I admire courage wherever I see it, and I can't stop marveling over the fact that Glenn Reynolds actually dared to admit he found some topics (like social security) "boring."

Is it borderline treason for a blogger of Glenn Reynolds' stature to make such an admission?

It's easy enough for me [as a second string blogger] to say what I like and what I don't like. While there have been attempts to make me write about things (usually by accusing me of ignoring them), for the most part I face no pressure, and I can write about whatever I want, and ignore whatever doesn't interest me.

The aspect of blogging that I find most tedious is the obligation to write about stuff simply because everyone else is. This is especially painful when it's something I do care about, but there's not much I can add. Yet if I don't say anything, I'll look like an insensitive, uncaring person. The Tsunami is a perfect example. Of course I cared about the deaths. I hate to see people die, expecially innocent, unsuspecting civilians. But when I have nothing to add, and I have to just write about it in order not to look like a jerk, it tries my patience.

If everyone is screaming about something, am I obligated (blogligated is a better word) to scream too? Can anyone tell me why?

While I'm at it, Glenn Reynolds linked to another honest admission -- by Ann Althouse:

I'd say people get tired of talking about politics all the time. And -- the article doesn't mention this -- the debate about Social Security was mind-numbing! Also, even though I'm especially interested in the topic, the subject of judges, religion, and the filibuster is really tiresome. What are the good topics? The other day Rush Limbaugh was going on for hours about ABC's exposé of "American Idol." He tried to tie it to all sorts of big themes about how journalism is left-wing and the left is all about character assassination, but it was a tiny topic and it seemed awfully silly to make such a big deal about it. So what if Paula slept with Corey? (Not saying she did, just that it doesn't matter.)

And guess what? I already know journalism is for the most part left wing! Do I need proof? Why, I seriously suspect that most convicted prisoners are actually guilty of the crimes of which they were convicted. And I should be horrified by the shocking details by having my nose rubbed in it, and maybe by being blamed for helping create a "climate" of "culture rot" which makes people boil their family members in oil.

I feel a bit guilty even quoting these two bloggers, because it might be taken the wrong way. Someone might even be annoyed at them for supplying me with fuel for my culturally deranged ideas, or chaos-based artistic objection to following the herd.

If so, I apologize to them.

And I probably should apologize. To them and to others. Any time you admit that you find something boring, you run the risk of insulting those who find it interesting. People are touchy about these things. I may have just alienated Paula and Corey fans, as well as people who want me to talk about social security. It's a bit like high school, when people took it personally if I didn't like their favorite rock bands. The difference is that aside from the occasional commenters, I have no real idea what blog readers like or what they're thinking. I suspect, though, that when I force myself to write a post about something "because everyone else is" (and I have nothing new to offer) that readers will not spend much time on that post. To me, that's substandard blogging, and a poor excuse for art. More on the level of all in a day's work. I committed myself to this blog for three years, though, and I'm as unlikely to develop the syndrome called "blogger burnout" as I am to stop my daily running. Or the ghastly pushups, leg raises, and chinups. I do 120 pushups with stands each day, followed by awful abdominal crunches, then chinups till I collapse in a panting heap -- but I face a self-imposed requirement of a minimum of fifty goddamned chinups. Believe me, I hate these exercises with a passion! In fact, I'm avoiding and dreading them as I write this post. So because blogging can never be as bad as that, if I can get through my exercises, I can write posts. Even on a detestable subject like Paula and Corey.

Hey, at least I'm not obligated to write about Michael Jackson. I admit, I might find social security more interesting.

MORE: Right now (thanks to this link) I'm into admiring Laura Bush. (Especially because these crackpots think she's undermining "traditional" values. Hey, this blog has nothing against tradition!)

UPDATE: Regarding the letter above, it was (according to Wesley Pruden):

posted as an "Official Statement" from the "Coalition for Traditional Values," which turns out to be a figment of a clever imagination, meant to be confused with the similarly named Traditional Values Coalition.

NOT SO FAST: Here's Michelle Malkin:

The First Lady resorting to horse masturbation jokes is not much better than Whoopi Goldberg trafficking in dumb puns on the Bush family name. It was wholly unnecessary.

Self-censorship is a conservative value.