Please Stop the Deluge

/ May 14, 2019

Please Stop the Deluge

Wilaha by Mike Oblinski

This is my first rant in a while.

Generally, I don’t like to waste my time complaining about things, but I’ve noticed more and more bloggers using their blog in ways that I feel are more appropriate to social media. Many people post every day or multiple times a day, deluging our inboxes and readers with borrowed photos, quotes of the day, writing challenges, and one line quips. I am not interested in those things. I want to hear about what’s in your heart, your purpose, how you plan to make a difference, or at least some good creative stories or poetry.

Nor is this trend the best use of a blog or planetary resources. If you have nothing more interesting or creative to post than quotes from other people, then get off WordPress and go play on social media. Social media is filled with trite quotes, regurgitated wisdom, pet photos, and the latest political and environmental disasters, along with endless ranting and raving (like this post!). I spend less and less time on social media due to this trend. And similarly, I’ve unfollowed some bloggers whose writing I enjoy who have gone down this path of torrential posting.

We all have limited time and bandwidth to devote to reading and writing, I implore you to write less often, focusing on quality, originality, and what’s in your heart. Write when you have something artful, heartfelt, or meaningful to say. Please don’t fill my inbox with empty words.

On a macro level, this excessive posting is reflective of our manic culture, obsessed with self, fame, attention, and consumption. We hunger for meaning and connection. but we seek it in the wrong places. All combining to overload our media and planet. Our planet is at a tipping point for environmental disaster. Similarly, we are at a tipping point with communication and connection. We are being overloaded with information, much of it unnecessary, distracting, or outright harmful, causing great unrest in our world. Discernment, focusing on what is most important, meaningful, and impactful, has become a critical life and online skill. And I realize the irony that this post does nothing to spread kindness or connection, which are my top values and what the world needs.

I hope more of us focus on quality, simplicity, and that which truly matters in our lives and blogs.

Thanks for reading my rant. You may now return to your regularly scheduled distractions.  🙂

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82 thoughts on “Please Stop the Deluge”

  1. OH my goodness I know what you mean. I do love the creative posts and you are right about the deluge. I’m noticing it more and more and we do have such limited time. I used to create a lot of art when I was working so I posted more but I’ve noticed that one piece a day is best. Plus that gives me time to read those I love. Good for you for posting this! I thought at first it was going to be about all the rain we’ve been getting! Hugs to you Brad. Happy Tuesday to you. 🙂

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  5. This is an interesting rant, Brad. I agree that there is a lot here on WordPress that I don’t particularly gravitate toward, a lot I skip or skim, some blogs I decide not to follow, some I read on occasion or as time permits. When I started blogging I actually read every post of everyone I followed. That didn’t last long as the blog got busier and busier. I’ve become more and more selective about where I spend my time over the years – since time is precious and I refuse to spend entire days in front of a screen. However, these are all my choices, and I would never impinge on others to blog according to my tastes. Their blogs are theirs to enjoy, posting whatever they wish as often as they want. If posting cat photos all day bring them joy, they can go for it, and other cat-photo bloggers may love it! It’s my choice to read or not, to follow or unfollow. So, I’m disagreeing with you, my friend. But I still love you. ❤

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  6. An interesting commentary, Brad. I must say I do like writing prompts. I enjoy writing for them and reading what others write for them. I think my writing has improved a lot as a result of these challenges. I also like to read poetry and information about people.

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  7. I agree that some bloggers just blog too much – if someone posts that often I just can’t keep up with them and will usually end up no longer following. I read a lot of blogs and don’t always have time to keep up as it is 🙂

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  9. I couldn’t agree with you more Brad…I’ve had to unfollow some folks just because of the reasons you spoke about. It’s too bad really, but it certainly speaks to where society is at these days. People want to be entertained and if they aren’t then they seem to want to entertain everybody else 24/7….Give me less but more authentic and from the heart any day….As for the rain, it will not STOP! Everyday it seems with maybe half of one day thrown in the middle. It’s endless and the grass keeps growing but its too wet to mow. Grrrr. Oh well, it is what it is….Nothing we can do about it except go with ‘flood’…..Stay dry Brad….VK 🙂

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  10. I understand your frustrations Brad. Particularly when you feel a loyalty to some bloggers who you have followed from the start but you start taking a different route and your paths divide. A bit like marriage. Of course all bloggers are following their own path. I was in this dilemma, especially because I directed WordPress to forward all blogs to my email and I felt honour bound to read each blog. For the first six months it was okay but then as time went on it became harder to keep up with the volume of blogs. I would wake up in the morning to a 100 emails and more would be added during the day so I was spending all my time reading blogs instead of writing. So something had to change. I started directing people who posted a number of times a day to my reader instead of email. I read less of people who had a one issue blog because the blogs seemed repetitious etc.etc.etc. Just some random thoughts I didn’t intend to make a blog out of this. But interesting observations that have probably struck a cord with many bloggers.

