Saturday, July 26, 2008

Blogging sucks: Women, minorities hardest hit

If there's anything in the world I hate, it's women reporters writing "Oh, we're so oppressed" stories in the New York Times:
[M]any women at the conference were becoming very Katie Couric about their belief that they are not taken as seriously as their male counterparts at, say, Daily Kos, a political blog site. Nor, they said, were they making much money, even though corporations seem to be making money from them. . . .
Yet, when Techcult, a technology Web site, recently listed its top 100 Web celebrities, only 11 of them were women. Last year, Forbes.com ran a similar list, naming 3 women on its list of 25.
"It's disheartening and frustrating," said Allison Blass, a BlogHer attendee. . . .
Ladies, please: If your blog sucks, it's not because of some patriarchal conspiracy, OK? And as for making money, you could almost certainly fit into my living room every independent blogger who earns a full-time living off blogging. Generally speaking, bloggers either have some other job to support their blogging habit, or else they're "blogging for the man" (e.g., the Atlantic Monthly bloggers, the Gawker cartel, etc.).

Like almost every fad from hula hoops to CB radio, there seem to be a lot of people who think that this latest gadget is going to be their Ralph Kramden get-rich-quick ticket. Well, OK, fine -- the American Dream and all that. But it's wrong to turn that dream around and claim that because you're not getting rich online, therefore you are a victim who's somehow been cheated out of her just reward.

Hang on, let me check my latest AdSense revenue report. ... Yeah, I'm just rollin' in it, baby. And since I'm so flush with the blogobucks, which one of you feminist chick-bloggers wants to hook up with a big-money sexist right-wing online sugar daddy, huh?

Make. Me. Laugh.

And get me a cup of coffee, hon.

UPDATE: And as for you, you idiot HuffPo woman whining because the New York Times ran this story in the "Style & Fashion" section: Look a gift horse in the mouth, why don't you? You're lucky they even bothered to cover your stupid "BlogHer" conference. As for your big claim, "Women are outnumbering men on the web" -- you know what that is, don't you? It's (a) my sister-in-law forwarding me spam e-mails about Obama-the-secret-Muslim, (b) my daughter MySpacing "OMG ROTFLMAO" to her friends, and (c) desperate, slightly overweight 37-year-olds with "nice personalities" trying to find a date on Craigslist.

UPDATE II: So cute when they're angry.

UPDATE III: Sexist patriarchal oppressor Vox Day offers a list of suggestions for women bloggers who want to be taken seriously:
  • 1. Have at least half a brain and demonstrate that it actually functions by not writing egregiously stupid stuff.
  • 2. At least 75 percent of your posts should have nothing to do with you or your life.
  • 3. Don't post a picture or talk about your romantic life, your children or your pets.
  • 4. Don't threaten to quit blogging every time anyone criticizes you.
  • 5. Learn how to defend your positions with facts and logic instead of passive-aggressive parthian shots fired off as you run away.
No. 2 and No. 3 are the real deal-killers for a lot of women. There is a remarkable tendency of (some) women to imagine that other people are interested in their narrow personal concerns. This tendency expresses itself in the phenomenon of gossip, as well as in that unreadable literary genre, the feminist memoir.

UPDATE IV: Linked by both Dr. Helen and her husband. Thanks! Meanwhile, in response to Gabriel Malor, I've added a follow-up post: "No fear of being cut off for life."

UPDATE V: Didn't realize it at first, but Gabriel also cross-posted at Ace of Spades HQ, where the comment field has predictably degenerated into a discussion of whether Ace is a lady Ewok. (Hey, if you want to investigate that, go right ahead.) Also linked by James Joyner at Outside the Beltway, linked (but not endorsed) by Tim Worstall, and linked by Don Surber, who worries that I'll "never each lunch in this blogosphere again." Oh, I'll eat lunch all right, Don -- I'll just have to fix my own #$%&ing sandwich. Also, for my fellow swine: Gratuitous pinup eye candy.

UPDATE VI: Linked by a . . . dog-blogger. Another triumph of shameless traffic-baiting.

