Oxblog asks "Why Don't Hot Chicks Blog?"

[randomness]

(Actually, Crooked Timber poses the question and Oxblog offers some hypotheses, but Oxblog's title was catchier.)

My immediate thoughts were a) there are plenty of them on LJ, but of course b) LJ doesn't count. Why LJ doesn't count when bloggers discuss blogs, and why there are plenty of women here strike me as interesting questions.
There are a lot of people who don't really consider LJ a blog. Certainly LJ has the reputation for being an insular place where people talk mainly to and about their friends on subjects that are only of interest to themselves.
Personally, I don't actually mind the reputation, because by and large--aside from the food and lodging listings--that's why I blog.
LJ's focus on people you actually know may be more attractive to people who care more about social interaction. My gut feeling is that this tends--for cultural reasons, perhaps--to attract more women.

To be fair, Crooked Timber was originally talking about academic blogs. Oxblog theorizes that women may not be so eager to join the cut and thrust of online argument. It might be, though, that we social people have other things to talk about.

Comments

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Actually, I find this remark somewhat insulting, as if women like me and the women I know cannot (and, more to the point, will not) hold their own in the cut and thrust of online argument.

I want to be clear here--particularly if I've given offense--that I don't agree with either Crooked Timber or Oxblog on that point.

it's usually rather boring IMO.

As I said, I feel like I have other things to discuss. :)

And, btw, I love reading your food and travel reports.

Thanks! :)

[noire.livejournal.com]

I want to be clear here--particularly if I've given offense--that I don't agree with either Crooked Timber or Oxblog on that point.

Oh, it never even occurred to me that you'd agree with such a point! Always more than clear that this was NOT you.

You know, though, this brings up yet another reason why I, at least, prefer most of my intellectual stimulation in person. It's way too easy to mistake things and give or take offense in this medium. Frankly, I think that a lot of the bloggers (at least a number of those I've read) seem to think that's an advantage, not a drawback...

[mentalapse.livejournal.com]

Very true. While I'd generally rather engage in true discussion, posting online seems to have two occassionally useful features. First, no one can cut you off and tell you to shut up. You get a chance to start and complete your thought. Then there's the second feature which you've touched on--sometimes there's a value to inflammatory speech (vague or otherwise).