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A La Carte (3/19)
- 03/19/10
- 22
Why Are Bloggers Male? - This article from the Globe and Mail asks why most bloggers are male. And more than one person noted that in the list of the Top 100 Church Blogs, almost all the bloggers were male. Unfortunately her answer is somewhat trite, so I appreciate the question more than the answer. “Guys seek thrills and speed. They go for the adrenalin rush. They get pumped by going higher, faster, farther than anyone else. They want lots of action and instant gratification. That’s also why guys like blogging—instant opinions, and lots of them.”
What Not To Say to the Suffering - Ed Welch blogging at CCEF: “Don’t say ‘If you need anything, please call me—anytime.’ to anyone. Let’s put it to rest and never let it appear on another ‘Not Helpful’ list.”
The Christianity Map - Here’s a rather interesting map showing what kinds of Christianity dominate in different parts of the US.
How Millennial Are You? - Pew Research has a quiz. Turns out I’m not very millennial at all.
What Publishers Don’t Know - It turns out they don’t know everything. “Many people seem to have a notion that publishers somehow are (or should be) a superior form of human being. It’s nice to be so highly thought of—until you find out what they mean. Like the question many of us have heard. ‘I thought you guys were smart. Why don’t you just publish bestsellers?’”
Paralympics - Boston.com has a round-up of amazing photos from the 2010 Winter Paralympics. “After a separate torch relay and opening ceremony, competitors faced off in five different sports: Sledge hockey, Wheelchair curling, Alpine skiing, Biathlon, and Cross-country skiing - the last three broken into classes of sitting, standing and visually impaired.”
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
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Comments (22)
Wow. I got a 6 on the millenial quiz. Apparently I was born 40 years too late.
I got a 6, too.
Stay strong brother. :)
The article on the maleness of blogging misses a major issue or two concerning men:
1. Most men have very few friends, and those small numbers decrease further the longer they are married.
2. Men are less likely to share their thoughts on a daily basis than women do.
So while men may be more opinionated, they have fewer people around them to hear those opinions. And even then, they may not have the bravado to air those opinions face-to-face. Blogging gives men a voice they otherwise would not have.
I also believe that men who are more introverted, those who would still remain quiet even if afforded more friends to share with and more occasions to share face-to-face, are more highly represented among bloggers. Blogging affords some distance, while still offering a chance to speak.
Psscht! I thought that Millennial quiz was going to be a theological one! I guess that dates me. Although I am a boomer, the survey sees me as a Gen-x’er.
DLE, good observations in #4.
I thought the article on “What not to say to the Suffering” was very helpful.
I got a 20 something on the millennial quiz. But I think that’s because I had just sent someone a text message. How millennial of me…
Bloggers likely tend to be male, because most women give the best part of their time, energy, and mental strength to their families. This is particularly true when her children are still quite young. Most women do not have the spare time that men do to focus their intellectual energies on a blog.
wow, I got a 62, guess I am close to millenial!
About the bloggers being male, I’ve been hearing the question, why are seemingly most food bloggers female (and Asian)?
I got a 55.
I got a 38. I’m 24 years old. I guess I’m not cool enough to be millenial.
Interesting set of posts. The article about male bloggers is surprising, especially since more women participate in discussion forums.
I took the pew survey and got an 85. Though their questions got a bit strange at the end. I’m not sure how having tattoos, piercings, or viewpoint on politics makes me a millennial.
The most important questions had to do with communication style and perceived purpose of our life.
Tim, as it relates to the Top 100 Church Blogs, curious if you ever read Stuff Christians Like? Jon is quite humorous.
Maybe you’ll review his book that is coming out soon??
Mark
I thought is was interesting in the chart of “Christianity” across the country that they included Latter Day Saints (Mormons).
Who made the Millennial Quiz? Sort of seemed like a 60 year old who thinks young people have tattoos, piercings, and are on their phones/tv/online all the time.For full disclosure, I was born during the millennial time period (though I scored more as a Gen-Xer) But really, young people are more than these things!
I got a 55 also. I’d like to know if anyone else felt uncomfortable with the “living a very religious life” question though? I answered yes because I assumed it wasn’t going to get broken down more than that — but every time I hear myself described as religious or come across statements/questions worded that way I start thinking of white washed tombs and moralism. Is that just me? And is THAT generational? I’d really like to know.
I also am not sure I agreed with Ed Welch this time — which in and of itself is shocking. (what an earth-shaking a la carte day this has been for me!) I have been helping a friend recently who really did respond to the “please call me anytime” suggestion. I didn’t know WHAT she needed. I’ve never been in her shoes. But I wanted to help, and she’s been calling as I told her to. I do think back to when I was caring for my mom during what ended up being terminal cancer. I guess my caveat is that it’s HOW you say it to folks — do you really mean it? I had some who said it to our family insincerely. But I had some who wanted to help and really didn’t know how. There were a few times when, desperate and exhausted, I DID call on those friends and most responded and it helped a LOT.
So…in this instance I think Ed painted with a broad brush. I think it depends on the sufferer and on the “offerer”. Perhaps the ones who have not mentioned that phrase to him are the ones who weren’t bothered by it because it ended up meaning real, substantial help to them.
Lastly — my first assumption regarding the lack of females on the top 100 Christian Bloggers list was simply that most female Christian blogs speak specifically to females and, therefore, to half of the church — while blogs like this one speak to all of us. For instance, I get a lot out of Tim’s blog and off of Resurgence, etc. But I don’t know that many of you would be all that helped by the Mahaney girls over at Girl Talk talking about Biblical homemaking and how to zest up a boring table display for dinner. :)
Sorry for the essay. Done now.
Well, I guess I am going to blow Margaret’s theory right out of the water. I’m female, I blog, and I have an opinion. Actually, my blog was previously TITLED, “My Opinion, and I Do Have One.”
I did notice the male/female disparity on “Top 100 Church Blogs” and wondered why. Then I looked at the top female blogger’s site and, well….
Perhaps the difference isn’t who writes but rather who READS blogs; that would be an interesting study.
Doesn’t seem like there was an “amillenial” option in that quiz.
But, thankfully I wasn’t classified as a premillenial. So, I’ll count my blessings.
As far as Christian women blogging, it would be difficult to have a top 100 blog and still be doing a faithful job in other parts of life.
When I read the articles (in the past) about what it takes to have a mega blog (frequent, quality content etc), I could not invest that much with a clear conscience.
I would end up with the appearance of godliness (cyber godliness?) without the reality. That’s always dangerously appealing.
I think many men (not all) are in a position to do a great job of blogging without sacrificing their other responsibilities - because it is tied to the other work they do. This is one of the wonderful differences in how we uniquely get to serve Jesus and his people.
I guess the top 100 is not the only measure of a useful blog.
Thanks for provoking thought, Tim.
Given the genre of the sites selected, it’s not surprising that there are not as many women blogging theological issues or pastoral thoughts. Although there are a couple that fit the bill; most notably Ann at www.aholyexperience.com
Re: Christianity Map - I couldn’t notice there was no color designated for Reformed denominations. Many flavors of Reformed denoms are prevalent here in the Grand Rapids, MI area; BTW, I just attended Phila. Conf of Reformed Theology in Grand Rapids today… at a CRC church. Several Reformed colleges and seminaries are also in western Michigan.