The Blog War - An Introduction for the Uninitiated

Here's the back story on the Blog War, without the inside jokes.

Blogging is a hobby of pure ego, whose purpose is to 1) see your words in print, and 2) have other people read them. Currently, one blogger, Glenn Reynolds (Instapundit) gets far more page views and links than any other, and deservedly so. Glen updates MANY times per day, and his links are usually well worth clicking. However, he normally offers very little of his own commentary. Sometimes just a cursory "indeed" or "hmmm".

Because he has so many readers, if he links to your site you get a LOT of hits, which is very gratifying. His links are highly prized by bloggers.

Frank J., of IMAO, is an up-and-coming blogger who occasionally mocks Glenn as a way to gain attention. His first method was making up outrageous lies: Glenn puts puppies in blenders and drinks them; Glenn murders hobos for fun; Glenn worships Satan; Glenn is a communist spy who does the robot dance; Glenn punched Frank J.

Later, Frank attempted to get Google to bring up Glenn's site if the terms "liberal assclown" were entered. Results were mixed.

His latest attempt was to "declare war" on Glenn and asking bloggers to choose sides. Frank's side is the Blogging Alliance, Glenn's supporters are the Axis of Evil Naughty. It's all in good fun, and much entertaining mockery and gratuitous linkage will ensue as a result.

Enjoy the spectacle.

UPDATE (9/17/03):
About the Latin - Yes, we know. No, we don't care. The Blog War is an exercise in satire, and not to be taken too seriously. Take a few deep breaths and try to relax.

Comments

[ken]

Finally, it all becomes clear to me. You know, sometimes I post ALMOST as much as Glenn and I have a REAL job, not some cushy sitting in an office grading papers job. No, I sit in an office and tear apart other people's writing for a living. Now, that's hard work.

At any rate, I've never had an Instalanche. I've been at this for two months now and that's just inexcusable.

Yall keep up the good work. Sign me up if ya got room for a Ragin Cajun exiled to Brooklyn.

[davidmsc]

Thanks for explaining the situation for those of us who came late to the party!

[Elliot]

just for the record, it was liberal assclown, not liberal asshat. i would know, i linked to white glenn with it for weeks. i even got some google hits by people searching for 'liberal assclown' today. go me :-/

[Perfectly Sassy]

You say:

"Blogging is a hobby of pure ego, whose purpose is to 1) see your words in print, and 2) have other people read them."

Perhaps for some; not for all. Some of us bloggers do manage to get our names and our writings on print, and get people to read them, with or without our blogs. Some of us write for a living.

Your first theory is too sweeping a generalization.

At the same time, the substance of that first statement explains why there is a blogwar in the first place. The obsession with "hits" is an extension of that ego-tripping. The thing is, getting hits that way does not necessarily ensure that a blogger generates a regular readership. A surfer views your page, then leaves and never comes back. Does that do a lot for the ego? Pretty shallow, don't you think?

[LeeAnn]

1. Thanks for explaining what was, up to now, a mystery that I was ashamed to ask for help with.
2. Someone in these comments missed the part about this being a joke thing, methinks. Blogging is all about ego, it's sort of a typepad masturbation, talking to yourself thing. If you want to save the world, you go join some charity. If you want to present imparital news, you go to journalism school and get hired somewhere. If you want to give the world what you think is important or a list of your favorite Mr. Potatohead parts, you blog.
Thanks again.

[flyingspacemonkey]

mmmmm, mr potatohead parts,

I like the ears. They taste like fresh ground puppies.

[Rick]

ask me about microwaving cats for fun and for profit

[sapere aude]

Born and raised Republican, worked for a Democrat Governor as a writer. I'm disgusted with both, but feel the need to write one or two political article.. and after publishing on my blog, noticed that people have now labled me a liberal democrat. *lmao* oh well. *shrugs* Doesn't matter. However, PLEASE keep the hypocrisy to one post a day.

[rightwingprof]

And I thought this was all slander, till I saw Glenn Reynolds on a date with Janet Reno the other night. Revolting.

[Lyn]

Coming late to the party, but trying to catch up fast. First, if we're against Instapundit, why is he a member of the Alliance? Second...I don't have a second. Gotta go. lgp

[Lyn]

Oh, wait, I get it. Instapundit is not a member, ItsaPundit is a member. Had me fooled. Ok, I'm slow. But I catch on even slower. Gotta go. lgp