Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Blogging makes independent???? Doubtful


A friend pointed me towards a magazine on which cover you will find prominently displayed the headline “Blogging makes Independent”. Phhhh the blogging community goes. That statement is wrong. It is just wrong on so many levels. If something makes you addicted it is blogging. Hence you’re no longer independent. Day after day one sits in front of one‘s computer. Reading blogs. Commenting on blogs and writing blog posts. And if you’re not blogging you think about blogging. No sooner than you have finished doing something you start to ponder if it was blog-worthy and you get upset if you forgot to bring a camera to capture that very blog-worthy moment.

Blogposts when it is snowing, posts about good TV programs, posts about the lack thereof, blogposts about blogposts about blogposts. And why do we do this to ourselves? Is it an addiction? The urge to communicate? Are we crazy? Is it some form of exhibitionism or narcism?

You gotta blog day or night, rain or shine. You’re obsessed with watching your stat counter. Who came to read your blog last and when, how long did they stay and why did they leave? It is all about content, content, content and you are profoundly addicted. Somebody check me into Promises or some other facility. On second thought, please don’t. I might meet somebody famous and start blogging again. It is crazy but I love it and it is the right form of outlet for me. In real life I am not the most outgoing person and I have always been able to express myself better in writing so after all this may be the right thing for me. It has allowed me to make friends that I would have otherwise never met and I am deeply grateful for that. This blog originally started out as a little blip in the universe with pictures for my closest friends and has turned into a real personal diary last year and all I can say is that I am really having fun. And while not all is always well in bloggerland I still would not want to miss it.

What was your reason to take up blogging and when did you start? Is it therapeutic for you or do you just enjoy writing?

20 comments:

Don Mills Diva said...

You hit the nail on the head - I am in the throes of a full-blown addiction!

misguidedmommy said...

shes come undone is another i want to revisit at some point i read it when i was 15

AutoSysGene said...

Wow, and I thought it was weird of me when I was dreaming of writing a post last night...I guess I'm just normal after all. This post was so dead on!!

I'm a lousy writer, I just like to make people laugh. If I manage to do that 50% of the time I think I did ok.

Blogging also helps me process. Putting words on virtual paper can make things clearer for me in a few minutes than worrying about something for days.

PrincessPolly said...

Many reasons - I enjoy writing, it's therapeutic, and I like sharing. when i feel like something is unjust (like what happened to me tonight) or someone has hurt me in particular, i want to share.

House of Jules said...

All of the above!
Jules
House of Jules

Corey~living and loving said...

ummm yeah....It is very addicting. I started because I had some friends doing it....now I am crazier than them. LOL

Danielle Athanas said...

I took it up about 6 years ago I think. I started on LiveJournal and hated the format so I switched to blogger. I do it because I enjoy writing. I read other people's blogs to mostly see how they're doing, but also because 99% of the blogs I read have genuinely interesting topics or good writers (there's one I read that's mildly boring and has bad grammar, but I knew the girl in college so I read hers to see how she's doing). :)

Melisa Wells said...

I started because my sister told me to. :)

Seriously, she suggested the blog as a good method for publicizing my book, and as you know, I started my second blog so I could write about all the non-book stuff. It is very difficult to step away from it sometimes, though I DO manage to get way more done in my house if I can avoid posting for a day! :)

Stephanie said...

I think it is addicting and I don't understand why I find myself in a funk ever. I always have tons on my mind and should easily be able to write about it. I think I started about a year and a half ago. It is an out and I definitely enjoy it.

Uncommon Blonde said...

I am so with you on this one! I am totally addicted to both writing posts and reading blogs! I even talk about blogging when I'm with my friends. I started kind of randomly but I have found it's a fun way to express my inner sarcasm and just share my life in general. I also love that I have a blogger friend in Germany!

Unknown said...

Started blogging a LONG time ago when I quit a job where I taught classes and I wanted people to be able to "stay in touch".
Then I just continued like a journal.
I'm not blog-cessessed but I know many people who are!