UPDATE VII: Greetings to the late-arriving progressive readers (and I think you know who you are) who might enjoy reading my more recent posts, "Latino racism? ¡Sí!" and "The Audacity of Taupe." And please give my warmest regards to my old pal Duncan -- did I mention the comments are moderated?

UPDATE VIII: "Equality Is For Ugly Losers." The commodification of patriarchal misogynist oppression.

49 comments:

  1. After reading the post you linked to at Feministe, I think there should be a Rule 6.

    Avoid using the F bomb multiple times in the same sentence and/or paragraph if you want to be taken seriously.

    Expand your vocabulary, then calmly and rationally explain your position, otherwise you are simply ranting, which is extremely boring and a complete waste of time for others to read.

    Remember, you are competing for our time, so give us something intelligent to read. In other words, make it worth our time.

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  2. I'm so sick a Feminist Whining and Double Standards. Honestly, I just don't have the energy to even comment on the latest Pink Mafia nonsense.

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  3. Hysterical!!@ Thanks for the great read.

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  4. I was one of the “How to Take Names and Be Taken Seriously as a Political Blogger” panelists and I specifically mentioned your items 2 & 3. Anyone blogging on politics should also follow Ronald Reagan's advice, "It’s still trust but verify. It’s still play, but cut the cards. It’s still watch closely. And don’t be afraid to see what you see."

    If you have a chance, leave me a comment.

    BTW, in the panel I was the only conservative out of 3 liberal panelists and a moderator, and it was great fun.

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  5. LOL

    You will never get laid again in the blogosphere, of course, but right on, bro

    Maybe we can give them Hits Stamps to cash in at sitemeter

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  6. At least not by any liberals, Don.

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  7. Hey, how does one get 'laid in the blogosphere'? That sounds kinky, and I want in!

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  8. In response to more than a few of the above comments (in many ways), all I have to say is: Rachel Lucas

    'Nuff said...

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  9. Susan,

    The word hysterial comes from the Greek root, hystera, meaning womb.

    When you use the word hysterical to describe out of control, irrational behavior or comedy, you are ascibing these traits to women in general.

    You, my darling, have been an unwitting pawn of the patriarchy.

    Shame on you. You owe your sisters participation in no less than four Take Back the Night Rallies. If you are unable to make this commitment, you may have an abortion in place of this penance.

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  10. Irony or not I believe that the post you linked to @ feministe was written by a male. Not that I'm pointing out that they need a man to defend them or anything...

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  11. Just gotta say it's nice to see somebody use Pathian Shot correctly rather than Parting Shot.

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  12. Oh, like Don Surber 'gets laid in the blogosphere'. As IF. (Stop encouraging him, Fausta.)

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  13. Say - how can you get laid in the blogosphere, anyway?

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  14. dogwood, you've already said what I wanted to comment about, so I'll just second it.

    I don't read blogs that have above a certain intuitively set percentage of profanity, regardless the gender of the writer.

    Profanity that's used like ketchup to cover up the rancid grease taste of the fries lowers the IQ of both the reader and the writer.

    However, when used as a delicate spice to bring out what might otherwise be a lost flavor, it's delightfully enhancing.

    Oh, and yeah I considered stopping drinking while commenting, but it's just so much more fun and insensible this way.

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  15. Hmmmm.

    1. Rule #7:

    Be young, female, really hot and willing to discuss the details of your life of bikinis, beaches, bitches and booze.

    With pics plz.

    That'll draw every middle-aged guy on the planet. Make it softcore and your mother might not even mind.

    *shrug* hey it worked for Wonkette. A couple dozen posts about anal sex and her career was made.

    ...

    Ok. It worked for Andrew Sullivan too but seriously. Can we all agree to not go there?

    2. Or you can write intelligently, and originally if possible, about topical events.

    Frankly if I could get away with it I'd do Rule #7. But I'm the wrong age and gender.

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  16. I agree with all your rules. But then I go read Rachel Lucas, who breaks them all with impunity.

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  17. While I agree with you on the whole but Amy Alkon and Rachel Lucas, who are the opposite of whiny women bloggers, have been known to break rules 2 & 3.

