The Narcissistic Nature of Blogging ...
February 9, 2005 at 5:40 PM
by Ashleigh
So, why do we do it? Is it a purely narcissistic action taken to admire ourselves? Or does blogging fulfil some deeper need in people to catalogue their daily lives regardless of how trivial they might seem?
Can anyone be honest in a blog? If you know that your friends and family will read it then you must indulge in some sort of censorship to avoid hurting their feelings, or if you don't, then keep your blog entirely private from friends and family. If you do disclose personal feelings in your blog are you out to hurt people's feelings or are you using the blog as the tool it is meant to be - an online journal.?
Lots of questions I know. And I still can't answer myself about whether I feel as though I'm being overly self-involved by having a blog :)
It's interesting, isn't it, this business of typing away and sending your experience and thoughts out into goodness knows where, to be read (if at all) by goodness knows whom?
Maybe there's something narcissistic about it, but when we're all so busy and separate, I have found blogging uplifting and comforting because it's brought me into contact with interesting people who are as interested in my doings as I am in theirs. When I'm too busy or tired for a social life, this is a pick-me-up.
I'm at a different stage of life from you, with my almost-19-year-old son out in the world, and the job predominant, so I am glad that you are willing to share your life with me. I'm an expat too, and enjoy needlework too. One of my brothers lives in Holland with his Dutch wife and small son, and several of my colleagues are from SA and Zimbabwe. How many degrees of separation?!
I suppose the reasons why we read blogs are as varied as the reasons why we write them. I am enjoying catching up on yours, and love some of the pieces you've made!
November 3, 2006 8:39 PM