I had to leave work today because my vocal cords virtually stopped functioning. This does not make talking on the phone in any way easy. And we were busy. I plan to go to the ER in a bit because it has been two weeks since I was able to talk normally.
So I was reading the comments to
this post on
John Allison's blog and I was struck by a quote:
Then again, who's to say Blogger isn't just the 21st century version of reading aloud from your diary?
. While I dont completely disagree with this statement, I dont totally agree. Yes, blogs are essentially diaries where you pour your most intimate thoughts/feelings into, but being on the internet they are there for anyone and everyone to read. It is quite a masturbatory endeavor. There is always the sense of
performance when you know that people will be reading what you write. There's the "what to share, what not to share" aspect because you cant always know who is reading. There are places like
Live Journal, where you can set up friend's lists and only allow those people to view what you write, but I think that might be worse being as how you know exactly who will be reading. I dont post in my LJ, so I cant really comment on that from experience. A blog is something much more than a diary ever was, its like putting on your own play whilst naked in the rain.
6 Comments:
Hi there, I stumbled upon your blog via John Allison's.
I think the big difference between a blog and a simple "public diary" can be use.
I definitely use my blog to vent feelings and for personal (masturbatory?) "talking it out" and "screaming on the internet" but it's also good for announcements, reviews/critiques of things, and such.
It's one part diary and one part newspaper.
Hi!
It's one part diary and one part newspaper.
I agree with that statement.
I still choose the word masturbatory because (and I cant speak for anyone but myself) there is something self-gratifying about being able to vent in public like this. Knowing that people are reading, can be a big turn on and makes you want to write more. The anonimity (spelled wrong I know) can also be a turn on, or empowering, depending on your standpoint. Also, there is also the great feeling of release (relief?) when venting something particularly frusterating.
The whole thing can be very ego-stroking, and well, masturbatory.
I swear its not just because I havent had any in a while that Im pulling out all the sexual references! I swear!
Ooh. Another accidental scarygorounder!
Thank God. I thought I was alone...
Hi!
Christophe, you make it seem like it was a bad thing.
Was it all the masturbatory references? Did I go too far?
Nah. I was just doing a skit on an old Bill Hicks sketch...
Ever hear the one where he appeals to the audience about his watching of the programme "Cops"... High-larious stuff altogether.
Nah, it's been great, keep it lewd my dear.
I have never heard of Bill Hicks. I lead a sheltered life.
