Someone asked me if there is such a thing as a blog clique or blog community. I smiled, said yes and then told them that they aren't part of mine. And then I stuck my tongue out at her, pulled her hair and kicked her in the shins.
For some reason at 40 that doesn't receive the same response as it did when I was six. Back then they told my parents that I was an awful, terrible child who would never have any friends. Now it warranted a visit from men with silver bracelets and dark suits. Not to mention some guy named Mike who showed up with a Louisville Slugger and promises of using my head for batting practice.
I guess that Mike hasn't watched as many action movies as I had or he would have known that as he swung the bat I would grab it and stop it in mid flight. Then while he stared blankly I'd take it from him and pop him in the mouth.
Moments later I'd be surrounded by his three dopey friends. They'd circle around me and I'd glare at them, all the while spinning the bat in my hands like some sort of baton. Seconds later the first one would come charging at me only to learn the same lesson as Mike, Jack's fists of fury cannot be stopped.
In the end they'd all end up lying in various states of ass kickery wondering why they were dumb enough to listen to a guy like Mike, who trusts a man who looks like a muppet anyway.
Ok, none of that really happened. I didn't get arrested, didn't beat up any muppets or kick a girl in the shins. But I did talk to someone about blog cliques and communities because they do exist.
A clique is sort of an odd term to try and apply to the blogosphere. If you apply the old school definition you have a group of people that have some sort of terms for membership. If you were in school that could potentially be problematic or tricky because it could be hard to make friends.
But not here, not in the blogosphere.
The thing about cyberspace is that it is broad, it is vast and it offers lots of places to hang out. So you very well may stumble upon blogs where it is clear that the commenters have developed some sort of relationship that isn't very welcoming to newcomers. So what, who cares.
Take advantage of the space and go elsewhere. That is the beauty of it all. Don't fret about being excluded. Go find a community that has similar interests and hang out with them. I can guarantee that they exist, as in plural. Why hang out with people who aren't friendly when you don't have to.
Fly, be free.
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