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| Blogology: Persona Typology |
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3/8/2007 12:23 pm
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Blogology: Persona Typology
A few words on blogology. Blogology is a combination of sociology and psychology, applied to blogs. Maybe a little anthropology as well.
In the past, I looked at blogging as multi-party letter writing (Blogging in Perspective). BettyBlue had several insightful critiques of that idea.
So as the saying goes, if at first you don't succeed, blog blog again.
Today, I'm going to look at the personas we play, assume, or bring when we blog. In doing so, I want to emphasize a few points: (1) I'm just describing what I see as personas, I'm not trying to value them as good or bad. (2) A particular blogger probably assumes different personas at different times, or even simultaneously in the same post. (3) There have been discussions about whether we can "know" people from their blogging. My own opinion is--partially. Someone commented that we come to know the "writer" and not the blogger. I think that's also partially true. Though I don't want to get too postmodernist on us, these are just a bunch of symbols that are typed into a keyboard and then stored as files on a disk drive somewhere, later read by others. Those symbols are not "us" by a long shot. Though they provide clues.
So, with that, here a few foundational ideas for the field of blogology. In particular: blogger personas:
The Ranter: This persona is screaming at something in the world. They often reside politically on the far left and the far right. Though the middle has its share. For example, the ranter may complain about how we use too many fossil fuels, or not enough. "Bigger cars" they argue from the right. Or "outlaw all private transportation" they argue from the left.
The Cut-and-paster: This persona takes an article from somewhere else on the internet and pastes the whole thing into their blog, usually with appropriate attribution. They might add a few comments, though not many.
The ideologue: This persona uses his or her blog primarily for ideological propaganda. Often A Cut-and-paster. Sometimes A Ranter.
The Excerptor: Similar to the cut-and-paster, but this person quotes a portion of some written material from the intenet or elsewhere and then comments on it.
The Biographists: This persona records the exciting--and the mundane--of their lives.
The Self-analyst: This persona performs in-depth psychological analysis of his or her mind or life. Some comment to provide support. Some comment to provide ideas. Others read and learn. Some wonder how anyone could possibly be so candid about their personal lives.
The Poet: Pretty self explanatory. This persona publishes poetry.
The Essayist: See "The Poet" and figure this persona out for yourself. It's called "prose."
The Depressive: This persona is depressed and writes about his or her depression. Similar or identical to The Self-analyst, though not always.
The Manic/Attention seeker: Extreme attention seekers will post ten times in an hour on mundane matter like news, relationships, how much he drank last night, how much dust she found on her shelves, etc. Sometimes acts the role of The Biographist, but not always. Current events and politics are also popular topics for The Manic/Attention seeker.
The Drunk- Blogger: Burp.
The Sensationalist: This persona pushes the envelop, mainly as a Biographist, perhaps describing how many times he masturbated that morning or advertising the fact that she's currently blogging without any clothes on.
The Witt: This persona has a satirical, ironic, and sometimes sadistic edge. Usually combined with other personas.
The Intertextualist: This persona draws upon the work of other bloggers, adding to it, punning, playing games. Many similarities to The Witt.
The Solipsist: These personas seem to live in a world of their own. Sort of like the schizophrenic counterpart to The Depressive and The Manic/Attention Seeker. The Solipsists are Intertextualists, but only with posts created by themselves.
The Clown: Mainly a commenter, usually not a blogger per se. Adds silly comebacks and non-sequiturs to the posts of others. Similar to The Witt.
The Critic: Similar to The Clown, but usually adds negative comments like "That was really stupid, I'd never do something so dumb."
The Pollster: Often trying to figure out what other people think, or experiences they've had. Often concerns sexual matters.
The Dating-Psychologist: analyzes the ins-and outs of online dating.
The Meta-Blogger: Persona analyzes blogging. Often combines with The Dating-Psychologist.
The Organizer: Often provides material for The Clowns, The Witts, and The Intertextualists. Creates interesting games and stories and themes that others join. Also organizes real-world get-togethers.
The Front-Porch-Philosopher: This persona is like Aunt Jane sitting on her front porch, making small talk with neighbors and friends, discussing deep themes in life, or minutiae, trying to draw others out, sharing some of her life, asking others to share their experiences.
That's a start. I'm sure some modifications and additions are in order.
