The role of the blogger

Now here’s something I’d like to hash out a bit.

What is the role of the blogger?

There are enough blogs out there writing about intensely personal day-to-day stuff to suggest that the role of the blog is nothing more than an online Dear Diary.
Then there are political blogs, commenting on and making observations about current affairs. The role of the blogger here on Thought Leader is more journalist.
And then there are compendium blogs, listing the best of the best, serving as a portal to other websites or a home for people of a similar nature.

If only that were all!

But then there are also opinion blogs, funny blogs, photo blogs, nonsense blogs, the list goes on and on.

In the midst of all this content, what’s a blogger to do? How does one define one’s role?

I suppose it depends, in part, on the reader. And seeing as Thought Leader readers seem to have strong opinions on most things, I’m curious: What do you see as the role of the blogger?

Something to throw comments at? Something to engage with? Something to infuriate you? Why do you read blogs?

For me, if I had to define it, I think I’d say…observation.

The role of the blogger is to observe the world we live in.

What do you think?