BLOGGING IS FOR THE YOUNG
I am beginning to thing that I am too old to blog. Not that I am incapable of blogging, but my demography does not lend itself to an active viewership. Old people read books and newspapers. They only grudgingly use computers. In fact computers make old people angry.
I try to get my generation of older friends interested in my blog and they act as if finding and reading a blog is rocket science. Mind you, many of these people are still active and successful lawyers, engineers and captains of industry. They are so successful that they have other people do their computer shit. The fact that they even read and use email is a surprise to me.
I tried to get my fellow seniors to follow my blog via Facebook. You would think I was asking them to join the communist party.
They typical response was, “I don’t do Facebook or any other intrusive social network thing.”
“O. K. How about I email the link to you?”
“I got the link, what do I do with it?”
“Double click the link.”
“Huh?”
“Take your mouse, left click twice very fast and the link will appear so you can read my blog. Then save it to your favorites and check it periodically.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind, just go buy out that silly conglomerate, sell off the underperforming units, take the new entity public, unload the new stock at an inflated price and make about 50 fucking million dollars, but YOU CAN”T FIGURE OUT HOW TO VIEW MY FREAKING BLOG???? And if you do manage to find it could you manage to click one fucking ad so I can make 35 cents? Thank you.
The rest of my demographic does not read. I am not afraid of insulting them when I say this, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT READ! To these cretins, the internet is for porn, the sports page is for reading.
When your friends and relatives are ruled out as followers, I am left with a smattering of Moms (Mums) across the Ocean (I hate that across the POND shit). I love this group, and some of their blogs are funnier than all blazes but much of what is in my head is foreign to them.
In order to get closer to my only demographic I am going to baby sit my Pennsylvania son’s toddlers once a week this fall. I am going to gain 20 pounds of belly to empathize with the pregnancy experience, and I am thinking of turning gay so I can understand how really horrible men are.
OK that’s a really bad idea; I’ll just make believe I know what the women are talking about.
I will keep trying, but I am beginning to think I am just too old to blog.
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follow on twitter JoeHagyauthor
Your observations are very keenly accurate. However, you're not sharing your wisdom with your generation. They know what you know, and what you choose to blog, you share over a cup of coffee (or the annual fly fishing trip). You are blogging your wisdom for a new generation, who needs to know what you know, whether they realize it or not.
ReplyDeleteMy Mom, who is a great Mom and has always been one of my biggest fans and critics, does not use the computer during the summer, and therefore, never reads my blog--on-line. Mom is still teaching 1st grade (will be her 46th first day of school in August), and uses the computer for her class, but come summertime, no computers, no way. I have Dad's e-mail address in the settings as one who receives my blog via e-mail. He prints them out and hands them to Mom, and she reads some of the posts that way. Mom gives me ideas sometimes about what to write, but her generation just prefers something with which they feel comfortable. I guess I ride the fence. I have tried e-readers, but I prefer the book, so I'll always be an "Immigrant," and Immigrants and Natives can get along quite well, really!
I say Keep it up! Blogging is good, and your good at it!
ReplyDeleteThat made me laugh. Why should you blog for your generation anyway? Ungrateful cretins that they are ;-) . Blog for us! We could and would learn so much from you!
ReplyDeleteJH, quit your complaining and keep the quality posts coming.
ReplyDeleteYou are never too old to blog. What would we do without your, er, forthright comments on our blogs. Keep it coming, old man.
ReplyDeleteVisiting from the Rewind.
Incredibly, my 82-year-old father-in-law was never going to get a computer. Then his family bought him a laptop. Then he wasn't going to email. But they set up an account for him. Then he said he would only receive emails - never send them. Now he sends emails all the time, along with Skyping and has occasionally read the blog! Yep, you're never too old!
ReplyDeleteVisiting from the Rewind!
I have friends who are seniors and they ask me to come around and do things like set up email and install Skype, but they have also read my blog, which is more than I can say for some of my younger friends and family.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by today from the Rewind. I look forward to reading more of your posts, so you'd better not give it up now!
I thought all old people were angry? Or is that just cranky? If it's any consolation I'm a 30 something with friends and family who could not give a rats about my blog. They roll their eyes and vaguely feign interest, but they don't fool me. Thank god for blog hops. Checking in from the Rewind.
