Blogs: Thug Life 2.0

Lately, I've been hearing a bunch of jokingly accusatory remarks about the blogging "geek factor," or "dork quotient," or whatever. 

And, of course, it's always followed by some sort of partially-shamed denial.

"Really, I am cool.  I promise!  See, look how many MySpace friends I have!  I'm, like totally, cool."

And, not to mention the awkward explanation of obsessive blogging, and the relationships that have begun to bleed offline.  What do you tell your friends, like the ones you met before business blogging consumed the little free time we had left?  Are you going to meet-up with your internet pals?  Are you getting together to debate which Star Trek episode is the most authentic?

With all this debate over our collective dorkiness, obsessiveness, and opinionated bullheadedness, keep this in mind...

Some of the greatest achievements, the movements that changed the world, were made by small, obsessively dedicated communities, who were largely misunderstood by the moderate masses.

Now, granted, we all look normal.  There probably won't be thick-rimmed glasses and members-only jackets to tip off the lay person to our alter egos.  But, what we have in common is an extreme passion to be heard, to know that by forming these connections, by working hours that most aren't capable of sustaining, we are constantly making steps towards improvement.  We are advancing our causes, both individually and collectively, to find a better way.

The ultimate winners will not only be ourselves, but by pushing responsible agendas, consumer respect and advocation, the clients we represent and the customers with whom they build relationships will be the ones who prosper.  And we can know, that while maybe a little misunderstood from time to time, we made contributions that others were not always willing to make.

And we'll all be better off for it.  So, embrace it.

Comments

[Tim Jackson]

Right on Brother Paul. I'm really much more of a dork than a geek. Geeks tend to know what they are doing and have some technical savvy, whereas I fumble along relying on dumb luck and personality. Hey- it got me into the Times...

Yes, we are the cool kids- nobody knows it yet, but we are. Just think of the things we are pushing hard for- better social justice, transparency in marketing and government, open and free dialog, growth of global communities. Yes, it's very altruistic and really appeals to my Piscean nature, but it is still something I believe in and apparently a few other smarter-than-me people do too.

[David Wen]

"...the clients we represent"

By that statement, do you mean the blogs you set up for your company's clients? Or do you mean talking about your clients in your personal blog?

[Cam]

We don't get members jackets!? Now how will I coordinate with my thick-rimmed glasses!?

I'm kidding of course. My wife dresses me, so I don't have to worry about all of that.

Nice post, Paul. :)

[Roger von Oech]

Second "dork" reference I've found in three days.

Do you know Noah from okdork.com ?

I talked with him yesterday; interesting guy doing some interesting things.

[Paul McEnany]

David- By that, I mean the clients we represent in our professional lives. As in, our blogs feed our careers. Thanks for coming by, though. I'll be down at chaos in a couple weeks, see you there!

Cam- If you really want to wear members-only jackets, that's fair enough. Actually, I do have this ridiculously ugly white MO jacket. I guess I could rock that one, too. :)

Roger- Of course I know Noah! Great blog. And, you're right, he's doing a bunch of interesting stuff.

[Lori Magno]

Hear Hear Paul!

I have a well-honed dork quotient and a developing geek thing, but it is my desire to blather that fuels the blog life. Now that the fine folks who fund my lifestyle have embraced the company blog thing, it feels better and better to blather.

Best from Boston - you rock.

[Katie Chatfield]

cool is just soooooo over rated. cool doesn't raise it's voice. cool doesn't really care. cool is never brave enough to be foolish or silly or magnificently wrong.
I say take a position. Storm the barricades. Get shouted down by the masses and subvert the paradigm.
Hoo-ray for passion!

[Paul McEnany]

No, no, no, Lori, you rock.

And, Hell Yeah! for passion. I'm on your team, for sure, Katie.

Geek is the new cool, or cool is the new geek, one or the other.

[American Copywriter]

And yet you turn your back and acid tongue on D&D. For shame. For shame.

[Paul McEnany]

Dude, you called me out and, of course, win. But, I still think D&D dorkdom is on an entirely differently level than blogger dorkdom. But, you know, I could be wrong...