Friday, 4 December 2009

Do you have to be self obsessed to write a blog?

One of my friends in all innocence said that she could not ever write a blog as she was not self obsessed enough. Which made me start wondering; the obvious how self obsessed I am but also whether it is an interest in yourself that makes you write. Or is it a need to get the incessant internal dialogue out without boring people. Alternatively or boring them but as they are reading from a distance you don't know.

Or is it self reflection; a real kind of diary or journal writing when one notes the actions and thoughts of the day; mostly for yourself, maybe a little for posterity and maybe some to be 'out there. Of course the latter is the most alarming concept and leads to the thought that all bloggers are exactly blatant attention seekers, including the author herself.

Now of course this is not wholly true, as we tend to be computer nerdy types who sit in our quiet rooms on our own with our incessant internal dialogues rather than out on Big Brother or trying to get footballers. Although it may just be that we are uglier. But of course that is not true as I have yet to meet a scary faced blogger nevertheless it is a thought.

What do you think? Not of me. of course, but of blogging as a form of self obsession?

8 comments:

Karin F. said...

Is it really self obsession? I think not! Nor is it incessent.
To my way of thinking,a blog is a modern published journal. And since no one is being forced to read it, then the blog author can't be said to be an attention seeker, blatant or otherwise.
How many of us could afford to publish our diaries in which we have kept a record of our thoughts or doings? And having said that, how many of us would or could afford to spend money to buy the amount of journals that some of us read.
I think perhaps your friend is merely trying to find a facile answer as to why she isn't able to write one.

Bev said...

Well said Karin, touch harsh but so true about published journals. No way!

J said...

lol, You're asking a bunch of folk who write blogs if they are self-obsessed? you know the answers going to come back no!

In probability though, maybe if we are being quite honest there is a touch of that sin "pride" because of what we do, but thats the worst I should imagine.

We like the thought that someone is reading our blogs, we count them to see how many visit or follow us, and perhaps get dissapointed if they stop doing so. But thats the worst it gets.

As Karin says, no-one makes them read them and they are only an on-line type of diary, all be it one that interacts and asks for opinions.

If this means you're thinking of slowing down or stopping again then don't, its a laugh keeping up with what you and others get on with!

Sandra Morris said...

Yes, you're asking the wrong people.

Are bloggers self obsessed?

Absolutely, definitely NOT!

Perish the thort.....

PS Glad Bill was found safe and sound

Grey Area said...

oh really?....mind you... I'm the most self-obsessed person I know...

Bev said...

Apparently I'm worse - even fonts set me off!

Karin F. said...

I'm OK with fonts but really obsessed with some spellings, and/or grammar....
Guess I just read too many blogs to want to strain my eyes reading a one paragraph post.

Great original post and nice to read about your part of the world as well as what your family gets up to. Hope you continue to stay as self obsessed as you have been. LOL
Tell your friend she just doesn't have a full life until or unless she gets into blogs, facebook, twitter etc....all social networks! It's just that blogging takes more writing skills.
~~my story & I'm sticking to it!~~

wani said...

Not all bloggers are self-obsessed but I did come across some blogs that clearly scream "Attention-seeking" and not in a good way.

Nice post here. I googled "self-obsesed" (yeah because I'm a brain surgeon and all that) and I landed here.