another Monastery. It’s great for sister, of course, but I wonder if she would not have loved making her vows in Alabama? Nuns are all about sacrifice, I guess. Living with 5 sisters might feel lonely after living with 40. Or…maybe not! 
May 18th, 2009 | 9:21 am | #1
I started my humble blog about 6 months before that 2-year period, so I had lots of energy and like you, I’m fairly opinionated so I had alot to say.
Lately I’ve had trouble focusing. I’m worn out on all the political stuff and I didn’t want to turn my blog into a personal treatise on things. I’m soldiering thru and finding myself a new voice.
May 18th, 2009 | 10:15 am | #2
I think it was Steven den Beste who once said to Glenn Reynolds, “you’re not a public utility.” If you want to relax a bit, relax a bit. I may be disappointed when I check in and there’s no new essay since the last time I checked in, but if it becomes too much of a problem, I’ll just demand my money back.
I’ve tried blogging a few times and it’s really hard to have something to say on a regular basis. I can’t even blog about my daughter once a week despite having grandma breathing down my neck demanding her weekly Janie Fix.
May 18th, 2009 | 10:45 am | #3
Well, a lot of people blog for a lot of different reasons, just like some become public speakers or write books or become journalists (there are no just plain “reporters” anymore) or become teachers for a lot of different reasons. Some to make money, plain and simple. Some to gain prestige and fame and power. Some because they are narcissistic blowhards who really believe that people care what they think. Some to blow off steam. Some to enlighten.
For these latter types, sometimes there is much to say all at once, other times there is very little to say for long periods of time. And, for these latter types, money is not the issue.
Especially for the Catholic blogger — the blogger who writes on Catholic stuff, not the blogger who happens to be Catholic — blogging is a form of and part of our duty, sealed in us at Confirmation, to be a light unto the world, to be a witness to He who is Truth and Love, to fully join in the mission of the Church. For these things, you do not get paid. For these things, you do not ask or expect to be paid. Rather, witnessing by blog is a spiritual act of mercy — instructing the ignorant, admonishing wrongdoers, counselling the doubtful, comforting the inflicted. It is part of our duty to spread the Good News and make disciples of all nations. Spreading the light of truth is an act of charity, an act of love, which by its very nature, in its truest sense, is something that is given freely, without any quid pro quo, and which, again by its very nature, is something that necessarily bursts out of us. Love is fruitful, it cannot be contained, it must seek out and express and communicate itself with an other.
The Catholic blogger does not (or rather should not) expect a great deal of worldly recompense for his or her efforts. You do not say to Jesus, “sure I’ll go spread the word, but only if I get paid — after all, I have to eat, don’t I?” Witnessing — by blog or otherwise — is something we do because we are servants, not because we are independent contractors. And besides, being in His service, we do get something, we do get fed; He feeds us with Himself.
Now, of course, we should not be surprised if all of this fruitful love in truth, all of this creative reason, is accompanied by periods of rest — the Logos Himself rested. We should not be surprised if one observes every now and then a blogging sabbath.
But at some point, the sabbath ends. The sun goes down, and the work of providing light to the world begins again.
May 18th, 2009 | 12:06 pm | #4
This feeling of the blahs was part of my ceasing to listen to the right-wing talk hosts I love so much. Rush is entertaining. But Hannity just comes across as angry. Being angry five days a week for over two years has to wear on a person. It wore on me as a listener.
Looking to the future, we have Obama through 2012. How often can we re-state the same issues? We are changing no opinions. Only as the economy remains dismal and social issues catch the public’s attention, will the Obama-lovers listen. In the mean time, focus on the Rosary, our Catholic faith and the positives of holding onto and inviting people to share our faith.
[I too will listen to Rush on occasion but cannot listen to Hannity. He repeats himself ad nauseum and is way too angry for me to take. Are we changing "no" opinions? More people say they're pro-life now, than used to. But for the most part, it's difficult to make any headway when the other side has all media sewn up. I admit it, I'm tired. I may just need a break. -admin]
May 18th, 2009 | 1:31 pm | #5
It’s true, you’re not a public utility. And yes, politics, as it is usually dealt with, is kind of like a pool of quicksand–messy, futile struggling, all-absorbing. Anyway, I enjoy your stuff a lot.
May 18th, 2009 | 1:35 pm | #6
[...] Feeling blogged out? UPDATED [...]
May 18th, 2009 | 2:33 pm | #7
Can’t listen to Hannity??
But don’t you think you need to hear his exasperated rants against Rev. Wright (complete with Wright soundbites) another ten thousand times?
[No exaggeration, I once flipped him on while I was driving, and then forgot to turn off the radio when I left the car to go shopping, came out 45 MINUTES LATER, turned on the car and there was Hannity, saying EXACTLY THE SAME THING he'd been saying when I left. I'm sure he's a very nice guy, and certainly he works hard, but I can't listen to that. -admin]
May 18th, 2009 | 7:21 pm | #8
Dearest Anchoress,
Although I’m part of the problem (but don’t mean to be), the solution is to limit yourself. I have a friend (yes, I actually know her) who blogs on her family’s living in England as expats. She answers every posted response. She’s very sweet to all, but I’m glad that she is at least taking off weekends now. Her blog has a following of readers who are sort of demanding (but don’t mean to be). In a way, they sort of stalk her. Her blog has become almost like a diary. That worries me. My friend feels a responsibility to her readers. I think I’ll send her that “utility” line. That’s a good one! Also, regarding posting on politics: I cannot imagine your ignoring the news. You are in the world, even if you are not of it. Your Catholicism informs your perception and your interpretation. For that we all are grateful! Blessings…Mimsy
May 21st, 2009 | 12:18 pm | #9
[...] down, etc. Seems there’s been a fair amount of that going around. The Anchoress took a break last week, and is now coming back like Lucia Rijker, bouncing back into the fray off the ropes. I need to [...]
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