Hey You Atheist Bloggers – Who’s Your Audience?

I wrote earlier this week on the reasons I blog about atheism. In doing so, I also came to a clearer understanding of who I write for:

  1. Me, Myself and I (you could say, I write for an unholy trinity of sorts): I find writing about atheism/religion to be stimulating and satisfying.
  2. Other Atheists: It’s nice to belong to a community and even nicer being able to learn from others.
  3. The Doubting Christian: While I don’t go out and evangelize atheism on the streets or at Christian websites, I do welcome Christians who are doubting their faith – the ones who are starting to wake up to all the inconsistencies a belief in a personal god – can bring to one’s existence.

I’ve realized that last group is the most important part of my audience. Why? Because I empathize with them. I was a doubter less than two years ago and I know how hard it is for them and I want to help. So, while I share a sense of camaraderie with my fellow heathens, I also feel a sense of purpose in relating to you doubting Christians.

So, in case you missed it the last time, welcome to my blog. The price of admission is one boiled baby (not necessarily your own), a jar of mayonnaise and a glass of Merlot.

Who do you write for?

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August 28, 2009 · Filed Under Atheism

Comments

9 Responses to “Hey You Atheist Bloggers – Who’s Your Audience?”

  1. Paul on August 28th, 2009 at 8:14 pm

    My blog used to be much more frequently updated than it is now. Lack of time, unfortunately. But I do write for multiple reasons.
     
    #1) As you say, for me, myself and I. I like to write, and I like to get feedback from readers.
     
    #2) For an audience, any audience. It’s kinda an ego thing, but I don’t see the point of writing if no one is reading.
     
    #3) Because I think it is important to get the message of skepticism and critical thinking out there to a wider audience. Sure, I probably only have twenty or so regular readers, but if something I have written helps even one of them learn to exercise more critical thinking faculties in any facet of their lives, I call that a win.
     
    That third point means that I try to keep my writing on more general skepticism related topics, like alternative “medicine,” and “psychic” phenomena, and the like. I don’t often address atheism directly (but not never  – I have been known to ruffle me some bleever feathers), but I let it be known that I am an atheist, and let people make their own decisions about me whether they feel they have to take that into account or not.

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  2. Camels With Hammers on August 28th, 2009 at 8:37 pm

    I write first and foremost philosophers and those interested in philosophy.  But I devote the majority of total posts to isolated atheists who benefit from contact with other atheists through the internet, atheists looking to think out what a post-religious conception of moral foundations looks like, for anyone  looking to learn about and engage in moral philosophy in general, for very liberal religious people, for de facto atheists who need to be inspired and better equipped to be vocal about their atheism, for activist atheists looking for subtler and more precise ammunition for arguing against religion, for irrationalists everywhere to challenge them to relinquish their irrationalism, and for religious moderates who need to feel ashamed of their radically conservative brethren and do a better job of moderating them.
    If along the way, I help sway a doubter or, even better, a full-out believer into full-out faithlessness, then that would be terrific, but I doubt I have such magic powers as would be required.

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  3. Lab Kat on August 28th, 2009 at 10:27 pm

    I write about atheism simply because it is part of whom I am. I write about a myriad of subjects – whatever jumps out at me from my day or reading other blogs and the news.
    Quite frankly, I don’t think I have an audience. lol

    Reply to this comment

  4. Kylyssa Shay on August 29th, 2009 at 7:44 pm

    In part, I am my own audience.  I have a hard time categorizing how I feel about most things until I write them down.  I also write on atheist topics to vent or rant which gets out pent up emotions caused by living in a very fundielicious area.
    I’m also writing for fellow atheists.  Maybe they’ll get a kick out of something I say or maybe they’ll get outraged about something else I say and do something to help change things.
    I hope some of my audience is religious.  Most of my friends are theists of some flavor or another.  But they are liberal theists and they are often surprised and disgusted by how fundies treat nonbelievers.  I figure that liberal theists might take up the cause and protest the wacky fundie hooha that is going on if only it were pointed out to them.  A lot of the things that irritate us also irritate them but they may not be as “in the loop” as we are on some issues.   So I’ve taken it upon myself to fill them in.
     

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  5. Jon on August 31st, 2009 at 9:44 pm

    @Kylyssa – what is this ‘wacky fundie hooha’ you speak of?

    Reply to this comment

  6. Renshia on September 1st, 2009 at 3:19 pm

    Wahoo!!! Kylyssa I think you have hooked one, hook line and sinker… Good luck with this one.

    Reply to this comment

  7. Jon on September 1st, 2009 at 4:43 pm

    Renshia – I’m amused by your play-by-play.  But I’d also like to hear from Kylyssa.

    Reply to this comment

  8. Renshia on September 1st, 2009 at 4:46 pm

    me too.

    Reply to this comment

  9. Kylyssa Shay on September 19th, 2009 at 12:08 pm

    Hmm, that notify me of followup comments dealie didn’t seem to work….
    Anyway, as to what wacky fundie hooha I’m speaking of – I’m talking about the fundamentalist Christian activities like campaigns against marriage equality and science based sex education, the campaigns to eradicate the teaching of evolutionary theory and some other scientific theories in public schools, and similar such antics.   I’m also talking about the pockets of America where it’s completely socially acceptable to discriminate against or harass non-Christians, and that sort of stuff.  And I’m talking about the religious child abuse/neglect items that have been getting into the news.  You know, the crazy, religion inspired garbage some fundies tend to do.

    Reply to this comment

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