Why Blog?

by Peter Saint-Andre

2002-05-29

I like the (new?) guest entries at DaveNet. The first one I read was by Adam Curry on the assassination of Pim Fortuyn. The latest is a personal look at blogging by Edward Cone. Although I still think he's too focused on how blogging differs from standard journalism (which I forgive because he is a journalist), I like it when he says people blog because they can. It's cheap, it's fun, and you can immediately get your thoughts out onto the net to a worldwide audience. Not that most people's thoughts are worthy of a worldwide audience, but who really cares? As long as you can reach the people you want to reach or who have an interest in you or your projects, that's all that matters. (BTW, for those with more available time than I have, here is a long and seemingly interesting analysis of the blogosphere; link courtesy of GeekPress.)

One thing I like about blogging that I've missed when writing all the words on my websites is the personal voice, both in my own blog and in those of others. I've made more personal connections with other people through blogging -- they learn about me as a person, and I learn about them (though one of my sisters said she learned a lot about me by poring over my websites!). I'm not sure that I would find that simply by visiting people's static websites. This also ties in with the relative immediacy of weblogs. Sure, much of what people blog about is ephemeral, but you know what? Life is ephemeral. We might as well get used to it. Striving for meaning that lasts is as important to me as anyone, but I recognize that most of life is as fleeting as the wind. Relax, let go, and live it.


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