A question posited & answered
Oct 25, 2002 Writing
From Pulp Friction: “Why do you blog? Why do you read blos?”
I blog because I’m an exhibitionist. It’s more fun to write for an audience although it’s also limiting. I write here much more often than I write in my journal although I censor myself more here. However, it’s good practice and keeps my brain working.
I read blogs because I’m a voyeur. It really bothers me that I can’t run around trying on other people’s lives. Reading blogs gives me glimpses, like riding around in a car on a dark night and looking into the lit windows of the houses I pass. The best blogs are thought-provoking and keep my brain working.
So it comes down to the need to give my sluggish mind a work-out and the need to fulfill my less savory peeping-tom, exhibitionist side.
In related commentary, isn’t it weird when you find out real live people you see in your everyday life are reading your blog? I’ve been freaked out a number of times when casual acquaintances will bring up something I’ve written about here but haven’t talked about out loud. I always forget that you all are actual living, breathing people.
October 25th, 2002 at 11:41 am
When I fly, I look down on the cities below & wonder, what are those people doing? I wonder where all the cars are headed. I guess that’s why I read blogs.
October 25th, 2002 at 12:57 pm
What a beautiful blog you have.
I too am a voyeur. I like to peek into the lives of others, so I read blogs.
October 25th, 2002 at 4:12 pm
I don’t think I’m a voyeur OR an exhibitionist, just that I have an urge to clear the muddle in my head by writing about it.
I like the idea of being an online celebrity but cringe at the idea that anyone from “real life” would read my weblog.
Funny what tricks we play with ourselves.
October 25th, 2002 at 11:30 pm
it was a bit disconcerting for me at first when i realized people in know in rl were readng my blog - but i got over it pretty quickly
October 26th, 2002 at 10:35 am
There are some real life friends who read my blog and I don’t mind…but some…I just don’t know that I want them to know quite so much about me.
Still, even with the friends I’m comfortable with, I will on occasion say something that I’ve written about in the blog, forgetting that they’ve already read it. And it gets awkward and confusing at times.
AND, to complicate things, sometimes I’ll talk about something like they already know about it, since I’ve written about it in the blog, and they’ll say “Um…what are you talking about?”
hahahaha
October 26th, 2002 at 11:41 pm
“looking into the lit windows of the houses I pass”
Yes, yes, yes. Exactly.