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  12. Well said. I have had times when I have been caught up in this frenzy to post and to follow the blogs of others just because the have left a comment or two on my blog. I’m really over that now.

    Blogging used to have more depth I think. These days so many blogs are very trivial and light weight. I’m not reading many blogs now. I’m losing interest in my own blogging efforts too. I’m tired of saying things people either don’t understand or get on their soap box about and tell me I’m wrong. Life’s stressful enough without having to explain my blog posts.

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  13. I hear your frustration, my friend, and I agree. But I also say, to each their own… For me, if I even get a brief whiff of anything remotely political, I steer clear. There’s a reason I don’t watch the news or read the newspaper. I am very picky about the way I choose to stay informed. I follow very few blogs because I can’t keep up with more. But gosh, I so sincerely appreciate my WordPress community and value the connections I have here. ❤ Many of whom I would love to connect with ‘in real life’ 😊

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  14. Isn’t there a setting where you can opt out of getting posts you follow in email, thus removing the “deluge”? I don’t use the email feature at all. I access everyone 100% through my reader. It’s more streamlined and efficient.

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  15. Thank you for speaking up Brad. WordPress is a very special place to me that feels like a space of trust and authenticity to me because of the pure heart soul expressions that are allowed and appreciated. I try to focus away from those who dilute this experience for me.

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  16. So agree with everything you said here, Brad. It does seem many bloggers are blogging every day or many times a day with non-original content, and ‘torrential posting’ is a good way to describe it. Nothing wrong with sharing other’s content (provided you give credit) – it can be one way to learn. On the other hand some of us want something fresh and something unique and not as you mentioned, regurgitated wisdom.

    I do think some bloggers who post every day do have good intentions. I follow some photographer bloggers who post once a day and really enjoy their art and perspective. But I’ve also unfollowed quite a few bloggers who post every day and I don’t connect with their content like I used to, and am looking to unfollow more at some point. Each to their own.

    ‘More’ isn’t necessarily better. Of late I have felt like I needed more time in between blog posts. It’s been a year where I’ve wondered if if I’d blog less, would I lose audience engagement. I decided that I’d rather put out something that I enjoy writing and speaks to me rather than follow the crowd and feel stuck. Great post and thank you for your honesty.

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  19. Brad, this was an interesting rant. Honestly, you voiced thoughts I have held back for so long. I post twice a week. Meanwhile, some bloggers I follow post as many as five or six times A DAY. I read as many of their posts as I can, however, they can’t find the time to read my two posts. Bloggers like these should be on Twitter or Facebook because they are obviously suffering from some attention dificiency disorder.

    I have been forced to change my blogging habits. I only comment on blogs that comment on mine. It is the only way for me to handle my growing blog. As for the multiple post bloggers, I have a life, so I read one a day at most.

    Great post. I applaud your honestly and courage. You spoke for many of us. I know you spoke for me.

    Thank you.
    I

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  21. Perfectly stated sir!!! As you know I only post once a week and try and keep it short and simple….if my posts aren’t bringing some type of “value add’ or enjoyment to someone….I’m not offended if they quit reading them. Our time is limited and I only read and comment on blogs that comment on mine and the good news for me, I enjoy all of them.

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  22. I dislike having to unfollow anyone, but with the many I do follow I have trimmed down a lot those who post more than one blog a day, and those who post daily, unless it interests me. Many often just rebloging other peoples posts all the time and never write their own thoughts. But then I either dip into those or I don’t, depending on what catches my eye.. I have found a few valuable sites through reblogs this way..

    WordPress is a great platform and there are many varied interesting topics. I tend not to get too involved in the political ones, we all hold our opinions and the world would be a boring place if we all thought the same..
    In the beginning I used to follow back everyone who followed me, I soon learnt through that mistake, :-).