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  18. Let's not forget, all these rules also apply to male bloggers as well. Being a whiny new-media-douche is not gender exclusive.

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  19. I took a class recently in which the textbook lamented the supposed dearth of "minority" bloggers. The book talked about this as if it were a problem in need of a solution. The author was clearly a moonbat.

    Blogging is a voluntary activity, as is the reading of blogs. Some blogs are popular as news and commentary sites, but most blogs are virtually unheard of. This is an emergent phenomena resulting from millions of individuals choosing what to blog about and what blogs to read.

    Who does and does not get read is not the result of some social pathology in need of intervention. "Minority" bloggers are not being prevented from blogging, and the millions of individual blog readers are not choosing which blogs to read based upon some psychic insight into the race, creed, color, religion, or sex of the bloggers. Blogs are read based upon the quality and popularity of their content.

    Whiny leftists love to look for situations that they can point to as proof of bigotry and discrimination. They don't care if that bigotry and discrimination is real. Their purpose is not to improve things or promote understanding. Their purpose is to promote and maintain the myth that the US is a nation plagued by racism, sexism, and any other inter-group discrimination they can invent or promote as being real. If there is no evidence to back up their claims, then they're happy to invent it.

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  20. The elephant in the room is the fact that blogs don't state the author's sex or race, unless the author wants them to.

    If there were any discrimination in reality, all that would be needed to overcome it would be to avoid mentioning your gender or ethnicity.

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  21. Yeah, don't forget Althouse. I still keep reading her blog even after all the silly photos of guys in shorts.

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  22. I asked Wonkette when her anal bit was just breaking if she had pictures.

    She noted that it was a big Intertubze and I should go find my own.

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  23. You did not spell Parthian Shot correctly:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthian_shot

    Or perhaps it is an alternative spelling.

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  24. Aww, you're so misinformed it's cute. Maybe it's the last name?

    And Fausta- your conservative panel details as you relay them confuse me greatly. Was this not it? http://simply.shenuts.com/?p=204

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  25. Women bloggers. Hmmm.

    Funny how it seems there is a NOW, HuffPo, NYTimes and radical women's rights blogging embargo on women of achievement, like, say ... Ashley Force.

    Ashley admittedly grew up in a drag racing family (that's a car race btw, not dikes on heels) and daughter to one of the sports' most famous champions, But ... why don't you get in an EIGHT THOUSAND horsepower violently shaking beast on fire from gallons of nitro fuel ... and drop the hammer with skill and courage. Launch your thong from zero to over 300 mph in just four seconds. It makes an carrier launch of an F-18 Hornet seem like a kiddie ride. The stress on your vision alone I'm told is terrifying as the blood drains away.

    Then there's Jennifer Campbell, driving a Monster Truck competitively. 12,000 pounds, six foot tires and every inch a monster to control. And she's making a damn fine living at it.

    And Susie Stoddart, Scottish woman driver racing in KART, Formula Renault, Formula 3 and currently in DTM for Team Pearson. Very very competitive. And competent. Jennifer Tummeli, CART, Global GT, American LeMans series ... these are women of accomplishment and skill in what has been a man's world.

    Not a freaking word out of feminist bloggers. Not a peep from HuffingPo. Nothing from the media other than the occasional "Oh, look at the dancing bear" kind of comment.

    Meanhwile real women ain't talking the smack. They're laying the smack down on hard dangerous professions and doing it with Girl Power.

    Color me a fan.

    PS - I'm an old hard bark rancher with callouses on my callouses. Around here we say "If the job doesn't require a (slang, male organ) or a (slang, female organ) I don't care who gets the work done, so long as it gets done right."

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  26. Rachel Lucas gets a hall pass...always.

    I'd like to report a miracle (I hope the Pope is reading). No matter how or when someone links, Googles (or types into the web bar on purpose) Feminist.com*, it's always the 28th day of the month.

    Two miracles to go.

    So, listen up gyno warriors. This is important. If one of you over there manages to part the Red Sea and...I dunno...say, bleed for five days without dying, you can make 'Saint.'

    Abortions for all!

