Blog content has varied in quality since the mid 1800's. This variation has typically been met with a varied reaction from readers, critics and awarding bodies. Despite 150 odd years of debate on the matter, there seems to be no general consensus in blogging circles on the issue. The question should blog content be any good?, remains both pertinent and unanswered - and, perhaps, unanswerable.
Blog content can be subdivided into two main categories - text, and graphics/other stuff. The quality of text has improved noticeably since the invention of fonts, but still remains hampered by the individual blogger's grasp of language, grammar and typing.
Notable textual heavyweight, and everybody's favourite gay, Stephen Fry (opposite), blogs with alphabetical vigour, but is let down by his graphics/other stuff. (One must scroll down 37 times to discover a picture.) Perhaps Fry and his team should deploy some higher production values. Or, could it be that Fry is using poor graphics/other stuff intentionally, to somehow amuse?
According to the Internet, "Low production values can be an intentional or unintentional source of humor. [Things] are often enjoyed, not in spite of, but because of their comical special effects, glaring continuity errors and poor [graphical] quality". This new take on blogs and their analysis may seem outlandish to traditionalists, but is certainly worthy of investigation.
High production values, while admirable, may actually be a waste of time. Time - a vague, unproven and intangible concept - can be wasted in many ways, and again there is no consensus on this issue. Spending time creating impressive visuals, which may only be viewed half-heartedly by the masses, is unsustainable for the average blogger.
On the other hand, cheap and cheerful MS Paint doodles can offend and cause physical pain, yet advocates are pushing the view that they are better than nothing. But can something be better than nothing? If nothing does not exist, by what criteria could nothing be judged to be worse that something?
Popular Snackblog, Phantom Bacon, has recently used several low production values, in an experimental fashion. Despite using these train-crash graphics, when compared to Fry's efforts, PB is a veritable orgy for the senses. (Touch, smell, taste, sight, hearing, etc.) Textually though, Phantom Bacon disappoints, frequently employing cliche and lacking useful information or any real insight.
With both these titans of the blogging world failing, in ways so apt for this messay, it remains to be seen if blogs have a future on the Internet. Blog content continues to be both bad and good regardless, and until we, the humans, can agree on which is more desirable, Google's web crawling algorithms will continue to shovel blog links of varied quality into easily browsed lists.