    I know many do not like reading long posts either, and my ‘Changes Within Ourselves’ series has been longer in content. but I try to keep my posts to one a week sometimes its longer apart..
    Life and living have priority over my blog lol as I know it does too with you Brad..
    Sometimes its good to have a rant, and I agree with where you are coming from, yet one person might just find that certain quote, just what the needed to hear that day..
    So I take it or I leave it.. 🙂
    And as you know by now Brad.. My comments are always far from short. LOL 🙂 But that is because I engage with the blogger and their topic and not just press like and never read as I know many do..
    Time is precious, we all need to use it wisely 🙂

    LOVE and Mega Hugs my friend.. 🙂

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  24. Agreed. I have heard many express the same thoughts as you. Facebookish, and not enough from the soul. I admit though, I love using quotes to add to my photo journey. Love this post. As for reading. People laugh when I tell them I never hit a like unless I have read it. Like you, I want to surround myself with what I love.

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  25. Hello Brad, I used to feel a sense of responsibility to read all posts of those I followed and follow anyone who followed my blog, but I soon got wiser. I appreciate the WP platform and all it has brought into my life and I have been blessed to meet some fellow bloggers from here in person. It’s all about choices and if I find myself feeling overwhelmed by my Inbox, then I usually discover that I am overwhelmed in another part of my life and it’s reflecting. It’s your blog Brad, so you post what you want too my friend. I appreciate your follow and your supportive comments. I hope all goes well with your trip and you get some valued time with your Mum. Hugs xXx

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  26. I completely hear you Brad. I think that’s why I’ve taken a bit of a back step on my blog too. It’s tiring when your in box is flooded like that and I can’t be bothered keeping up with it. Take care 🥰

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  29. I’m so glad you shared what’s on your mind, Brad. Every so often, even a person who spreads love in the world all the time has to stop and say what’s on their mind. That’s part of blogging. I’m struggling to keep up, so I simply ignore someone’s post if I have visited them already yesterday. And sometimes, I go through whole weeks of missing, then visiting — really visiting — the blogs of my faves, to catch up on their lives.

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  30. Yep, have to agree. I started my blog to hone my writing skills, to practice the craft. Initially I tried to post once a week as some successful bloggers suggested. It never worked for me. I began writing what I thought readers wanted to read, lost track of why I wrote. Now I post when I have something to say. I write every day, play with ideas and edit and re-edit several drafts and post when i think its ready. Thanks for your piece, it was good confirmation for me.

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  31. I agree!! It’s been a subject of concern for me since I arrived on WordPress… how many blogs I see with not a great deal of effort made, but a lot of posting going on, as if that will somehow magic up success. I know with my own blog, that the quality of what we write about or share pays off in Google ratings and assists random readers finding a new blog worth reading, far more than large amounts of posts, but it takes years to achieve that. Not many patent bloggers exist! So many still believe it’s more about quantity than quality. I think it might have been the case long time ago, but Google and other search engines are a lot more advanced now, and many fake or empty headed websites are not rated highly at all.

    I’ve also noticed it happens a lot on You Tube… even some of the top You Tubers create nonsense content sometimes. One thing that drives me crazy with You Tube is all the ‘stuff’ people buy, endless crappy clothes and books and useless nothings, all to get views. It concerns me that younger kids are growing up thinking we need to have a houseful of useless items and then just put it all out in the garbage and start all over again. So much being talked about recycling and buying less now, and yet You Tube is spreading the opposite message.

    Ah, yes, Facebook is dire at times! I don’t post much on there, and I left for a number of years it disturbed me so much. Online posting can be so good when it is done with care. The internet is littered with garbage, like space debis!

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  33. Hey, thanks for posting your insight into what’s been happening in the blogging community. As a newbie blogger (I literally arrived on WordPress 2 days ago!), this was an informative post. I’ll take note of this phenomenon you described when I write my own post and when I decide who to follow. 🙂

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  35. Hi Brad, I just found your blog through the WP Reader. I needed to read this! I need to do another review of the blogs I follow. I, too, receive way too many emails from WP every day. There are many bloggers that write well and create good quality stuff. There’s only one or two blogs I follow that post multiple times a day, and I appreciate what they write. As for me, I occasionally post two blogs in one day, but not often. It’s usually around the end of the month, when I’m doing my Goals Recap and new Goals posts. Thank you for your insights! We all need to rant once in a while.

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