Life is a popularity contest

My life has, recently, been full of discoveries. Like how to force a front door open and how long I can dance in heels for.* Or that Emmy the Great has a blog. And not just any blog either, no - a blog where she talks about music and Graham Coxon and Diane Cluck. Its a very cool thing to have discovered, and one I would have imagined indie kids the world over to be in a state of some excitement about. But here’s the thing: if they are, they're being incredibly discreet. For someone as popular as Emmy is, her blog has remarkably few comments.

There could, of course, be several reasons for this. To begin with, her blog is only updated sporadically, so people never know when to check back. And her blogging style sets her up as a critic of her own “scene”, which possibly confuses people as well. But even so, I would have expected a few droves of fans. And, in light of the supreme lack of interest in my mix CD, I’m thinking a lot about what it means to be popular.


To begin with, being popular on the internet is clearly different from being popular in “real life”*. Kristin Chenoweth is probably not about to pop up and start singing, though it would be fun if she did. There are two distinctive zones, and many bloggers only fall into one of them. If they didn’t, Emmy the Great would have been forced to give up writing bittersweet songs years ago, though the number of teenagers posting about their loneliness would have decreased significantly.* Of course, there are some people who manage to keep feet in both camps, but these are often people who blog professionally or semi-professionally, or whose blogs are somehow linked to their careers. One of the key reasons for this is probably timing. If you don’t have much going on in “real life” then you have more time to build up a friendship base on the internet (and vice versa) while if your real life includes establishing yourself on the internet then you’ll probably be able to use your “spare time” for socialising.

On the other hand, being popular online requires some of the same skills as being popular in person – you have to make time for people, you need to be able to make appointments, and in the long run a bitching session is unlikely to endear your potential friends. It’s also helpful to have a general area in which to socialise – you’re far more likely to be able to keep up a conversation if you know what you’re both talking about. One of the reasons I keep coming back to livejournal* is the group facility, while another is the comment features. You can continue a conversation for days on end, without losing track of what you’ve said. And, if you want to, you make these conversations private. So you make time to talk to people, properly and at length, and if you desperately need to vent you can do so behind closed doors. Another useful feature is people knowing roughly when you’re going to update, or at least that you will do so fairly regularly. This is less of an issue on livejournal, where you’re probably more likely top check your friend’s page than individual links, but in the world of external bloggers it becomes far more important. People aren’t going to keep clicking on a link to see if you’ve updated if they don’t think you’re likely too. They’ll go and visit someone else’s blog instead. Or feed the fish, hang the washing out, water the plants... and subsequently forget all about you. If you run into someone in the street you might have a bit of a chat, but its more important to remember that they’re there. And the same applies on the internet.

Having written this, of course, its clear why no one’s really entered my competition. The fact I’m updating at all is probably taking you by surprise, while my new semi-regularity must be even more confusing for you than it is for me. But, to be honest, I feel like I’ve been neglecting you all shockingly. If you’re going to take the time to read my wittering, I should respond properly. Think of this as a pre-new-years-resolution. An old year’s resolution? New me resolution? Or something else. And, if you’re bored, go and read about Graham Coxon on Emmy’s blog as well. Or join me in watching the Gabriel video obsessively.

I’m off to make mince pies and celebrate Christmas now, but I’ll talk to you soon, I promise. And I’ll extend the competition if you want, so that you’ve all got more time. It shouldn’t require too much effort – just think of your favourite song with which to start a mix-tape.

Happy Almost Christmas

xxx




*a. Use a screwdriver as a wedge, and never let everyone leave the house at once.
b. 2 hours, 45 minutes
*I spend far too much time with philosophers.
*There can never be too much self-mockery.
* Livejournal is the Hotel California of the internet. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!