Sat Scat

Saturdays are generally the stupidest and deadest days on the interwebs. So, here are some Twitter links to hopefully make this Saturday—in what a few years ago used to be a vibrant academic blogosphere but is now more like a post-apocalyptic desert—a little less stupid and a little more alive.

When I looked at the tweets I bookmarked over the past couple of months, it turns out they’re mostly poetry (so much poetry!) and levity. It’s amazing how much better reading lots of poetry makes me feel; I highly recommend it, like looking at greenery or eating home-cooked meals. I deeply apologize to all artists and humanities teachers and scholars on behalf of all my haughty and dismissive STEM brethren. Absence of the arts or humanities from one’s life is its own punishment.

Without further ado, links! In two groups! If you’re not into reading poetry, scroll down for levity.

POETRY (and a smattering of SHORT PROSE)

LEVITY

5 comments

  1. Thanks for the poetry and levity. Always a pleasure to scroll through!

    Although it is a Saturday, in *August*, this dearth you speak of is not an aberration. What do you think has happened to the academic blogosphere? Busy planning the next Twitter thread, becoming Tik Tok famous, or writing the next article that no one wants to read? Something else “big picture” besides the obvious existential crises?

  2. I think most former bloggers moved to Twitter, where they now have the discussions that used to happen in the comment sections of blogs. I think DrugMonkey still posts on Scientopia, but I don’t think any of the others do, and, if they moved, I haven’t really followed where they went.

    One more thing, and I’m not sure if it’s relevant at all for former academic bloggers because I’ve seen on literary Twitter, but people who are active on Twitter are starting newsletters to share longer content — the content you would’ve normally put in a blog post, only now it’s delivered to inboxes, and is not considered passé.

    It’s a bit lonely in the academic STEM blogosphere. However, nicoleandmaggie (Grumpy Rumblings) who are in the social sciences are still going strong, as are the humanities bloggers like undine (Not of General Interest), gwinne (Something Remarkable), Dame Eleanor Hull, bardiac, and a few others.

  3. A newsletter-to-inbox vs. blog-with-RSS (or w/o RSS) seems like six of one, half dozen the other to me, but I haven’t been in this space long enough to know the subtle nuances.

  4. Remember how phones used to be fairly large, then became tiny, then went back to being large and this second wave of largesse was considered new and hot? That seems (to me) to be the same cycle as the blog –> microblog (e.g., Twitter) –> newsletter or Patreon with the same content you would’ve previously put in a blog post, but now with overt personal branding and directly to inbox, which people seem to like. Also, people seem to like getting “exclusive” content, so a newsletter or Patreon (something you have to join, or even pay for) seems to appeal more than a free-to-read blog. I am sure pop-culture columnists already have opinions on this phenomenon and the reasons behind it.

  5. I’m still blogging, though since I retired, it tends to be more about personal projects (like designing and 3D printing a key holder or weekly long walks) rather than about my course and textbook.

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