Leslie's Omnibus

Bus Fumes

Chicago Tribune Agony Auntie "Amy Dickinson" doesn't like bloggers:


"People who live a virtual life don't have actual experiences. Their blogs tend to reflect that.

"I can't understand why people are so hungry to share their every waking thought with the rest of the world -- and I certainly don't understand why people are interested in reading these musings, personal details and outright lies."
She's either reading the wrong blogs or not reading blogs at all. (And she's certainly not reading the Tribune's own blogs.)

I, on the other hand, agree with my pal Zonker:


"I've met some wonderful people through blogging. If I'd not started blogging, I'd never have met them. Really. Whether here in the States or overseas, our paths would never have crossed. Perhaps I'd have cut them off in traffic. Perhaps they'd have flipped me the bird. But the chances of me having met any of these people otherwise...slim to none. It amazes me. If I'd not started blogging, I'd have missed out on a lot of true friendships. Worse still, I would not even know that I was missing out. That last bit just blows my mind. I'd never even know. Damn."
I'm with him.

Oh. And Ms. Dickinson should also visit Jay and Deb, who met through their blogs and now have a second child on the way.

It's true! Bloggers have no actual experiences, and their blogs reflect it.

Right.

If you disagree with her, drop her a little note at askamy@tribune.com. I know I'm going to.

Update: Mr. Helpful pointed out something that went zipping straight over my head. This is the biggest case of pot calling the kettle black in recent history. C'mon! Amy Dickinson mines through piles of people's "musings, personal details and outright lies" every day. And then publishes them in her column... and makes money from doing so. Back to the top this goes!
_____

Miss Manners, on the other hand, is the bomb:


"It is not only the magnitude of your nerve that makes it rude. Soliciting donations and presents has become so commonplace that people now believe trolling for money and goods is only tasteless when it seems especially greedy. You would get the prize for that, but those who make smaller demands are no less rude. Just less imaginative."

My hero!
_____
Leslie

6 comments:

Moogie said...

You know, Ms Dickinson really needs to get out more. She obviously, doesn't have a clue and I'll be telling her as well..

And I agree, Miss Manner rocks!!!!

Gigolo Kitty said...

Without blogs, would the world have met GK? Of course, that may be an argument AGAINST blogs.

Ms. Manners rules! I think Never teh Bride also talked about the gimme-factor in wedding presents.

Anonymous said...

from time to time, newspaper columnists like ms. dickinson see fit to preen about how silly and overblown this whole "blogging" thing is--after all, why would ANYONE want to read the thoughts of a stranger.

You know...like the thoughts of a newspaper columnist, for example...

Anonymous said...

yep, no actual experience here. Yep. made it all up. Really. I did. Sure did, made it all up.

Shit, I WISH i had that good an imagination.

Anonymous said...

ROFL! I went and read the "column" by Amy... after wasting precious time I will never get back, I conclude the following...

I can say that Amy not only disses bloggers, but ultimately misses the issue with the chick who was complaining. After all - the advice should have been to help this poor abandoned girl find out why her BF found being online, more fun than spending time with her...

But no - Amy couldn't possibly say that this girl might want to look at anything SHE had done wrong. Nope we can blame it all on bloggers.

Oh yeah, I find it hysterical that she writes such drek... talk about not having a life! Not only does she write about other peoples troubles, but she doesn't even do it well. I think I'll stick with bloggers - these two can go find a room and whine about how no one pays attention to them. *grin*

Anonymous said...

We are attracted to blogs the same way we are attracted to novels, t.v., radio...personalities, the ability to relate, etc.

I'd love to smack little miss anti-blogger.

Well-written post, Sis.