ReplyDeleteThis is so funny and, quite possibly true. I find your cranky old man thing very alluring. Familiar even. Keep it up old man. There must be more people like you out there? Surely???? Thanks for Rewinding this Weekend x
ReplyDeleteWell I certainly hope you don't quit because you're pretty damn funny old man.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed badges on some sites for "Bloggers Over 50". Do some googling on that, you just might find some more folks in your demo who actually know how use a computer.
;-)
From the Weekend Rewind.
I started my Blog as a way to keep family and friend up to date with me. While I think only if I am lucky two check my Blog. I just do my Blog now because I enjoy doing it. Besides, I know a few older people who blog.
ReplyDeletethis was funny, i was cracking up but its true.. so true
ReplyDeleteJoe, I know exactly how you feel. I am fifty and I have a few blogs. But that does not stop me. I am a retired store manager and have several friends like you. When I started my blogs I tried to get them and family to read them. But NOOO they did not. My family act like I was putting them against the wall and was going to shoot them or something. Do not give up! Click on my name and check out my blog. You will see there are plenty of people who will read your blog.
ReplyDeleteGrandpa Joe, you are funny and we would get along wonderfully. From one senior to another. Forget them and do your thing!
I teach people what I now about business and they love me for it. People from around the world have read my blogs and like them!
I am following you and I want to see more post from you.
Unlimited for blogging, so why worry about it? You can share your experience in your life for many people in this bigger internet world.
ReplyDeleteSo not too late to blogging.
Have a good day :)
You need a blog button. If you had one I would display it on my blog. I think more people need to read you, young and old. You have a lot of wisdom to share, and the way you do it is very entertaining!
ReplyDeleteIf you don't know how to make a blog button, most blog designers will make one for you for about $10 - get one!
Well said!
ReplyDeleteBut I think there is a bigger problem than just demographics - there are still all these people out there of all ages who just don't get it! I run blogging courses and do blog consultancy work for a living so the topic often comes up and I've lost count of the number of people younger than me (I'm 35) who have asked me questions like "Um, so why would anyone want to read a blog" and of course right down to "Um, what's a blog?"
So anyway, totally not too old to blog. Incidentally the most represented demographic of people in my blogging courses would be over 50s!
I don't know, I guess the fact that you are from over the ocean and slightly older than me might me that somethings may not be directly relevant to me but it doesn't mean I'm not interested or can't enjoy them.
ReplyDeleteHardly any of my friends follow my blog either miserable sods but at least it means I can talk about them.
Inexplicably most of my followers seem to be from Australia, no idea how that happened!
Visiting from the rewind and am very happy to see that you did not quit blogging. I may not be in your demographic, but I'm your newest follower.
ReplyDeleteI did manage to get my parents and two grandparents on facebook. But mostly it's just so that they can see our vacation photos. But to get them to read blogs may be a step too far.
I am not surprised this is your most successful post. I loved it! Thanks for Rewinding (again) - are you going for a record with this post?! lol x
ReplyDeleteThis is the funniest post I've read in a while. Keep it up! Joining in from the Weekend Rewind.
ReplyDeleteI do find that I have a lot of Mom (mum) followers, mostly from across the ocean (pond haha) myself....and while I'm starting to get into this demographic, I am not a mom myself, and
ReplyDeleteI'm very different from a lot of the bloggers that follow me. I'm also very different from the bloggers that I follow. It really doesn't matter the demographic you follow, or the ones that follow you.
Honestly, I love your posts. I'm nothing like your demographic- 20-something just out of college, single, female, living with my parents, etc. but I still love your posts. I've also seen a lot of your demographic out there getting into the whole blogging thing- not just the younger generation. In fact, a lot of my cohort doesn't even know how to comment on a blog....and I just shake my head at them. It's not that difficult. At least they can click a link I guess. Only when I put it on facebook, though. My mom thought I blocked her when I stopped auto-posting my links to facebook.
Truth be told, each generation has its deficiencies and its benefits. Not all people my age are into porn (ew), and not all old people are completely computer illiterate. I actually have a follower (somewhere) in her 70s. Not all moms/mums are bloggers, and not all bloggers are moms.
Blogging is for everybody (who is willing to learn)!
JH, quit your complaining and keep the quality posts coming. (The true Anonymous... btw - when are you going to bust out the Speedo and come over for a swim?)
ReplyDelete