Major Twenty
The one consistent report from those who attended the Irish Blog Awards, was that Twenty Major is the benchmark in blogging and a bit of a fine thing. Like many benchmarks and fine things, they attract a lot of hangers on who bask in the reflected glory. Some try to emulate Mr Major and adopt his earthy vernacular. All they serve to do is demonstrate that their poor attempts are pathetic forms of flattery.
I am in constant emotional turmoil with how I view Twenty Major. In a battle not known since my ‘Tom Cruise or Andy Garcia’ days, I do the love-him-loathe-him thing. I vacillate between hating his misogynistic rants and wanting to have his babies for just how contemporary and relevant he is.
Some time ago, I dropped Twenty from my blogroll. I told myself that it was because I couldn’t endorse his gratuitous use of the C word. But I realise that I didn’t want to share his glory with anyone else.
Regular readers will know that I’ve being going through the old – “Why do I exist as a blogger” phase. I eventually came to the conclusion that the blogosphere community just sucks you in. And I am thankful for its warm embrace. As Fence says “What is the point of having a conversation with people”
Twenty’s fine post telling people to stop telling him stuff is another tour de force by a man who knocks off tour-de-forces like some people blog about blogger’s block.
Twenty’s post attracts the usual race to the bottom – with numerous references to bowel movements. Fortunately not everyone sees his brilliant posts at a superficial level.
I’ll leave the last words to Sweet Afton who says it how it is ….
Twenty, you are a prophet and no-one else knows it. I just love the way you are so contemporary and relevant. You are the thinking woman's Tracey Emin. The Billy Connolly of Blogosphere. The vast array of pigmy commenters that you attract (and on whose shoulders I stand) only serve to highlight your brilliance as they search for interesting variations on toilet humour. (What is it with these Neanderthals? Can they not spell diahorrea?)
I am as always your humble and awe-inspired servant,
Sweet Afton
posted by Paige A Harrison at 10:12 a.m.
17 Comments:
Well said Paige, Twenty is, without doubt, a blogging genius but the gratuitous use of the C word and others can get wearing sometimes as can the depths to which the posted comments drop.
But ultimately you got to admire his fierce intelligence and ability to acerbically comment on so many current issues. Also the fact that he produces such posts daily; respect is due, serious respect!
Erm, I'm really curious as to what made you use the word 'misogynistic'.
Howdie I've been meaning to send you a copy of the Stephen's green rainy bridge pic I took, email me with an email address adn I will send it on (redmumATgmailDOTcom)
Paige,
For some reason I thought I was going to get your critique of Twenty Minor. I am convinced that you have a critique that you have only hinted at. After all, to drop the blog that swept the Awards, that's a serious political act.
But you go much too far with your admiration. He's not that good. Certainly not worthy of being described as a producer of tour de forces.
Your gut instinct that his followers are mainly a pathetic shower of purile quippers is, I hold, sound. What responsibility should lie with TM for the standard of comments that regularly follow his posts? He rides both horses: one horse a thoroughbred racer capable of excellent and insightful arguments, the other a nag bereft of anything to do except produce short farts. He's in with a crowd of wasters who use his blog as a meeting place. And he plays up to them, unashamedly. His stories, like the Prince Phillip one the other day, are fairly good without making the breakthrough to lasting humour. His rant about the superfluity of lovey dovey atmosphere among Irish bloggers was really well written and it provoked me to expressing my disapproval of his blog.
There is a lot more to say about this phenomenon. Like the way it is normal for a social group (bloggers) to need a top dog. If TM didn't exist, he would have had to be invented. He is more a latrine than a person, and he could as easily be flushed away, if another bog came along.
Months ago, you suggested we review some blogs. I set myself the ambition to review TM, but I have not yet done my homework.
"ultimately you got to admire his fierce intelligence and ability to acerbically comment on so many current issues..."
Wrong Curly: you don't have to do anything of the sort. You can equally well look down your nose at a Ninja Turtle...
I much prefer Paige's blog to his buy a bloody mile.
Omani, each to his own, you prefer Paige's blog, I personally admire the acerbic, intelligence of the majority of Twenty's posts whilst I admire the eloquence of Paige's observations and her ability to cut to the heart of the matters she blogs about. I don't necessarily have a preferance - perhaps I sit on the fence too much.
But in reality the reason is that my blog tastes are similiar to my music: they depend on my mood!
I don't get the reference to ninja turtles?
Months ago, you suggested we review some blogs. I set myself the ambition to review TM, but I have not yet done my homework.
Yet you have plenty to say for somebody who hasn't done any homework.
At the end of the day blogs are like musicians or films. Some people like some, some people like others. I'm not too fussed if you don't like it, Omani - entirely your choice - in the same way that it is for the people who read my blog and don't deserve to called names just because they don't live up to your high standards.
We might talk about poo and vomiting now and again but you're the one who has resorted to petty insults with no provocation whatsoever.
Paige - still curious about your use of that word.
Excuse me mister, as one of the regular commenters on Twenty's blog, I take ubmbrage with your ad hominem and frankly tiresome attack.
"He is more of a latrine than a person?" And we are 'purile quippers' wow, nice, and so delightfully personal.
Blogging-for most of us- is a very minor part of our lives. For me it is something to amuse and entertain, and every so often address something that I feel strongly about. Most bloggers have little groups of reader and cyber friends, who are you to belittle us and yet sniff at Twenty's comments on the same?