Maggie Moo said...

What's up homeslice? :)

I started blogging b/c the boy I was dating had a blog and I was curious. One I started getting readers that I didn't know in real life, I was addicted. Plus, I love the idea of having a place to write whatever I want. And now, people amuse me. :)

eeore said...

yep it does get in the blood - but hey! there are worse ways to spend your time:)

M. said...

Just wanted to let everyone know what i was up to - so much easier when you have a large family and kids, and scattered relatives...

however...

yes, I'm addicted....

and now i have to blog about your blog. haha.

cube said...

Good post. Thought-provoking. I ask myself the very same questions.

I began blogging when my husband sort of dared me into it. He made some comment about how I'm talking about blogging, and not actually blogging. That's when The BLOG was born.

I have always written. I find that I can't not write. Blogging just gave me an outlet to let others see what's in my head.

As far as addiction goes, I surely enjoy blogging, but on those days when I have nothing witty to say, I just recharge my batteries until I do.

Anonymous said...

I know how you feel. I am considering taking my PC to Ecuador. I don't think I could go 2weeks with out blogging!

NerdyRedneck Rob said...

For me, I have always seen stuff everyday that makes me laugh. Often times it was not intended to make me laugh, I just see the humor in it anyway. (The show 24 is a GREAT example, I laugh so hard at that corny over the top show and it is NOT intended to be a comedy!) Then when you try to explain to people how funny something you just saw is they don’t get it and just think you have issues.

Anyway, blogging has allowed me an outlet, so now when I suddenly realize the Pillsbury Doughboy is gay I don’t try to tell people any more, I write it down and share it then I don't have to laugh alone anymore!

It's nice to have people to laugh with!

Thanks for coming by and laughing with me Kat!

ALF said...

found your site from Melissa over at Hope for the Hopeless - just wanted to say hi!

I started blogging because a friend encouraged me to share my stories with more people. I like to write and sometimes I think I'm the only one who is amused by my blog but that's ok...

kat said...

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and sharing why you like to blog. It was great to read how you started or what is driving you to blog.

Don Mills Diva I can relate because so am I.

Misguided Mommy It is a great book. I will definitely read it again.

Melissa Wow you even dream about blogging?

PrincesspollyWhen something occurs that is unjust I feel like I need to let the world know too.

Jules *lol*

Corey Yes I know what you mean and it gets a bit more crazy everyday.

Danielle Six years is a long time and not unlike you I get a kick out of reading other blogs.

Melisa Listen to what Jules says. Your talent would have been totally wasted had you not taken up blogging.

Steph...and I am glad you enjoy it so I always have something to read :)

Uncommon Blonde I totally agree with you and I am glad to have found you too.

Spazzgirl..and a nice journal at that. Your stories crack me up and your scrapbooking is amazing.

MagsWell if that isn't a reason to take up blogging :o) and I am so glad you did.

Transfattyacid Yes apart from the timeconsuming habit I'd rather blog than watch TV thats dumbing me down.

Paper Propaganda That's exactly why I started blogging too. And just blog away.

Cube Well thank you. It is not often I come up with thought-provoking stuff hehe. Great blog btw.

Patty yep you know you're addicted when you gotta take your laptop with you everywhere :)

Rob I totally get what you mean. I love to laugh with you not at you and your blog is amusing me no end and to most of the geek stuff I can totally relate.

AlfWelcome to my humble blog then. Glad you have found me because I just checked out your blog and I do love finding new blogs to read and fuel my addiction.

Flea said...

Ugh. I HATE that I'm addicting to reading and posting. Everyone out here is just so much fun. It's almost like being able to flip channels between comedies, soap operas and talk shows, whenever I want without TIVOing.

I started blogging because we'd just moved halfway across the country and left all our friends. My husband suggested it as a way of keeping in touch and polishing my writing skills. I don't think I'd even really read any blogs prior to last February. But now I'm hooked.