When the text gets thick, the scroll bar on the right of the screen is too tempting to refuse; the mouse wheel begs to be flung.
Problem of Blogging
(Assuming there is no forced blogging, participation is voluntary, and the absence of the genuine misunderstanding by bloggers that weblogs are a forum for ranting...)
The problem with blogging is that no one else takes the full time to read the entire blog entry. This "blogblem" plays by the same rules as recieving and retaining attention in conversation, literature, or politics. Yet it is different than each of these is some small way.
The similarity of blogging to published literature is that the original post/writing is voluntarily read by the audience. The audience may chose to read, reread, skim or perouse the text.
The voluntary exposure to published literature is not a freedom enjoyed by conversationalists or activists. Walking away from an engaged communication with a speaker is quite a signal of rejection.
But, blogging draws one in... In a discussion, having the final ironic word or last stinging response is key. Blogging is fast enough to be spontaneous and durable enough to sustain monthly conversations.
Accountability of blogging can be somewhat unimportant to the poster if he/she wishes to have no accountability. This is a leisure not enjoyed by many in day-to-day society. When one interacts online with another, it is truly a meeting of minds; thoughts, ideas, and emotions are expressed directly through written communication. The inherent trust in another given in face to face conversation has the ability to be absent online. This freedom allows hate posters to post as much as those sending love.
That happens when you don't blog for a while :)
I have a blogblem then in my Politics of the 60s class ... I can't seem to retain attention, but then again ... if you look the archives on my blog ... I tend to lose attention to the Seton Hill blogging effort every now and then.
Anthony, since you have a scientific mind, you might be interested in online usability.
http://jerz.setonhill.edu/design/usability/
It's one of the subjects we'll be investigating in my "Writing for the Internet" class this fall. I'd love to have you in it.