What is it about the whole nature of blogging which ensures that whoever does it inevitably will question why they blog in the first place? And if you haven’t questioned it, why don’t you? This has been on my frontal lobe for three solid days and I’ve struggled with some of the conclusions (and questions) that have come out of it. At the top of the charts is the question of whether or not I am too black to blog? (and if that fact is getting in the way of really fostering genuine interest in what I’m dropping here, or even my Comics blog at Always Bet on Bahlactus).
It’s pretty clear that my verbiage is unique in some ways — some of the phrases I drop and the style in which I lay them down, may be enough of a turn-off for people to dismiss my content altogether. Am I too black for my audience? I don’t necessarily have a target audience — unless an audience is a group of people you want to connect with! Considering the 1-way nature of blogging and the reason I blog (i.e. to connect), I’m at a loss here. Ninety percent of the science I lay down here is meant to facilitate interaction and communication with the people who read it — with me and each other. I try present some solid questions and also share clue about my thoughts on a variety of issues relevant to me. It’s not clear that I have a significant number of people lurking here, and if they’re not commenting or posting responses on their own platforms, then it may be because my presentation is too black for them to get down with comfortably.
TRUTH? Everything about my presentation here is true to form. My colloquial style is genuinely representated and I’ve been proud of that fact from day one. My established presence online is mainly due to wanting to put myself out there — because I can and just like every aspect of someones lifestyle, this virtual footprint lets others potentially discover (and relate). What is it about this representation that rubs people sideways? I’m sure that you could potentially dispute that it’s not a black thing — the difference here is that I’m not scared to call the scenario the way I’m feeling it. Maybe the content is uninteresting. Is the blogsphere so lazy when it comes to really interacting and supporting platforms other than theirs? If the flavor of my content causes me to be perceived as Too Black to Blog, should I sell out so that my content can be consumed by mainstream America? Because, you know, America — f#%k yeah!
What the heck does it mean “too black to blog”? Words? Turn of phrase? Because you use a language set that’s different than others? There’s no such thing as too black to blog - or too black to do anything, except maybe join the Klan, and even then, they’ve been fooled.
Google Reader does not know what race you are, nor does it care. My MacBook Pro displays your blog RSS feed just as well as a white guy’s, a Mexican’s, a Korean’s. Race is utterly irrelevant to the technology. We as human beings just need to catch up to the machines.
I really hate the idea of being too black to anything, just like I hate when people say, “I’d vote for him, but America’s not ready for a black president.” It just promotes a subtle racial stereotype. 99.9% of the people in America, for example, don’t have the academic credentials (Harvard Law, anyone) of the candidate in question.
Who you are may be tied to your perception of self, and that perception of self may be tied to racial and cultural norms, but ultimately, if my iPod doesn’t care about your race, then neither should I. All I want is good content, and that’s what I get from you, Clarence.
I think race can be a factor. I think delivery and content are definitely factors. I also think that race may be linked to culture, which may be linked to delivery and content.
I also think gender is an issue. In my experience, individual women are much more popular, in online communities.
Your blog is an extension of who YOU are. If you type / speak in a certain manner, let that shine through. The people who WANT to connect with that message will, and those who don’t won’t.
The big question is: does changing HOW you present the information (so as to reach a wider audience) change YOU? Personally, I think everyone needs to follow their own voice. At the same time, I know some people who have completely valid points will never have them heard by a wide audience because they refuse to express them in a widely-acceptable format.
Of course, do you NEED the widest audience possible, or would you prefer the most personally connected and passionate?…
Yeah, not seeing the ‘too black’ thing. How can anyone say anyone else is Too ____ for ____ when we have to live with that stupid trend of IM IN UR LOLCATBURGER WITH LIKE ABOUT YOU.
One of the panels at SXSW that I know is hugely popular (that I’ve never been able to attend) is called ‘Blogging While Black’. I wonder if this topic has ever come up there?
I have four writing styles, I think (of course nonespecifically ethnic per se), but I’ll switch up how I write when and where *I* feel like it, ie., We shouldn’t really care what people think. Just do what you do and give ‘em the finger if they don’t like it.
