Thursday, October 27, 2005

Blogging About Blogging

A few days ago I was thinking about my friend Jeff, who in my small and behind-the-trends world was "the original blogger." I didn't even know there was a Blogger.com until I found Jeff's blog, and his was the first I became addicted to--as well as the one that initially inspired me to start my own, though I didn't actually write a second entry until nine months after that. (The first entry was terrible...and the second wasn't much better...I'd like to think I've improved since then...)

Anyway, Jeff has always sort of marched to the beat of his own drummer--I like that about him. But one thing that I find completely mystifying is his disabling of the comments option on his blog. Several times I've read a post of his and wanted to comment--to say that it was funny, or that I could relate, or to just send a little note to say hi. But no one can leave comments on Jeff's blog.

I started thinking about that in light of the fact that most bloggers I know (myself included) live for comments on our blogs. We like the affirmation that someone is out there reading. We like it when people connect with what we've said. So I'm intrigued by his anti-comment attitude, and it makes me wonder: What does this say about us? And what does it say about Jeff?

Then I started thinking about blogs again after receiving an email from my friend Sara. This particular friend of mine is hilarious; in fact, the stuff she wrote while we were in college used to make me laugh out loud. So when I heard from Sara yesterday for the first time in months, I told her she needed a blog--thinking she would be the perfect blogger sort who would write witty and interesting posts for me to read. Her response:

I think having a blog can often be pretentious. *oh my gosh, I think I just heard something in heavens explode.* ...Sometimes I read a person's blog and I just think, "wow, this person comes across as self-involved." I guess I just feel that some thoughts are meant to be kept, not shared. Especially in this age of information overload. And frankly, most people (and their thoughts) aren't as important as they tend to think they are :-)

Well hmm. She did say that she didn't include my blog, or the blogs of her other friends, in her classification of pretentious blogs (or at least that's what she told me to make me feel better :) But she got me thinking. So far I have nothing more profound than "hmm. interesting."

5 comments:

Elizabeth said...

i also "hmmmm" interesting thought

Kayla said...

I would tend to agree with her on the fact that some people write random and sometimes critical blogs just to stand out and get attention even if it's negative. But I, and the blogs I read, are not wrote for the glam and fuss of others to mull over our thoughts and stories, it's just a friend jotting down what's going on so their other friends can check it out and they don't have to call them all indiviually and repeat a story 5 times. As for the comments, it's an easy way to find out what advice or stories your friends have in return and it IS exciting to see them! I don't think your friend was trying to say your blog was self involved by any means, but it's not always WHAT comments are shared, it's WHY they are shared that's really more important I think. Are you talking to your friends or are you hoping for attention to fuel your self ego? (Most people who receive spam blog from someone that they are not blogging to in the first place set up word verification so they don't continue to get that negative attention) That's just my thought on blogging.

Jackie said...

ahh if you didn't have a blog .. Amy my dear.. I'd be bored out of my mind! :) haha I find myself longing to read about what else is happening in Amy's "mudane" life! I love to read about how you are growing spiritually .. and I tend to learn many things a long the way! SO all of that craziness to say, I love you and I love your blog so don't stop writting! :)

Nick Benoit said...

Ha, ha! Touche. Yes, I'm sorry I didn't comment. I almost left one when I first read it and hesitated, knowing I had more to say than should wisely be included in a comment.

I was actually in a big hurry when I wrote my entry. Otherwise I would have clued you in. I may add a link back to your text actually.

Thanks for reading!

Winz said...

hey i liked this post. especially because i myself wondered a lot on what is it thats so 'wow' about blogs.
we put

you got some interesting posts :)
cheers /Winz