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Thursday, February 28, 2008

Gender Blogging

Today I endeavor to point out the differences between men and women in blogland. Now, I know that leading sociologists and "enlightened thinkers" will tell you there are no differences between men and women. Besides the glaringly obvious things like men having a "y" and women having an "x" instead of that "y", I think that men and women blog differently.

Men are from Google and women are from Yahoo.

Or something like that. Maybe men are from Lycos. I'm not that sure.

From the blogs I read regularly or have looked at a couple of times, I have observed the following differences (based on frequent bloggers):

WOMENMEN
1) Women like to have a blog calendar. They post about bake sales on Monday and mothering tips on Wednesday and new tech gadgets on Fridays (I tried to not make them stereotypical topics). This schedule is followed, unerringly.1) Nope. Not here. Stream of consciousness, baby!
2) Women like have give-aways on their blogs, as part of their calendar of events.2) I'm sorry, were we talking about something? I couldn't tell because the point was lost in the details on how to win something.

Men may occasionally give something away, but it will be low-key. And always random.
3) Women are highly organized into groups and collectives. Check out the corners of most blogirls and you will see links to blog rings, mommy blogs, homeschoolers, or Mac users. And they actually participate in these groups to some extent.3) What? They're other people out there like me. Frankly, that's more than a little unsettling.

Men do not have blog rings. If we did, it would be to gun clubs; and that would bring us to the attention of the Department of Homeland Security. While some might think "BONUS! Hits from the dot-gov!", in the end it would be trouble. Not that we would participate in the club, anyway.
4) About 95% of what women bloggers talk about is, in the end, trivial and pointless for most people's lives.4) Okay, to be fair, that number is probably a bit higher for men. It's the lack of proper scheduling, I suspect.

Am I way off base? Mrs. E will say I am, because I have conceived and posted this tongue-in-cheek tripe. But do my points have any merit? I think they do. Not saying its a good thing or a bad thing, but just making some observations. I've been working with Kat and Amy and Kristen on Inspired to Action (they're the other editors), and I've discovered that I am apparently the only active male voice in the site. They like the ideas of scheduled topics for specific days, and setting a calendar, and all the things I jest about above. Me? I resist them with every fiber of my being. No real reason, just my instinctive reaction.

Ya know, there's a good reason my blog is entitled Euphrony Rambles, and that a full 40% of my posts are labeled Miscellanea. A very good reason. I posit that it is my very masculinity that makes me this way.

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17 comments:

Amy said...

Lol, Euphrony! You are right, though, I think. I have to admit, I almost had a heart attack when Shaun had a Mr. Linky on his site! :)

I admit, I like a bit of structure it helps me with knowing what and when to write. Giveaways are obviously related to a woman's love for shopping and bargains!

And just to be fair, in the few blogging rings I'm a part of, there are a few men. :)

euphrony said...

The exceptions that prove the rule.

I had joined one blog ring. I dropped it off my blog after two days because I realized I was never going to click through to anyone on it.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I've never noticed that women tended to do the scheduled things and that men did not, but I do think that you are right...

(... except for the bake sale tips on Mondays?? Ha ha )

Seth Ward said...

I think you are spot on there buddy. I am allergic to calendars.

Chaotic Hammer said...

You are correct about this.

But I thought there was supposed to be something inherently wrong/evil about pointing out that there are actual differences between men and women. Don't let the feminists hear about this, or you're dead meat.

Wayward Son said...

Bwahahahaha! Great observations.

What, exactly IS a blogring? :) Or a calendar? You mean people give stuff away on their blogs??? Where was I? Oh--writing stuff on my blog. I forgot.

Anonymous said...

I got to point four on the Men side and had to clean up the spewed coffee off my monitor. Keep up the good fight and continue to resist. We'll be praying for you!
~ Da Bears Fan

Cristy said...

Funny post! You are SO right, but I enjoy the contrast. I visit blogs by men and women pretty equally. Okay okay, I just counted. I regularly visit 30 blogs/day...16 women & 14 men.

euphrony said...

Kristin,
I said I was trying not to be stereotypical. I did include gadget Fridays.

Seth,
I feel a sneeze coming on.

Jeff,
I think a blogring is like what you gave that sweet girl when you were seven - a lifesaver that was only partially dissolved so it can fit on her finger.

Bears Fan,
I expressly reject any implied or perceived liability for computer damage from coffee, spewed or otherwise, resultant from reading my blog.

Cristy,
Thank you for the precision.

The Secret Life of Kat said...

Ha! Funny Euphrony...

Case & Kani Herrington said...

Euph, I would like to add that there are certain feminine blog vocab words that do not belong in the alpha male blogger stream of consciousness. Words such as precious, fabulous, adorable, and generous smatterings of 'love.'

That said...

Your blog site looks fabulous! The kids are adorable! They're getting so big! Little E is so precious! WE LOVE YOU!!!

alan said...

I second the questions posed by Jeff McQ. I just type. a-

Anonymous said...

Spot on, E. I've noticed that the same seems to hold true in the real world as well. My wife is very much a list/schedule type person. Me, I avoid them like the plague!

Of course, for some reason, she tends to get a lot more accomplished most days than I do most weeks.

Probably just a coincidence.

erin said...

This is completely sexist, and I am highly offended. I'd blog about it, but personal rants aren't on the schedule until Tuesday. :)

Laura said...

Too funny. Ridiculous. But funny. But I am the few that hates calendars. I write when I write. About what ever and absolutely nothing. :-)

Anonymous said...

a man who follows a calendar: http://purgatorio1.com/?cat=43

a man w/ a giveaway: http://www.andrewosenga.com/blog/2008/01/18/cool-a-t-shirt-contest/

Douglas said...

I joined a couple blogrings when I was on Xanga. I actually started one for rofters (readers of First Things). It attracted only male members. Zero females joined. (To be fair only one other male joined: Brant Hansen).

But I'm with you that calendars are very feminine.

MB

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