It's been a while since I commented on bloggers but thought I'd share a few thoughts. Seems to me that you can basically divide bloggers into two main categories:
1. Socially Awkward
2. Socially Outgoing
These two very different types of bloggers use blogging for different reasons. The Socially Awkward (SA) blogger uses his or her blog to talk about things that they want to talk about. They use a blog to do this as this way there is no need to mess with the whole "rules" of interacting socially. For example, if I want to discuss, in real life, say, why I think everyone should have to wear Mickey Mouse ears or the mating habits of Tibetan swallows then it's difficult for the SA to steer the conversation in that direction or the process and effort involved getting there isn't worth it. With a blog one can simply blurt out the topic with no need for a preamble or "social dance". However, on occasions I have been known to walk up to friends and say things like "So, if I was bitten and turning into a zombie, how would you take me down?"
The Socially Outgoing (SO) blogger has a different purpose. They use the blog to further their social network, or simply just shout about every problem, accomplishment, wish, desire, need and thought from the day. It can be almost like an online diary, or something crafted to show the humor in everyday life. Topics are discussed in a day-by-day fashion in that what actually happened today fuels the discussion of an important issue or memory from the past. The SA blogger is more likely ruminating on a topic for a week or month before posting what they eventually thought was worthy. The SO blogger tends not to plan so much but is able to self-motivate and just allow daily happenings to aid their creative process.
It's difficult to say but my first thought is that even in these two categories one can't state that either is particularly anti-social or doesn't enjoy the "social dance" that I loosely define as real life conversation. However, I suggest that blogging is another tool to connect to others (or a tool to just get things off their mind or chest) and whatever the individuals preferred method is in real life situations is carried over into their blogging type.
4 comments:
Excellent post! And I resemble one of those remarks! :)
Interesting thoughts. I'm definitely not socially outgoing but I'd say my blogging pattern fits your description of the SO type. Strange.
And for the record: It would have to be a head shot. It's the only true stopper.
Oh gawd, I sort of fit into both categories. Can we have a third section, just for me? We could name it after the psychiatrist's notes in that far side cartoon, "Just plain nuts!" Or maybe "just plain shite" would be more appropriate...
This is an excellent point!
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