I never liked 'The Office' so I didn't watch it.I don't like licorice, so I don't eat it.I'm sure you see where this purile quipper is going with this, nobody is forcing you to read Twenty's blog, if you do not like his style and/or content then you are free not to read him.
Might I suggest that a little less looking down your nose might help you a great deal.
My apologies Paige for the minor hi-jack.
Paige,
I went too far with my remarks about Twenty Major's blog. I got a bit too swept up in expressing something I felt, too strongly.
Now I regret it and apologise for my crude turn of phrase.
Twenty Major, you aptly say "you have plenty to say for somebody who hasn't done any homework." I'll go back to my homework but not in order to critique your blog.
To Fatmammycat and anyone else who's read my rush of blood to the head, I won't be saying things like that again.
Time for me to weigh in I guess.
When I first came across TM's blog I knew nothing about the phenomenon. It was around the time of Bob Geldof's Live8 thing last year, and I happened across a post with this quote...
"There are only two ways of making poverty history.
1 - Kill all poor people, then there will be no paupers so poverty will cease to exist.
2 - Kill everyone but the poor people so they immediately go to the top of the class.
Personally I'm more in favour of the first option."
My reaction was that this was a geeky college kid using this topic for a cheap laugh. That bugged me, so I attacked him with a comment. Boy, did I pay for it!
Of course since that day I came to understand what TM is all about. Though I wouldn't go as far as Omani with my critique, I can certainly see where he is coming from.
On the other hand, I'm not going to say that I have never appreciated a TM post. In the most part they are hilarious, relevant and hilarious. Yes, I know I said it twice.
Still, the grudge holder in me keeps me from putting him on my blogroll. I just visit him anyway via everyone else's.
I will say this though - I have absolutely NO regrets in voicing my opinion on that particular post ...
http://twentymajor.blogspot.com/2005/06/make-poverty-history.html
...and nor should Omani with his comments here. The blogosphere is all about opinion, and if people want to nail their colours to somebody's mast with blind faith, then they may be entitled, but so is everyone else to call them out on it.
Twenty Major makes me laugh. Out loud. Not always, but more often than not. That takes talent.
True, he occasionally comes across more like Twenty Woodbine, but we all need roughage in our diet to keep us regular.
It would appear that some people haven't been getting enough fibre.
(Looks like you've got your punch-up, Twenty)
Opinion is one thing, openly insulting folk is another. Don't conflate the two.
All I am saying, fatmammycat, is that if you are going to take offence at someone "openly insulting you", then that's fine, but maybe you could put yourself into the shoes of people that TM openly insults on a daily basis as well.
As I was told more than once when I reacted to the Live8 post, it's all meant to be taken with a sense of humour. Good and all as his posts are, I don't think Twenty holds any kind of monopoly on that type of writing, so maybe Omani can be afforded similar slack.
I take what Twenty's posts with the grains of salt he so amply provides. Do you also really think he is a shepherd?
The difference here is Twenty's irreverence is broad and wide, and it IS ON HIS SITE. Omani is yip-yapping about Twenty and his 'purile commenters' on someone else's site, a site I happen to read. So if you don't mind, JL, I think I have every right to call him out on it.
Again Paige, I'm sorry, this is the last you'll hear from me on this matter. I have a dinner in hell to attend.
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The only reason Omani is "yip-yapping about Twenty" is because he happens to be the subject of this post. Whereas you call him out on it, I respect him for it. I guess we must agree to disagree.
I, too, will call it a day on this matter, Paige.
Wow! When I started blogging I never thought anyone would read my posts. I certainly never thought that such great bloggers would be motivated to comment on my witterings.
I stumbled across Twenty very early in my blog days. He was the best writer I'd read in years. And so I blogrolled him. However, the more I read, the more I found myself using his brilliantly humourous prose and fantastic dialogue as mitigating factors when I took offence at what I thought of as gratuitous and in particular misogynistic portrayal of women. (Twenty, being the fine thing that he is, has politely asked why I use the word misogynistic. And he deserves an answer. I made his blog the subject of our book club one month. Sixteen women read, convened, drank loads of wine and discussed. Some disagreed about the humour. Some were offended by his apparent racism. The only thing that they all agreed was that it appeared anti-woman. We accept that he might have being hamming it up at times for effect. But it was clear to the group that many of his commenters lapped it up.)
If I've done Twenty a disservice, I am must humbly sorry. I do feel unqualified as a blogger to critique. But as a woman I have the right to feel offended.
Omani deserves a hug for his noble defence of the blankpaige. I am honoured to have been in the same sentence and twenty. But I know that I'd never reach his dizzy heights. (Of course, that doesn't stop me trying!)
Twenty may or may not be a dirty old man but JL is, in my mind, the Godfather. His comments have, as ever, the insight that comes with blog experience.
It is ironic (although not altogether suprising) that Twenty takes exception to Omani's robust critique given that the former's blog is designed to provoke. Omani has no need to apologise for offering an opinion just because that opinion itself provoked a reaction.
Agree to differ. Agree to robust exchange. But as we offer our views, opinions and critique, let us remember that the recipient might (quite rightly)take offence. And as we take offence, let us remember not to take ourselves so seriously.
Love you all in so many different ways,
Paige
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