    *Do NOT accidentally Google 'Femifist.com'

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  27. Do you base all of your writing on sweeping generalizations or do you at least try and be a little informed before you hit submit? If you are going to attack women bloggers at least step up to the plate with some real facts. Your commentary of women bloggers trying to get rich quick is laughable at best. Not ALL women bloggers are out to make a quick buck. Most of us are using blogging as a way to express ourselves; no doubt you are doing the same. The difference between us and you is that we are expressing ourselves in a healthy non confrontational manner.

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  28. Dear Jessica: This is called "humor." If you want facts, try the encyclopedia.

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  29. "The difference between us and you is that we are expressing ourselves in a healthy non confrontational manner."

    My ex-wife said that very thing...right before she hit me over the head with a frying pan.

    Look fellas, what jessica's comment is supposed to delicately explain to us knuckle dragging, penis oppressors is that all worth while vaginas have sand in them. We, and our fathers before us, put that sand there. It’s our fault! You know, because we have testosterone and phalluses and whatnot. And we can't possibly understand how fucking irritating all that sand is to them. So much so that ENTIRE departments at many, many colleges (your tax dollars pay for) are DEVOTED to 'sand in the vagina' study. If you can effectively document the sand in your vagina, a (worthless) master’s degree is yours for the taking. A questionable ‘dude’ with moobs got one from Wesleyan University just the other day.

    That’s some goddamn diversity right there people.

    In closing, I think jessica would like the penis burdened among us to gently remove each grain of sand from her vagina with gloved hands and tweezers (don't you dare touch that vagina!). We should, of course, study each grain to understand the discomfort and 'pain' us cock wielders have caused.

    It would be just. And deserved.

    On the other hand. There's a reason why they have public showers at the beach. We boys have learned to wash the sand out of our collective ass cracks, and walk the hardship of life with a big ‘ol smile on our face.

    ‘Bout time you catch up.

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  30. I didn't see "patriarchal conspiracy" anywhere in that quote. Was there more somewhere? Or are you just bringing your own issues to the table today?

    I'm sorry if your mom didn't hold you enough.

    Way to bait, though. Marketing brilliance. They should have had a session on blog-baiting at BlogHer.

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  31. "BlogHer"

    Why do I think that 200 porn producers and 6,000 pimps showed up thinking it was gonna be a different kind of 'conference?'

    Thanks for the new oppressive reference, you Themescarian Wonder Women.

    Dude 1: Did you blogher?
    Dude 2: Oh yeah dude. Up and down the fucking page.


    I bet this comment makes the 'Women's Study' syllabus at Brown this year.

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  32. Blogging is an ENTREPRENEURIAL venture.

    Which means the playing field is truly level, no matter what race or gender you are.

    Women don't need men to succeed as entrepreneurs. Two women, Oprah and Martha Stewart, became self-made billionaires by marketing entirely to women. They didn't need men to buy anything from them at all.

    The head of BET became a billionaire purely by marketing to other blacks. He didn't need white people to buy anything from him.

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  33. Speaking of ranty blogs that suck....

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  34. Don't worry. Our blogs aren't fads and when the matriarchy of liberal women take over, we'll try to treat you kindly.

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  35. This is good. The funniest satire of feminism I've seen was 'The Onion' reporting the first ever male president of 'NOW', with a photo of a dude in a pink oxford buttondown.

    This gender war must go on.

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  36. You are so absolutely right on! HOw many blogs can actually exist with pictures of kids and tales of dog poo and the difficult nature of breast feeding? Women want to 'say loud and say it proud' and they have an audience - a lot of other similarly-minded mundane bloggers.

    What I find more ridiculous, is that they 'want to be taken seriously' and their conference is touted as a slumber party for grown women, not A CONFERENCE! Conferences with a more male demographic don't market it like a frat party and actively talk about all the beer pong and lap dances they had at the BUSINESS CONFERENCE! If this is a BUSINESS CONFERENCE, then stop acting like a sorority event with candle-passings and hair braiding.

    Always talkin' outta both sides of their mouths

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  37. Name's Weasel. I cover the adorable fluffy kitten beat. Without intrepid girl reporters like me, how would you know what's going on in my life?

