23 February 2003 20:49
so has anybody figured out why this blogging business is so popular? shoot, it's not even in the dictionary yet. neither marriem webster or oxford english have it. i had to go to a random internet glossary site (here) to find it. "Short for web log; usually a chronological record of thoughts, links, events, or actions posted on the web." so people are recording their thoughts online eh? wha'ts the big deal about that?here's my personal opinion (hey, this is the next best thing to hard facts). people like blogging because they can express themselves however they feel like. they can talk as long as they like or as little as they like. it's a one-sided conversation in which they can brag up on themselves while avoiding anything by way of criticism from their conversation partner. now this purpose is almost defeated through the purpose of "comments", but since people are usually too lazy to comment, you can often go for days blogging without any interference whatsoever. try doing that in the real world my friend, it can't be done. you'll be halfway through your first sentance saying, "i think that..." when suddenly you're cut off by another person saying, "you're wrong, i think it's this way." see? i would never have gotten past "here's my personal opinion" at the start of this paragraph before getting some smart aleck comment regarding my first words. instead i've been given unimpeded feeling to rant and rave all i want. the beauty of it is, the reader can take it or leave it, it's up to them.
so is blogging "good"? you could consider it vanity, posting something believing that people are going to read it because it's such good material. i happen to find blogging VERY relaxing. but then people i correspond with have probably realized that what i post is much like what i email. there is a very important exception though, i actually post what i often wouldn't email. when i email someone, i take into consideration what i think they will value. and i don't go on and on from my point of view, but i try to work them in with questions etc, so that they will respond in kind and we can maintain dialouge (whatever that means ;) ). but when i blog, i'm spouting what i want to hear. i expound on a topic much like a loud and obnoxious person would in a gathering. but whereas that loud and obnoxious person comes across as.. well, loud and obnoxious, and nobody listens to his exposé, on the other hand, people read my blogs. for starters, they're doing it voluntarily, that helps with reception a lot. second, they read at their liesure, it's like i've published a book three paragraphs long, that's been highly recommended to them by their aquaintence with the author. after reading the "book," they can say thumbs up or down as they please. meanwhile, i as the author am attempting to generate "sales" counted by the number of people actually reading. and personally, if i connect with just one person out of my half dozen or more current readers, that's good enough with me. i can console my wounded vanity by considering eveybody else to be losers.. no offense =).
so we write blogs for much the same reasons poeple write books. not to establish one on one communication, but to make public the knowledge/wisdom of one individual. it boils down to the sharing of information, but on a completely different level of communication. there. i have said my piece. and now i send my book off to be published :).
ps, regarding why i find blogging relaxing: it is so becuase i can vent whatever's on my mind and have reasonable confidence that somebody's listening. up til this point i've always done that in emails to people, but if the reciever doesn't understand, it still gives me a feeling of loneliness. with blogging, i don't necessarily recieve confirmation that i've scored an understanding ear, but there's always hope :). what i don't know can't kill me. so i continue to vent in emails to my close friends, but blogging is handy for the topics that don't seem to fit any particular person or that i want to share with more than one person.
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