Bella wrote:
Hi Fran,
you seem to have your mind set against it
There's no reason why I should have my mind set for it--blogging is
purely optional.
,But one thing you wrote I felt needed to be explained, at least for the
benefit of others if not for yourself. It's not strangers you talk to about your
"day" (unless you
choose to) - you get to choose who sees your posts by setting up filters.
I've looked at LiveJournal--I had an account for one day to research
what it was about--and I've run across a great many blogs on the net
while looking for other things. It's not like I've never read a blog, or
that the concept is new to me. But, have you ever seen the quote by
computer scientist Robert Wilensky:
"We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters
will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks
to the Internet, we know this is not true."
Although some people produce blogs like editorial columns,
professionally done and with real content, overall, the amount of sheer
drivel on the Internet is overwhelming. I understand well that the
human urge to communicate is fairly universal. It's the driving force of
most of my life, in one way or another. What is opaque to me is the
blurring of public and private boundaries. I've seen a great many
blogs--they are by no means all on LiveJournal or private--with lengthy
recitals about the weather that day, someone's feelings about events
only important to them and their intimate circle, and on and on. And my
reaction is,_who cares_? I think things like that should be restricted
to a private diary--though I don't keep one--or to a handful of truly
intimate friends and relations.
Obviously anyone is free to post anything they want. Me included. But,
the corollary is a lot of people won't read it, me included (nor do I
expect everyone to hang on my lips either). Hey, I've got a couple of
hundred really good, professionally written books sitting on my to-read
pile, and I've got several on my to-write pile. To me, getting involved
with my own or anyone else's written recitals about daily trivia and
their feelings about it is a sheer waste of time.
But I'm not a chat person, apparently particularly in comparison to most
women (as opposed to men). Years ago I quit going to the kind of parties
where people stand around and talk to each other because I was spending
most of them holed up in the host's bedroom (hoping they wouldn't come
in and think I was up to something seriously weird with their underwear
drawer) reading a good book (I take one everywhere I go).
Fran
Lavolta Press
http://www.lavoltapress.com
Anyone can have dozens
of strangers on their friends list if they so choose, but limit any entry to
only a few select
people if they want to.
I started off on LJ by adding only people (adding to my 'friends list') with
whom I had already
communicated with on some level in 'normal' mailing lists like this one. Then,
through them, I met
others with whom I have common interests. I'm happy to say I've made some
friends I would
otherwise never have met, and have goten to know them and they me. Next year
when I go to europe
I'll have people whith whom I share a love of fine fabrics and costuming and
with whom I can meet
and go shopping! I can think of nothing better when visiting a strange country
then to have
somebody there who is not a complete stranger welcome me and show me wherethe
'locals' shop and
eat. I'm looking forward to it a lot. :-)
Bella
--- Lavolta Press <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Obviously many people on the net are into this, it's just not my cup of
tea. Ever since I graduated from college, I've spent at least 40 hours
a week communicating with people as a profession. That leaves me with
little interest in doing it recreationally. I learned long ago that if
I have a good idea or good information, some one will always pay me for
it. If it's not a good idea or good information, it's better just to
keep it to myself. I can't imagine telling strangers on the net all
about my "day," nor can I imagine why any of them would have the
slightest interest in any of my days, or in my feelings.
Fran
____________________________________________________
The LOST Ninja blog: Exclusive clues, clips and gossip.
http://au.blogs.yahoo.com/lostninja
_______________________________________________
h-costume mailing list
[email protected]
http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
_______________________________________________
h-costume mailing list
[email protected]
http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
