A One-Way "Conversation"

There’s this blog. It’s interesting, helpful, and even fun to read.

It has a nice smiling (but professional) picture of its author. It’s beautifully designed, well written, typo free, and focused in its presentation.

I have read it several times a week for months.

Sometimes I leave comments, as do others. He inspires at least a couple per post.

But I’m starting to feel as though commenting there is like trying to interact with a cardboard cutout.

He never responds, ever, not just to my comments but to anyone’s comments.

I checked today, paging back for weeks. I didn’t see ONE response to one comment that someone had taken the time to leave for him.

Some of the comments have been questions others have been pointing to additional material on a subject HE raised – no responses.

It’s as if he’s talking to a mirror in the morning trying to make sure HE looks good before he goes to work.

He’s not expecting, caring about, or reacting to anyone else’s opinion.

It sounds silly – but I don’t feel like he wants me there.

So I left.

(I wonder if our customers sometimes feel as though we don’t want them around.)

Comments

[Phil Gerbyshak]

Good for you Ann. I hate one-sided relationships. It's like hugging a cardboard cutout. Sure, you can call it a hug, but heck, it's no good if it doesn't hug you back! Same with conversation. Me talking is just a monologue. Us talking...conversation!

[ann michael]

It sure is! And Phil, I'd rather be looking at your smiling face (on mybloglog or in person) than at myself.

There's a huge limit on what I can learn on my own, acting in a vacuum with no feedback. There's no limit on what I can learn from others!

[Frank Hamm]

That's one reason because I keep returning to your blog - conversation. Thanks!

This article reminds me on this video describing an old fashion relationship between consumer and advertiser - until the breakup:

The Breakup

[Karin H.]

Hi Ann

I'm like you I think. I'm willing to give any blog I see, read or are pointed to by someone else a 'go'; but as 'conversational' blogger myself that's where I come for mostly. If I find a 'monologue' I'm gone after a while.

But....
Not everyone blogs for the same reasons, your 'friend' might just use his blog for writing down his thoughts for himself (of for what ever reason). He will loose the readers coming for a two-way-conversation, he might keep the readers coming for a 'read' ;-)
It's hard to tell, but IMHO also too easy to 'condemn' bloggers who blog for a different reason than we (we as in conversational bloggers). ;-)

Karin H. (Keep It simple Sweetheart, specially in business)

[ann michael]

Hi Karin!

Thanks for the insight and you are correct - we all do things (including blogging) for different reasons - different completely valid reasons.

I didn't mean to condemn him - he's just not meeting my expectations so I cut him from my list. I'm sure he'll never even notice!

Ann

(PS - I just can't help but love the interaction and I'm so thrilled when people like you chime in - ESPECIALLY when it's to add information or tell me I might not be on the right track!!!)

[ann michael]

Frank - you snuck in on me!!! I loved that video. And personally, I'm really glad you keep coming back!

This might sound silly - but I always smile when I see "familiar" faces on the MyBlogLog list of recent readers - even when they're people I've never met!

[Karin H.]

Hi Ann

Please don't think I was saying you were condemning him, it was a remark in 'general'. It's mostly indeed down to our own expectations that makes us 'turn-away' when they are not fulfilled. Sometimes the blogger is to 'blame' (creating our expectations), sometimes we are to 'blame' (expecting conversations and intreraction everywhere ;-))
Don't worry, I'll stay put here ;-)

Karin H

[ann michael]

Thanks Karin - and just look at us - we're conversing!

[Karin H.]

;-)

But of course, Ann ;-)

Karin H