Kinda works for me. xD
Ok, this is my first stop at your blog - Spin Martin/Eric Rice pointed to this post. Keep in mind most people just observe and never comment, especially when they agree with you. They just nod their heads while reading and you never see it.
Second off, are you enjoying blogging, does it satisfy something for you. Know that people are reading you and hearing your voice. If it helps get a little stats counter thing (there are a few free ones out there) and you can see where your readers are coming from.
As for “too black” not reaching your audience. There is a group you are reaching that no one else reaches. Your message resonate with them. You may have even inspired a few to start writing their own blog and you don’t even know it. But it looks like you have a good question up there - who is your target audience, what are you trying to do with your blog? That is an awesome question to ask and answering it will only make your blog stronger.
That said, I like your writing style, I’ll go check out some of your other posts now that I’ve stopped in and posted a way too long comment.
Too black to blog? That would be like me saying I’m too white to listen to hip hop or too male to like to shop. Was Jimmy Hendrix too black to play the guitar? Is Eminem too white for hip hop? I don’t think so. We must move past the stereotypes in this country and just do what we like and are interested in.
One other thing to say, you can’t choose your audience, your audience chooses you based on what you have to contribute. Yes, what you think may be your target audience may join the conversation, but ultimately you don’t get to choose them.
Just my 3 cents. BTW, keep up the good work on the blog, I enjoy it. You strike up some excellent conversations.
-Jeff O’Hara
http://blog.zemote.com
seriously baby, stop tripping on being black. your audience is more sophisticated than you realize. we 2.0 folks are moving beyond race, gender, nationality, religion etc etc and trying to cut to the chase - which is the truth - right? drop your guard, my man, and just be at peace with yourself. no need to be defensive, that’s counter productive. create from the assumption that your listeners/readers love and accept you for who you are, not from the position that you have to prove yourself in some way. honestly.
This is my first visit here too, also got here via World of SL/Eric Rice.
“If the flavor of my content causes me to be perceived as Too Black to Blog, should I sell out so that my content can be consumed by mainstream America?”
The answer might be yes. Most of the other bloggers had to sell out and change their speech patterns in order to be accepted as mainstream, why shouldn’t you have to do the same thing? They may have been more worried about seeming too redneck, or too Irish, or too southern, or too crude (profanities) or whatever their local flavor is. When it comes time to write their blog, they adjust to better connect with their audience.
Hey Clarence, I like the way you write and podcast and wish I had time to check in more. I think it’s funny that you would ask this question of yourself since I would have thought that if someone asked you the same question about their blog, you’d tell them to stay true to themselves. There’s always someone out there who wants to tell you what is and what isn’t, but blogging isn’t about someone else’s rules, it’s about your own. That said, I guess how you choose to communicate depends on what your goals are with the blog, but I think you sound thoughtful and non-generic and IMO that’s a good thing.
Do you know that Clarence, as a black man in his 30s, is more likely to be institutionalized (e.g. in prison or on parole) than employed?
Do you know that Clarence will be less likely to be interviewed than a white male ex-con if his name is perceived as “sounding black”?
I could keep going….
I think that maybe you are too black to blog, but I don’t think that should stop you. In spite of what those creepy ancestry websites, or the makers of Bidil, or the authors of The Bell Curve would argue, a biological connection to race has been denied by physical anthropologists. Instead, race is a social construct, meaning society invents race. The things that people are responding to here that are racialized do have real consequences for you and your ability to connect and communicate. It means that people make assumptions about your choice of language, presentation, your online “presence.” And they make these assumpions based upon American society’s invented meanings called “race.” Society recreates race and what race means every day, in part by making these assumptions. People do that on the internet, in the car, in their neighborhoods, and beyond. In American society the amount of light that a person’s skin reflects or does not reflect means that a person can have a very different experience in all aspects of their lives. The internet is not immune to our imagined concept “race” and its real consequences. This is why I would say maybe you are too black to blog.
