The end of blogging as we know it

I was talking about this the other day with someone who Tweets about 100 times a day.  A telling comment: "It takes away from my blogging time."

Of course it does, and Twitter is visibly encroaching on the number, length and depth of "traditional" blogging posts.  The reasons are simple and compelling.  You're limited to 140 characters.  But you don't have to sit still for a long time, staring at your computer, wondering how to fashion a neat little essay.  You spit out your thought, your observation, your plug, your bon mot, your link as you go about your business.  You can get instantaneous feedback.  It's fast and easy as opening a bottle that has a Stelvin closure: twist, glug, glug.

Tap tap, tweet tweet.

One can lament, as some will, the super-abbreviated messages and the dumbing-down of the medium.  Can't you hear the cry in trad media circles?  "Those bloggers were bad enough, but these damned Twitterers...! They're ruining [wine writing or whatever the subject]!!"

The cry will be just as loud and angry in haute blogging circles.  "We want to be taken seriously as journalists, but this ruins everything."

I know this isn't as hot-button an issue as wine-blogging ethics, about which more later, but I predict that it will grow into one.  Blogging will rapidly go from being a mainstream activity and means of acquiring information and forming bonds to nichehood.  Sort of like reading newspapers or watching "art films."

What do you think, bloggers, tweeters and those who love them?   

Comments

[gianpaolo]

I can only say that you couldn't have written what you wrote here on twitter, hence there will always be a space for more meditated thoughts and topics.

[TH]

yes but...brevity is the soul of wit. or i'm lazy. (have i hit 140 characters yet?)

[Lizzy]

Oh, boys, if I were you I don't waste my time: people falls in love with Twitter for only a month. Then, they leave it. Bored!

[Andrea]

Children, children, you know not how to play the game...

Twitter is an amazing tool for those who know the rules. What a wonderful game it is! However Twitter is only as beautiful as the blogs that go before it, so thank you, Mr. Mondosapore and collegues!