Personal bloggers - reflecting the geekiness of this sub-culture - go in for silly, if harmless, names and titles. Sampo; the Journal of Abundant Media; popou's Journal; Metajaleh; Thus Spake the Princess...
...Metajaleh begins: "Well, I know I haven't posted in a while. Mostly that is due to having not a lot to say...Man, I have a lot of shit to do...the rest of my life is pretty boring." in which case why bother blogging? Why, dear Metajaleh, inflict such narcissistic ramblings on the world-at-large? What desperate craving for attention is indicated by this kind of online outpouring?
You know, I wish I had answers to his questions because most likely when I wrote a post like that on my old blog it was because one of my friends commented on the fact that I hadn't posted in a while. Also, I wonder too about the parts he cut out. I deleted that blog long ago and yet it still comes back to haunt me. I notice he also chose one of the more mundane posts and not some of my old posts dealing with Mid-East politics. As for my clearly desperate craving for attention, much like I suppose Blaise would categorize this blog posting, well, isn't that what 99.9% of the social aspect of the internet is about? Isn't it about us wanting connections and attention from people. Isn't it, at least partially, about staying in touch with old friends and, on occasion, making new friends. Christ, I am no dean of the school of library and information science and I can figure that out.
I know I shouldn't let him bother me. I mean, I was at the school for two years and he wouldn't know me from Eve, even though I checked out books to him on an almost weekly basis; he could barely take the time to look at us measly library workers. But for some reason it does bother me. Who the fuck is he to pass judgment on me?
I also find it interesting that all those blogs he lists were once listed on something called the SLIS blogroll, which I did not ask to join. If I had known Blaise was going to mine my blog for his research I would have told Elijah to suck it.
I know it's mundane and narcissistic but I will be posting about my trip to Montreal soon. If you all can stand it, that is.
22 comments:
*pumps her fist in the air*
You go, girl!
And for the record, you were one of my most favoritist measly library workers. ;-)
I wish you could sue him for, like, libel or copyright infringement or something. He is using your words and the name of your blog without permission and misrepresenting them. What a jackass. I'm sorry Jal. Obviously I can empathize--I'm just lucky I never got on the blogroll!
I am still fuming about this. Look what he wrote back in '05 on the SLIS website. I bet he would love to know that most of us create our blogs with the skills (html and otherwise) we learned at SLIS, and that it was actually the library world that brought blogs to the attention of many of us. Suck it, Blaise!
OMG, why am I so full of rage?
What a dick!
You point out well the different needs blogs can satisfy, and how even in the same blog its role for the author can change. And that's another great point about the Blog Roll - who would have done it if we thought we were being set up as targets.
Personally, I think he picked on Metajaleh because it's the coolest title of all those listed. :) You may also be one of the least narcissistic bloggers I've ever read.
Fuck Blaise; your friends love you and your blog.
-Bill
You guys are awesome. Especially since you have all experienced the assiness that is Blaise.
M, hee. For the record, you are tied my favorite library related boss. Plus, working in that library, while you were there, was fun.
B, I understand you anger. When Sam sent me that email yesterday I so freaking pissed I could just feel it welling up inside. Thus, I used my blog as catharsis. Sigh. I am still quite angry about it.
Bill, aww. I loved my old MetaJaleh name too. I thought it was rather clever.
What book are they talking about? Town and gown or More town and gown? Now I'm curious and paranoid, and want to check out the book (definitely not buy it though).
Thom
Thom,
The book is Bloomington days : town and gown in middle America. I sort of want to read it now but I am also afraid of how angry it will make me.
J
I understand what you mean. I just would like to know if I'm mentioned. In this culture, you have to definitely keep yup with other people write about you. Sorry that he wrote about you like that.
Thom,
Thanks for the sentiment. I agree that it's important to know what people are writing about you. I am just delighted to see that Blaise's masterpiece is only held by four libraries in worldcat and that, shockingly, the book was published by Author's House which is a self publishing press.
J
Blaise uses a vanity press?! Couldn't he just blog his inane observations like the rest of us?
