Miss Manners covered elbows on the table, proper fork choices, open-mouth chewing vs. closed-mouth chewing, belching, soup slurping, and a continued litany of table manners few people thought would ever matter. However, the etiquette guru is a missing a key niche in the 'manners market'. Blogging Etiquette has become a hot topic with the internet crowd (the polite ones, anyway).
Although Miss Manners has yet to guide us through the blogging by-laws, Dr. Corinne Weisgerber has enlightened her classrooms as to what is or is not internet appropriate. The general internet population expects a few key things from a blogger, and these things include updating regularly, using grammar correctly, sharing thoughts respectfully, etc. All successful bloggers adhere to the regular updates mandate, as well as trying their best to use grammar correctly. The tips about sharing thoughts respectfully may be another story. In fact, some bloggers believe ignoring blogging etiquette completely will get them more hits to their site. I give you every celebrity gossip site in existence as an example. These blogs pride themselves on offending, bullying, and even harassing celebrities and people like you and me eat it up daily.
So this leads me to ask you the following: What's so great about Blogging Etiquette?
Perez Hilton is infamous for his atrocious, albeit hilarious, blogging sensibilities. The Superficial writers pride themselves in their ability to clearly discredit anyone that has ever achieved any fame. Ever.
Blogging is cathartic for many, therapeutic for some, and downright entertaining for most. Blogging etiquette works for some, but it may get in the way for some. I agree that some basic rules should be adhered to without question. Do not blog if you have no basic grasp of language, any language. Do not blog if you only update once a year. Do not blog if you can't deal with people criticizing and disagreeing with you. However, sometimes a blog that offends or stretches the truth can be wholly entertaining. Now, these characteristics do not work for a professional blog by any means. Social media used for means to promote a company, product, or client should remain as professionally composed as possible. Sometimes though, a downright mannerless blog is great reading!
You know what, it feels better to eat with your elbows on the table. Sometimes chewing with your mouth open just feels better and sometimes ignoring blogging etiquette is just what feels right. Miss Manners might not like it, but I sure do.
2 comments:
So what do you think of USING CAPS LOCK TO MAKE A POINT??!!!
Someone ought to do a whole blog series on blog manners. Some things are easy calls but as your post suggests, other matters are gray areas...
I have to say, CAPS is something that I cannot tolerate. I need people to use it sparingly, or I cannot functionally read something.
I saw your post in reference to it, and I could barely get through what the person was trying to say. All I could see was BIIIIIG.
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