Mark Evans

Low, Low Blow By NYT

When Russell Shaw recently passed away, it was a huge loss.

So, it’s disappointing to see the New York Times use his death as the angle for a story looking at how the pressure of blogging is literally killing bloggers. The story, which features the headline “”In Web World of 24/7 Stress, Writers Blog Till They Drop”, talks about about how blogging is a “digital sweatshop” with intense competition that forces bloggers to put in tremendous hours.

Truth be told, blogging can be stressful for many people, particularly if it’s how you make a living. The pressure to churn out stories can be all-consuming. But for the rest of us, blogging should be a joy - an outlet to write, express and share ideas, communicate thoughts.

If blogging is unhealthy in any way, it’s because some (many?) people who do it lead “digital lifestyles” that may not see them get enough exercise, eat well, spend enough time with family and friends, etc.

I love the NYT’s coverage of the Internet but today’s story is a non-story that misses the mark.

More: Steve Hodson puts it best when he calls the NYT’s headline “the stupidest, lamest and idiotic headline grabbing piece of trash that I have seen in a while”. Meanwhile, Tony Hung - a medical resident - weighs in with some medical insight about heart attacks and stress.

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