    I ask you Mister Smartypants, who else is gonna report what I had for lunch?!

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  38. 1. Blogging is, for most people, a hobby. I wasn't aware that hobby success was meant to be measured by stats and fame. I seriously doubt that's why model trains run down model railroads through the basements of America.

    2. If you want to be a professional writer, fine. But don't whine about your lack of readership on the Internet. There are no barriers in your way there. If large numbers of people don't want to read your blog or pass along links to it, you should spend more time thinking about your writing.

    3. Most prominent women bloggers that I'm familiar with -- well, they tend to get bored with being prominent bloggers. For them, blogging every day just isn't as worthwhile a pursuit as raising a family, spending time with a husband, writing novels, or luxuriating in having time to brush lint off the couch. This seems perfectly sensible to me. Most professional writers don't spend all day, every day, writing and keeping up with other writers; professional bloggers often do.

    5. Why would you want the whole world to read your blog, anyway? A lot of female bloggers are either desiring a place to rant that won't be known to their friends and family, or a place to update one's friends and family that will only be known to them. These folks want anything but notoriety, especially if they're posting stories of their kids.

    If I only had a buck for every time I've run across a blog through a search engine, posted a helpful comment about an interesting post, and found the blog locked the next time I visited....

    In short, I'm distressed that this conference for women bloggers seems to be totally uninterested in most women bloggers. Only those purposes validated by men or money apparently count as real. It makes you shake your head in disbelief.

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  39. Who's the one with a "tip jar" in his sidebar, asking people to donate money to fund his "madness?"

    Or wait - did that say "sadness?"

    And if you're such a successful writer with awards and whatnot, then why are you having to ask for tips? Why don't you just earn it?

    And I just can't get over how you sound like way more of a whiny bitch than any female blogger I've ever come across.

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  40. Some valuable viewpoints here (for selective reduction). If you'll excuse me, I'll be in the powder room washing my eyes out with clorox.

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  41. Ya know, a few f bombs might make this blog more interesting. You might actually be able to compete with the liberal blogs.

    You sure as hell will never make it as a comedy blog.

    Oh wait, is this a parody?

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  42. Actually, Robert, women bloggers who post items about their personal lives generally receive a lot more traffic than those who don't. Your taste may run to less personal stuff, but in general it's a winning strategy for women bloggers to post about their love lives. Google "emily gould" for more on this phenomenon.

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  43. It seems that a fairly stupid way to argue that you are not a condescending, sexist and patriarchal ass (and that such asses are not a problem, or perhaps do not even exist) is to act like a condescending, sexist and patriarchal ass. Maybe it's just me, but your terribly droll post on getting coffee is indicative of what, exactly? That you enjoy demeaning women? That it's a right hoot to do so? That there is no history of sexism and the systematic oppression of women (you are certainly right, hon', that getting coffee has been a mostly male preserve since the first receptionists--of course all men--were minted, right)? Right. Great job! Another blow struck for sanity and male privilege!

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  44. After reading a few of your posts I find your arguments stupid and disgusting, but I have to give you credit for riling up liberals like me and getting the traffic.

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  45. This is so far over the top. Just blown completely out of proportion.

    Life isn't fair, never was and never will be. Some people who have no talent (Paris Hilton) will be paid for being fools while millions of talented, hardworking folks make bubkis.

    Irritating and unfair, but that is life.

    Sometimes it is better to be lucky than talented.

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  46. This is humor? I thought humor was supposed to be funny.

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  47. Actually, it's the funniest freaking thing I've read all day.

    I love people who bitch about not getting "the respect they deserve". They sound like widdle babies - "WAA, WAA, WAA".

    Blow it out your barracks bag.

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  48. Congratulations on link-baiting: Write something controversial (often with an "evil hook") This wasn't funny, and you know that. You just wanted the traffic.

    So, I have read, I have commented, and I definitely won't be back. Enjoy the comment while you can.

    And know that you and your ilk are on borrowed time. Women outnumber men on the Internet, and we have long memories.

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  49. I really like this blog, you are very good making them. I say that the issue discussed in this blog is quite interesting and of high quality.

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