However…I know that in all aspects of your life you seek to communicate, connect, and resonate, and I think you should take full advantage of this opportunity TRUTHFULLY even if it sometimes seems like you are not as successful as you want to be.
I didnt have time to read this post but the background of this blog is much to black. Maybe they have some other templates you can use. I use a blue and green color which seems to work.
Have a nice day.
Mike
Haw, I had to crack up when hip-hop was brought up, only since I’m an avid fan. But what’s more amusing is to entertain the stereotype of ’sounding’ Black compared to say, freaking Eminem or others.
But that doesn’t open another huge can of worms, of potentially sounding ‘too white’ ?
/me ducks ;)
LaShawn Barber and Oliver Willis have both been blogging for years.
I’ve got to say just because someone talks, writes or acts different then me doesn’t mean they can’t partake in any form of media. People should be themselves. They should not put on a vibe or persona when creating and sharing.
Be yourself!!! That’s the most important.
If people connect with you then cool. If not…so be it.
What is important is that you are writing from your heart and for yourself. That is the most important thing. Then when the people connect with you it will be with YOU and not a perception of you.
Wow, I hope that made sense. :)
‘Preciate the commentary so far and many of you have been laying down some interesting perspectives on the issue. There are definitely a couple of points made here that I consider strong arguments and will be keeping those in mind as I continue to drop science on the site.
Clarence, you’re black?! When did this happen? We should hang out more. I need another black person to round out my highly diverse, non discriminatory, gender balanced, multi ethnic list of friends.
We operate in a world in which the few (da white folk) have economic control over the many (da black, mexican and whatever else hahaha! folk) - a structure perpetuated by subconscious and conscious divisions by race.
So whilst you are not asking for money or sponsorship or any other shit like dat dat asks for money off white folks (and black folks) to give to yo black ass - no cuz, you ain’t too black to blog. But lets see honey what happen when you tries to makes some american dollars - i don’t know but something tells me you might jus be way too black to blog.
Its an interesting question you ask because any black person can be there believing you have your freedom and that they are making a contribution to humanity and then suddenly the ugly mother thing of racism rears its ugly head… and woomf you’re on the floor sprawling for dignity… hurricane katrina as a case in point…
Obama Barack - is probably having the same doubts right not - am i too black to be president? We’ll see…
There’s a great book called Covering: The Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights (http://www.kenjiyoshino.com/index.htm) that makes the point that every time someone is required not to act too black or too gay or too feminine descrimination is going on. So please keep your own voice and don’t let the folks who want to discriminate silence you.
[...] cats in the sphere.DYKC?™My writing was not hitting people upside the head the way I wanted (OR they were turned off by the way I conveyed the whole nature of my personal hustle & flow). My desire to be heard and [...]
I get what you are asking, so in some ways this comment is beside the point, but what the heck.
Are you too black to anything? You really gonna ever let that stop you? Sometimes I hesitate to do or say something cuz I’m female. Those are the times I realize I sure as hell better say it, instead of supporting the adverse norms. There’s enough shit to overcome in the world without helping those who would give you shit.
You can’t control anyone’s responses. You CAN control what you are trying to say. Should you assume a fake tone to reach particular people? I don’t think so. Maybe in sly marketing ways to achieve something or to really reach an audience you feel an urgent need to reach, sometimes, but 99% of the time no.
Who do you most want to reach? Any media has to adapt — somewhat — to its audience. But if your priority is to reach the readers who will respond genuinely to your genuine words, maybe the problem is not the blogosphere, the problem is where do you go to recruit readers? Who do you link to? What do YOU read? Where do you reach out and build a presence online?
I found you on Twitter because you got people talking about you there. I think getting people to talk about our blogs, making it two-way, that’s the only way ANYONE gets momentum for conversation and readership going… And that’s no matter how orange, gendered, speciesed, etc. you are…
[...] writing was not hitting people upside the head the way I wanted (OR they were turned off by the way I conveyed the whole nature of my personal hustle & flow). My desire to be heard and [...]
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