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6261 posts
3/8/2007 12:45 pm
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Dharma you've left out a very important personna my friend and that is the Naked Blogger. Do we trully know how many out there are sitting at their computers fully clothed? Hmmm, may be a good subject for a Friday poll.
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174 posts
3/8/2007 1:55 pm
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Sweet post, I love the catalogue.
Re: Manic/Attention seeker. As a manic-depressive myself, I would label your description more as an Attention seeker than a manic. Manics would post ten times a day, include lots of punning and word play, especially aliteration and rhyming ("klanging"), an overemphasis on sexual matters, and lots of racing, tangential thoughts. See "Mania, 1997" in blog (I don't know how to link directly to the post sorry guys!
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13381 posts
3/8/2007 4:10 pm
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Dharma, what if I found most of those personalities nearly equally expressed in my blog at one point, or another? Do I have a multiple personality disorder, doctor? 
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3/8/2007 5:20 pm
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i love this, d.
wondering how everyone views themselves
and how i am viewed
and yet does it matter
and interesting if/when/where there might be
contrast between one's/other's perceptions of self
and how one is seen.
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5794 posts
3/8/2007 7:36 pm
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Ranier: True. There is the Naked Blogger. But the question is whether we can tell from the persona they create? If they let us know, they're The Sensationalist. But there still may clues that we can derive from their blogging.
Sea_level: True. The manic shows up in several different categories.
Gypsy: I don't think so. I recently called this place a fishbowl, and we're all fish swimming in it, hosting many or all of these personas. Thought some emphasize one aspect over others.
Fearlesssoul: The discovery of how others view us: now that takes courage. I'm all for it in the right circumstances, but then again, we as individuals can't rely on the opinion of others, but must bring our own insights, freedom, and personality to bear--so perhaps it doesn't matter.
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50 posts
3/8/2007 9:58 pm
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I was thinking of the same thing...
I think i'm the witt. skip the sadistic part. Throw in some bad poetry and a shake of schizophrenia and you get my blog.
I maintain a constant hilarious diatribe of things that come out of my mind.*
*note: Dharma's blog has given me the perfect opportunity to plug my own blog (shamelessly i might add). So if your in the mood for some off the wall banter and varied grammatical correctness (depending on the state of my sobriety at said moment) I suggest but do not condone the reading of risk taker's blog --see witticism, the unbridled silliness two of my favorite things.
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3/9/2007 8:00 am
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Fearlesssoul: The discovery of how others view us: now that takes courage. I'm all for it in the right circumstances, but then again, we as individuals can't rely on the opinion of others, but must bring our own insights, freedom, and personality to bear--so perhaps it doesn't matter.
i am so relationally oriented
that noticing who others view me
really helps so that i can make adjustments
only as i deem GOOD for me
so that i am seen the way i want to be seen
and am the way i want to be.
it gets tricky to discern since
everyone's perceptions
are clouded or tinted by their own experience.
so i am learning to take everything with several grains of salt.
(yum)
the other part of it for me
is that i am also evolving more as trusting my own intuitive
self-knowledge as a foundation for everything else...
so yeah,
not relying upon other's opinions and their *stuff*
is also a good thing.
thank you for your wisdom....
and as far as my blogtype...
i believe i am a blend of
biog/selfanalysis/poet/sensationalist/intertextual
fearless womanspirit
vulnerable uncensored
fountain of words
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5794 posts
3/10/2007 6:21 am
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risktaker: We've had some parallel thinking here lately. Maybe groupthink?
fearless: True. A balance between considering what others think and just doing one's own thing. It's like dancing.
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3/21/2007 7:24 pm
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That. Was. Epic!
However, I would say I'm a Witt that combines the Ranter, Clown and Critic rather than just simply a ranter as you told me.
Wait, you mean to tell me that people actually read this shit?! Damn!
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1156 posts
3/21/2007 7:28 pm
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Hey!...you forget the Long-Winded Pompous \bass\b.
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5794 posts
3/21/2007 10:09 pm
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Tbarb: I defintely wouldn't put you in one category like ranter. But you've had some classic rants here. I think you take the prize in that category.
Mister: Good point. There are probably more missing, but longwinded pompous ass is a necessary addition. We have at least one here who comes immediately to mind. No names.
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