Blogging on the way out.....or at least that's what I said.

I attended a wedding this weekend, and received a request to run someone's site.....mind you, not an established site, but a site that would be a very recognizable domain name in "The City".
I think the real reason I was asked is because a few years back the individual bought the domain looking to have the "actual name" of said domain buy it from him.....eventually. Well, within months of him buying it (three years ago), the "actual name" of the domain changed their name/acronym. and is not interested in buying it. He asked I put a Blog there with a full set of forums related (ever so slightly) to the name (again, I think to get the "actual name" anxious to buy the domain from him).

I didn't bite, I told him (I think honestly) that it would be a waste of time. I told him that the biggest market segment that will utilize the fastest growing portion of the Internet is young people (NOT he and I). Young people are more into instant trends and communities (the reason the TERRIBLE looking and stalker ridden My Space is so popular). They are also into all things instant (notice the IM bar on the sidebar of almost every youth oriented site you go to). Yes there are many mobilization and RSS tools to put this info in a phone (or make it easier to get in one place), but the type of thing he wants to do (the type of thing I do right here) is on the way out.
There is no way the 8 posted replies I have in my Star Wars Episode III post is ever going to attract the masses like the latest YouTube video.
Forums have their place, and there are a ton of good ones out there, but the idea behind a forum driven site is falling away (as we know them now anyways). A site that just talks about ONE THING is a one trick pony, and unless it's the latest trend, it's relegated to the geeks who are into that one thing. If you even do find a good forum driven site, it's often filled with extremely fanatic fanboys of the topic in question, and unless your willing to bow down to some of them, you'll never be anything but a "newb". Gone are the communities of just a few years ago where you could go and ask a question about something and within a few hours get a NUMBER of solutions to your problem. I blame Google for this, a quick search of problems with your particualr mp3 player will often result in a solution in the first page of results. Not a bad thing, but a less personal one.
Speaking of personal, for my tastes places like MySpace and You Tube are TOO personal. I mean it's nice to get anime' episodes on YouTube that my daughter can't find anywhere stateside, but the personal message videos are stomach churning. My Space is blocked at the router. What are these kids going to think just a few years from now if they go for a job and have a potential employer or girl/boyfriend reject them because they remembered them from a break-up video from two years ago?.....wiggy!

I usually don't ask for suggestions, but I'd like to know your thoughts on this stuff.

BTW, if you want to see some GOOD online communites, just use the links I have on the right.