The more I think about it, the more I realize that I am not quite the usual “blogging” type. I have a lot that I could say, but not as much that I would actually prefer to share.
The typical bloggers that I notice most often are the same folk that tend to contribute their five-times-a-day Twitter and Facebook updates, all regarding topics that further profess how self-centered they really are. And for some odd reason people actually pay attention to these self-important ramblings. I could write a paragraph or two or five pages on how I stubbed my big toe on the door and it hurt like hell (maybe it’s even broken!), or my entire meal plan for the day to act like I’m being healthy when in fact I’m actually going to have a cheeseburger, or any of the other thousands of problems I deal with each and every day that no one may know about. But, in reality, who in their right mind is truly going to care? Are other random blog-writers that I have never met and probably never will meet actually going to care about the trivial things that I encounter on a day-to-day basis? Probably not. They just read for something to do, and comment to show that they are a nice person and that you should read their writings.
I know I tend to be a bit pessimistic at times, as anyone who knows me well would say the same, but the way I see it, I’m not here to toot my own horn when it’s not meant to be, or to boost anyone else up when it’s not deserved. If I go to read someone’s writings, and all it is is someone complaining that they put on five pounds, or celebrating themselves because they started a “diet”, and it goes on for about 4 paragraphs, I cannot honestly say that I would enjoy what I was reading, or even care. It would just be a waste of space where something creative could possibly go.
I’m afraid I will just have to continue wondering what the draw is to these certain types of blogs. What is so intriguing? Why does a complete stranger even care? And why do they decide to post comments as if they have known the writer for years? I will never understand, and will continue to be annoyed by the whole thing.
Mike • January 26, 20103:53 am
OMG!!!! I TOTALLY know what you’re talking about! Like this one time, I was hurt real bad, and told everyone about it, and everyone commented and it was like totally amazing.
No, but I know what you’re saying; hence, my little ‘experiment.’
Mel • February 11, 20101:11 am
While I enjoy the comments and camaraderie that comes from the blogging community, I mostly write to get things off my chest. It’s never really been about pleasing an audience. It’s what I might write in a journal if I wrote in one… To a certain extent. It’s more censored. For instance, I can’t talk crap about people I know in real life that also know about that blog (like MIKE! lol….).
If you’ve never heard of her, you should look at dooce.com. She had MILLIONS of readers. Which I would never want. It would take away the meaning for me…
Elly • February 11, 20109:52 pm
I think for me, blogging is an equal mix of wanting to connect with people, and wanting to express/share/live my life openly and honestly. But mostly, I write for me. I think that if I’m excited about a new diet, or that I stubbed/broke my toe then okay, that’s my life as I’m living it. If I wish to share than on my blog, then that’s cool. I’m not hurting anyone by doing so, and I’m not forcing anyone to read what I write.
I think there are a alot of bloggers out there, and they are all diverse and different. Pretty much a reflection of how it is in real life. It’s accepted that you won’t like everyone you meet in RL, and I’m pretty sure that you won’t like every blog you read. If a blog annoys you, don’t read it. There are many other blogs to read, and I’m sure you’ll find blogs that you like written by people you might not hate.
And after a while, maybe, after you’ve been reading a persons blog, and they’ve been reading yours, leaving comments, reading about their life, looking at each others photos photos and tweeting, messaging, txting back and forth, they somehow aren’t a complete stranger anymore. You may not know every little thing about their life, but you’ll know the important stuff. Just because you haven’t met them in “rl” doesn’t mean you don’t know them. Can’t help them, or be friends with them, or even care about them and theirs.
*shrug* This is turning out to be a bit of a novel, and that wasn’t my intention. I think what I’m trying to say is that just because you don’t understand how some people are, and the situations that they are in doesn’t mean you can’t, or won’t one day experience it for yourself.