Blaise is an attention whore and a troll. "What desperate craving for attention is indicated by this kind of [...] outpouring," indeed.
I don't know most of you, but this jackass' comments threw me into fits of rage. I sent this to his email address at IU, and will be following through on my promise.
In Solidarity,
Christian
Mr Cronin,
I was recently made aware of your book, Bloomington Days: Town and Gown. Might I add that, indeed, validating your inane and mediocre ramblings as a book requires a feat of logical gymnastics which causes me great pain. However, I digress, as I am specifically writing to confront you regarding comments made about SLIS graduate students who contribute to the blogs which you cite in your work.
And let me preface my letter by stating quite clearly that I do not have a personal blog, and would find contributing to one largely a waste of my time. Furthermore, I am not, nor have I ever been a student in SLIS. I have no personal axe to grind with you, the department, or the university. In point of fact, my experience with IU as a SWSEEL student during the summer of 2003 was quite pleasant.
That being said, Mr. Cronin, I'm curious as to where you think you get off writing about these graduate employees in this way. These are workers who simultaneously pay your excessive salary requirements and make sure that your department functions on a day-to-day basis. These are workers who you insult monthly with less than poverty wages. And now you have insulted them not only in the material world, but also in the world of ideas.
"Geeky", "sub-culture", "narcissistic", attention starved. These are your words, Mr. Cronin - not mine. Shame on you. Shame, shame, shame, shame. I can't imagine how one could sleep peacefully at night harboring such resentment toward working class people.
You will, assuredly, attempt to hide behind the Potemkin Village of scholasticism and academic research. This argument, were it to be made, would be one conceived in bad faith. I'm hoping that we can by-pass this academically lazy response, and address substantive issues in its place. Primarily, that these narcissistic, geeky, attention starved 'abstractions' of which you write are real, living, breathing human beings. And not only that; they are real, living, breathing human beings who pay for your expensive car, your living space, your credit card bills, your clothes, your overpriced food and probably your expensive wine.
So, my request is this: write a public apology to all of the people whom you have offended in your book; i.e. the graduate employees in SLIS. This apology should include an acknowledgment of everything these people have done, and continue to do for you. This apology should be submitted to the student newspaper and appear publicly on your website. And if you do not, I will take personal vacation time to return to Bloomington specifically to plaster your building, your office door, and your neighborhood with flyers alerting people to what a degenerate, gutter snipe you are. I assure you that this is a promise.
These people deserve your humble respect; not the indictments which have leaked from your simple mind onto the pages of your unimpressive book. You are nothing without them. And either way, you would continue to remain a bottom feeder and a stain on the cloth of the academy.
In All Sincerity,
Christian Hainds
Isn't my best pal the bestest? Even though I specifically asked him not to write that letter; clearly I have no control over him at all.
Wait a minute...the SLIS Blogs page was a research project?
And is it pathetic that I sorta want to read this book to see if my blog got mentioned?
See that's the thing. I was never told that the SLIS blogs page was part of a research project. I was told it was just a way of linking together SLIS blogs but all those blogs he mentions were on the SLIS blogs page. So, I could be wrong but I don't think I am. Maybe Pete or Thom know better than I do.
Interesting. I wonder if they should have had us sign releases or something.
Wow... And unlike most of you, I have to return to the halls of SLIS in a week. In theory I won't have to see him in the 6 months I have left.
What an asshat.
SLIS Blogs wasn't part of a research project. It was set up to jump start a blogging community at SLIS. It was my impression that he either read it or followed student blogs directly.
To that point: there are very few people who care about his opinion and almost all of them work in the department. He does what he does in order to gain attention outside of that sphere, so don't give him the satisfaction.
Pete
Thanks for the update, Pete. I know I shouldn't be bothered by his comments, but they have a way annoying me like few things do.
Go Christian! Although I tend to agree with Pete that we should generally ignore whatever nonsense that asshat Blaise Cronin (Google hit!) comes up with, BUT I also like the idea of taking vacation days to wage revenge.
Post a Comment