Why would anyone blog?
Someone asked me recently why I blog—it’s an intrusion to privacy, it’s says very little if you exclude juicy personal details, and most of all it’s an obligation that “controls your life”, he said.
Now, I’ve sworn never to write self-referential philosophical blahblah about, of all things, blogging, but really, why do we blog?
Speaking just for myself, as someone who doesn’t blog for profit, work, a coherent agenda or life-revealing attention, this space is simply my space.
It’s a notepad, it’s a drafting board, it’s a place for organising a semblance of thought.
It isn’t about contributing to the cacophony online. Goodness knows we have enough blogs as it is.
But writing for a living, sometimes you realise what a blunt axe deadlines can be to so-called creativity and expression; when speed is first priority and work comes bearing down, something’s got to give—often, it’s quality.
You can call it freedom of expression or any of that new-agey mumbo jumbo, but in this space, what I write is separate from work. And able to be elevated above writing that belongs to any corporation.
I’d like to think that that’s what makes most people begin blogging. Like the top tier of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs perhaps where, all other needs below, the writer writing may be existing in that space of self-actualization for just those precious moments.
You are what you blog. You blog therefore you are. :) But for the sake of discussion, before blogs came about, what alternative avenues did you use for expression; for “self actualization”? Were they inadequate? And taking it further, was the public nature of a blog the element you needed to fully self actualize, or give you that buzz of getting there? And even then, is a blog adequate still? Don’t burst a blood vessel in your brain. :P
Hmm, what I’m saying is: why would the blog have to be a replacement for something one did before? It isn’t a suspension of life or ‘better things’, and it doesn’t have to be for a purpose. Or coherent agenda, as I said.
The public nature of a blog is an element of it. I don’t know if that gives me a buzz, so to speak, and I’m sure it does for many, but I see it as a subconscious part of it, not the sum of its parts.
And I don’t think anything is truly adequate for self-actualization—I didn’t meant blogging was for that, but I likened it to the space because to me it’s done when everything other ‘need’ below the pyramid is not crying for attention.
I don’t think anyone can do just one thing perpetually for fulfilment.
People love expressing their feelings. We did it so with journals, phones, actual videos played over the bulky 29″ TV with friends and family on a Saturday night, photographs, etc. We still do the same. Except the medium is different. We do it today with blogs, MSN/ Skype, YouTube, Flickr, etc. I don’t think the blog is a replacement at all. We’re still doing the same ol thing…
Just differently. And a hell lot faster.
Does that tie us back to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs? Of course it does. The question is, what doesn’t?
I wrote something similar a while go. Have a read if you like. :)
http://blankanvas.bypatlaw.com/?p=449
Don’t mean to spam, but OMG to my typo! I meant to say “ago” not “go”.
As my company’s Digital Media Expert put it, blogging is part of the new digital media “egosystem.” You serve yourself primarily. :P
Roo> Of course you serve yourself—that was the point of this post! :|
patlaw> Nice one, thanks for linking up to that. (A way more thought-out presentation compared to this post, for sure.)
great topic, Vic…i delayed starting a blog for quite awhile until i realized that i just had to write stuff that was MY OWN. cuz i write professionally, and it’s really like cooking at a restaurant, u sizzle 800 bowls of noodles a week or whatever. u just want to CUT LOOSE. yes, the volume of noise out there, plus all the bloggies who have hundreds of comments and blah blah blah, ultimately it’s…well, here’s what i wrote, at:
http://squidboy323.livejournal.com/
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I blog, therefore I am
All blogs must have focal points else they lose the plot and because so much word-salad being tossed around the cybersphere, fluffy space-junk that escapes Earth’s orbit and drifts aimlessly into eternity, praying for an asteroid to relieve the tedium of endless black void.
This blog is primarily about me and secondarily about Hong Kong, and my travels from Hong Kong. It’s a way for friends and family to see what I’m up to, check some pix, get a laugh. Sometimes my life in “exotic Asia” isn’t chock-a-block thrilla-dilla: I live much like any professional anywhere, get up, drink coffee, go to work, go to the gym, meet pals for lunch, blah x 3. I had a tough week at work, ya wanna hear about it? I’m off this week and organizing my optical discs and paperwork, wanna hear about that? Doubtful, but I am living an interesting existence, work is fine, life is better, Hong Kong is still grimy and expensive and I like it, and I like getting on a plane and heading off for an adventure.
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that’s it. thanks again Vic.
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