Prelude: My mother just brought me a little St Nicholas chocolate man. I don’t like chocolate much, though milk chocolate isn’t bad. It turns out the little man is hollow. I feel cheated.

Onward: I had a talk with Steve last night, and I think I’ve narrowed down the internet-connected public to three categories, at least in the context of blogging and reading blogs.

The Blind Eyes don’t really care. Blogs exist, maybe they read them every once in a while, but generally blogs aren’t interesting to them. Most of the older generation tend to be like this.

The Voyeurs do care, but don’t care to interact. They’re the hit-and-run drivers of the internet. They read blogs out of curiosity, out of boredom, or out of the all-too-human urge to cast judgment on someone or just to be nosy. Most of the generation who grew up just as the internet was exploding are like this.

The Socialites read, care, and interact. Even if they don’t care that much, they still interact. They primarily use blogs like their parents use phones: as a method of social interaction, and they create blogs primarily for that purpose. This is why blog growth has exploded amongst young people. Blogs are like a townhall meeting: everyone gets to talk, and everyone gets to respond. Most of the younger generation, especially teens, do this.

Postscript: For those of you reading right now, I really do encourage you to share whatever thoughts you have in the comment form. It’s easy to use, it won’t broadcast your email address to the world, and it will provide linkage to whatever site you choose if you do so choose. Be a man and sign your name; use at least some form of legible English; try to make a modicum of sense. Even if you think I’m dead wrong, or if you think I’ve missed a category, above. Or if you’re Geof Morris and rather invested in the blogosphere.

Finally, what class of blog reader are you? Feel free to invent your own category in the comments.

Tags: blog, opinions, questions, ruminations