Blog Elitism?

So there's to be a shake-up in the upper echelons of the EVE blogosphere. Interesting.

CrazyKinux, the blogger behind the organisation and selection of the original Blog Pack, is looking to revitalise the format by removing inactive bloggers and allowing the community to nominate replacements. Initially, I was led to the Blog Pack by their inclusion in the iPhone Capsuleer app. Since then, it has provided a useful source of EVE-related material for me to read. That soon led to my discovery of the broader community, particularly the EVE Online Bloggers Portal (and podcasts, but that's another blog).

Those I have particularly enjoyed and would like to see included/kept in the new line-up are;

Ecliptic Rift
Casiella Truza's blog is always intelligent and well-written, with diverse content and some very random photos. I'm still not quite sure what the quantum olive was all about.

Mike Azariah
He caught my attention with his CSM-related appearance on the Planet Risk podcast, which led me to his blog. I really enjoy Mike's clever weaving of his in-game exploits into a fictional narrative.

Rettic's Log: The Chronofile
Informative, community-spirited and with some great fiction writing, Rettic has to be one of the front-runners for a Blogpack spot.

EVE Travel
By his own admission a niche blog, but Mark726's site is a superb concept and brilliantly written. Any concerns about running out of material are unfounded, as his style can be lent to other concepts.

Inner Sanctum of the Ninveah
I still don't know what a Ninveah is or why he's got one in his Inner Sanctum, but Kirith Kodachi's blog is relentlessly stimulating, from thought-provoking articles to EVE fiction. One of my favourites.

EVE Newb
Spectre3353's misleadingly titled blog is irreverent, funny and occasionally offensive. His unique spark of nihilistic randomness should continue to bring chaos to the blogosphere.

Rifter Drifter
A great example of a blog that started off with a particular concept and evolved into far more. Wensley's blog has recently been providing some entertaining and in-depth coverage of the war in Providence, giving a great showcase of EVE's endgame.


There are, however, many other blogs and articles I have enjoyed reading from other sources too and it seems like a shame to limit the exposure and publicity to only a few. Which is why I've got mixed feelings about the Blog Pack.

The Blog Pack provides a central resource of of easily accessed EVE reading material (which is certainly a great boon when using Capsuleer on the iPhone). The creation of a blogging family where traffic can be shared amongst those select blogs is clearly good for providing the oxygen of readership amongst them. That is really what every blogger seeks; the knowledge that others are reading their words. Spreading the wealth is always a good thing, but there's something I find a little uncomfortable about the concept of the Blog Pack, something almost elitist. Is it a club whose members establish themselves as the 'most important' blogs?

The value of the Blog Pack is evident, with even those current members who have been a little quiet of late being shaken out of their silence by the threat to their coveted positions, but what does the Blog Pack provide to the community that the EVE Bloggers portal does not? Was it significant that the Blog Pack was removed from the portal, allowing all members of the EVE blogging community to contribute equally in a natural, organic process of shared readership?

Yet this is a competitive, capitalist world and EVE is a celebration of that. I would be lying if I said I do not covet a Blog Pack spot and all that goes with it, I'm no communist. Yet with delicious irony, I realise in voicing the above concerns and challenging the status quo, I jeopardise any chance of being considered and may be committing blogicide.

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