Blog rebelliousness

Maybe it's just me, but I got into blogging because I have a bit of a rebellious streak. My parents were spared this rebelliousness during my teenage years, mostly because my Dad struck the fear of God into me, all the while still earning my respect. My rebelliousness merged nicely with my love for writing and my disgust with the mainstream media, though, and hence, Jiblog was born. I'll be the first to admit that I'd love to make a little extra cash with Jiblog, but as you can see, there are no ads here yet, and there won't be until I think Jiblog is at the point where the ads won't be more of a distraction than a reader service. I'll also say that I wouldn't mind, like Lance Burri, writing a regular column one day. Even given that, though, I still have a serious rebellious streak, and that has me re-thinking the future of the blogosphere.

Not too long ago, I thought I had the future of the blogosphere all figured out. There was a critical mass developing, and I was positive that MSM web sites were going to start incorporating bloggers, and I was positive that big blogs were going to start taking on corporate identities and start losing their original voices. I don't think that I'm wrong about that. In fact, the buzz this week seems to be of hidden internet booms via the blogosphere and collaberative efforts like Pajama Media. I even emailed Pajama Media to see what their venture was all about. I was uncomfortable with it, but I also began to wonder "what's in it for me?" Then I clicked over to Moxie's web site, and a few things began to click into place.

I've pretty much always been of the opinion that in a few years we won't even recognize blogs as we know them today. But my ultimate view of the future of blogs has changed. I do believe that many, many bloggers will sell out. I also believe they will fail. Just read back through the last year's archives of the biggest blogs out there. Many have become down right arrogant. A year ago, they pumped out some interesting content and they linked to some genuinely interesting posts of smaller bloggers. Today, many of them regurgitate more and more from fewer and fewer sources. They've begun to taste fame and rake in (small) fortunes, and with that, they've begun to forget what made them popular in the first place. Many of the big blogs are becoming more and more like the MSM they've earned their traffic criticizing. Pajama Media is a perfect example. Here we have a business venture created by some of the biggest, most well known names out their. They want to place ads on your site and my site, and they want to syndicate our material. But after reading their agreements and thinking on this, I've become more and more convinced that this venture benefits them much, much more than it benefits mid and small sized blogs that participate. Much more. I'm all for those taking the biggest risks receiving the biggest rewards. In the example of Pajama Media, though, I think almost all of the reward goes to the big guys, with the little guys just playing the part of the "long tail" from which the big guys can profit. I'm also increasingly concerned that these ventures will start to sterilize the voice of the blogosphere. After all, if it is all about the money, then you naturally start to shut your mouth when opening it risks the money.

Part of the blogosphere's charm in the last two years has been that people said whatever they damn well pleased. If they were wrong, people told them. More often than not, they weren't wrong though, and the freedom they had allowed them to go after those who mislead the public because they weren't beholden to the almighty dollar. That irreverance is starting to fade, and with it, so too will the influence of blogs fade. People who have searched out blogs for that irreverance and that freedom will turn their backs on it. They'll turn their backs on it because it is not longer what they are looking for. And these larger collaberative efforts will fail because they'll have more expenses to cover, but people will be more and more disenchanted with what they have to say.

If you can make a buck with your site, I say bully for you, do it and capitalize on it. Whoring out your site and your content to a few big bloggers won't get you there, though. In fact, it may even alienate your old audience. I'm going to keep on keeping on, and I may never be succesful at it, but at least once I've failed, and only three people a day come to read my insight, I'll be able to say that I never gave up my voice, and I never sold my voice and my influence to someone else.

The "mainstreaming" of blogs seems to make sense on the surface. In the long run, it will destroy a lot of blogs. By 2008, don't expect to recognize the blogosphere. Little guys will still be around, but people will have a tougher time finding them. As for the big guys, they'll make a big splash and then their group ventures, built on profit models, will begin to fail. A great shake out is about to begin in the blogosphere; prepare yourself for it.