Comments on: The Blogging Z List Meme Tracker Request

By: Wil

Wil — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 06:58:15 +0000

Ah, the fond memories of high school. Great analogy, Terry! I guess I was a mingler back then, and I still am.

I think you’re right — reading Z-Listers can be just as good, and often better, than reading the A-Listers. I’m happy to read and link to anything that’s good and that I want to share with my visitors.

A memetracker for Z-Listers would be great! I think I’m going to start doing my bit by trying to read more Z-List blogs Maybe even save up a few links and then doing a weekly post specifically dedicated to sharing some of the cool stuff I’ve found.

By: Terry

Terry — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 17:32:23 +0000

Empress I visualize all this A-list, Z-list blogging stuff to highschool days when we used to have these big-mother parties way out in the bush of some poor old farmers field (outskirts of the city).

Everybody went. Nerds, Jocks, Cheerleaders, Head Bangers, Mall Girls, Druggies, Boozers, Freshies, Seniors…everybody from all kinds of groups and cliques would gather together at these bush parties.

Some people were minglers. They can float from one ‘clique’ to the other, genuinely interested in hanging for a bit with everyone. And looking back I can see that the ‘minglers’ were the most respected, well liked people.

I see some successful blogs/bloggers like that. They’ll hang out on the Z-lists as well as the A-lists. They’ll point out so-and-so’s blog post because it really had something to say, not because they networked somewhere or because they were an ‘A list’. That stuff doesn’t factor in at all with these guys. They’re very much inclusive, not exclusive.

Other big bloggers though are like ‘That Guy’ at the party who never ventured out to anyone. You had to go to him if you wanted to chat. He was only interested in talking about himself, pointing out what he was so great at and how smart he was and how cool his car speakers were. It was all about building himself up and impressing as many people as possible. He wasn’t interested in you. What your thoughts were because they weren’t as important as his. Or because you weren’t all that ‘popular’–therefore in his mind, there was nothing in it for him to hang with you.

I’m nearly 40 years old (gulp), and I can’t believe how highschool blogging has become.

I know blogging is all about popularity (aka traffic) for a different motivation, but it is getting boring and tired–real fast–IMO.

I’ve already had a few comments sent to me to check a few things out, so I’ll post here if I can find that perfect ‘Z List Tracker’.

By: Empress

Empress — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 15:16:27 +0000

You know, I totally agree with you on the whole “drinking game of link sharing” with those who call themselves “A Listers”. It’s really odd tho – that I find most of them really, really, REALLY hard to read. I think I’m totally into reading more about the “ordinary” everyday person … or maybe the occassional “A lister” who keeps it real.

Most A Listers I’ve seen end up sounding like the Teacher in Charlie Brown…. All talk… not much else. I just find them not at all interesting.

… but that’s just my 2 cents.