Before I get into the above question of "Why do we blog?", a few other questions come to mind; "Why do I keep coming back to the subject of blogging?", "Am I trying to figure out something myself or am I hoping in the process that someone out there will be challenged to evaluate their own blogging goals and then perhaps we can all become more effective bloggers?" I guess it's a little of both.
So any way; "Why do we blog?"
Some may do it just for the challenge of seeing how many hits they can get on their blog. Others may do it because it makes them feel like they have a little more of a voice, for in our current situation, it appears that our government isn't listening to what any of us are saying and the media is so darn biased that it appears that there is no such thing as freedom of speech any more. Still others may blog because they feel that it helps them get their feelings out and alleviates and relieves their stress. Perhaps too, blogging could be used as a temporary escape from the real world outside of the net. And then there are some of these idealists like myself, that are actually hoping that maybe by some amazing miracle, we can actually make an impact on our world. Let's look at some of these.
To Get as many Hits as Possible
You know, this reminds me of something that happens in churches. There are some churches that are highly evangelistic and are able to increase their attendance by amazing numbers, yet they have so many new believers among them that there is not enough leadership to keep up with it and though their numbers are impressive. These new Christians are not being discipled in order to grow as Christians. The focus from the pulpit is so often basic evangelism, or how to receive Christ and become a Christian, that they are never taught how to grow as Christians. The numbers are impressive, but the depth of growth and faith among them is not and some even fall away.
So what does this have to do with blogging? Well, sometimes I think that just because a blog has impressive hit numbers does not mean that the masses that are visiting the blog are touched deeply in a way that changes their life in some way. Hits can be shallow. Even if we can be sure, due to the fact that the visitor stayed awhile, that he or she must of read completely quite a few of the posts, even so, this still doesn't offer proof that the heart was deeply touched. Wouldn't it be preferable to deeply touch a few, than to touch large numbers, yet not very deeply?
I've even asked myself sometimes "Which is better; frequent posts that are done quickly without much thought or less frequent posts that require more thought, time, effort and energy to produce? Which has more of a chance of not just briefly touching, but actually Impacting those I touch? I guess a person could try and make daily posts of such a nature, but why add additional stress to our lives in order to keep up with such a demanding goal as this.
More of a Voice
This is a neat goal, yet in a way, it rises more questions, such as; "What does this voice hope to accomplish?" and "Even if this voice is both read and heard, has it changed anybody's heart and mind?" "Aside from just increasing the number of hits to our blog, how can we make our voices more effective?"
Alleviates Stress
That's nice and I suppose even worth while even in and of itself, yet is that all that we hope for, or is there more?
Make a Significant Impact
This is the real goal and if such is even remotely possible, perhaps even a little reasonable stress might be worth it.
Concluding Thoughts
Now, I realize that all people have a different voice, different styles and different gifts. There are some high energy types that have no trouble posting daily and have fun doing so. Each blog touches all of us in a slightly different way and I'm not so sure that the message in this post is for everyone, yet for those who are occasionally discouraged in their blogging, listen in and take heart. We each have a voice and yes, we can make a difference.
P.S. - Once I got thinking about what I had written, I realized that there is at least one commenter that writes on my blog occasionally that does not have a blog and I do not at all want him to feel left out. If anyone out there does not have a blog just give us your feed back. What do you look for in a blog? What do you think are the characteristics of a really good blog?
19 comments:
My blog was the end result of a writing job I had. I was hired as a conservative Op-Ed columnist for a couple of different local publications. I had friends that were interested in what it was that I was writing (something I've always had an affinity towards for no other real reason other than the fact that I enjoy it). Unfortunately, they didn't have access to the publications being that they lived in another locale.
Being a public policy and political wonk by nature, once the writing assignment ended, I continued the endeavor.
Funny, I never thought about the related question of how our blogs got started.
I was introduced to the blogging scene in a rather strange way. Shortly after the primary elections on Super Tuesday, I had been writing to the "Contact Us" page of Mitt Romney's web sight, but after he dropped out of the race, his "Contact Us" page ceased being available.
I wanted so badly to say something that I did a google search on the words "Mitt Romney Contact Us" and in doing so, found the "Contact Me" page of someone's blog who was supporting Mitt Romney. Prior to that time, I didn't even know what a blog was, but I was very intrigued by the new discovery.
I had been frustrated for quite some time by all the Pro-Life materials that I had been reading at the pregnancy center. It frustrated me to realize how much information on the subject there actually was and how little of it was known and understood by the general public. This was the main thing I was thinking of when I first decided to start my blog.
It was a liberal friend, well I thought at the time he was a friend, who had a blog and he encouraged me to start one. For me, it was a nice way to vent my thoughts, but I am thinking lately that it is a waste of my time doing it. I'll keep my comments available for anyone who might happen to come across my blog, but probably not add to it again. Then this guy Matt who recently started coming by will probably think he ended my career, but it is just a coincidence.
Now I will just blog around at other people's blogs for fun and different points of views.
Oh no, Beth! Now you've got me feeling bad because I haven't been by. For sure, your decision must be my fault and not Matt's, though deep down, I do know that I'm just being silly.
Maybe venting is a good enough reason to blog sometimes. When we're frustrated and tired, sometimes that's all we can do.
I'm so goal oriented at times that I totally stress myself and I need to give myself a break.
One thing that I keep reminding myself is that it is God, not us, who changes hearts and He can use our blogs if we are willing to submit them to Him and allow Him to direct a lot of what we post. Just follow His lead and leave the results part up to Him.
Maybe that's what I should have said from the start because it really is the key, not only to effectiveness, but also to experiencing peace, whether than stress.
Don't worry, Lista, one time I totally deleted my blog out of frustration. A few months later I found out I could get it back, and I did. So at least this time I did not delete my blog, and I reserve the right to start blogging again if ever I change my mind.
In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy other people's blogs.
:-)
Maybe you just need a small break from it for now. I'll tell you a secret, though, Beth. The "Comment Moderation Option" really is sort of neat, cause it slows things down.
All the same interaction can still occur, it's just done at a slower pace because people can not sit there and talk back and forth to each other while the blog author is away from the computer.
Not only that, but you can also force people to follow certain rules by refusing to publish their comments until they do. You don't have to reject anyone.
I bet you that guy Matt is actually quite capable of writing a comment without name calling and would learn to do so if we forced him to. That's not mean. It would be good for him.
I don't prefer to do that, I figure everyone can judge for themselves the merit of someone's comment. If they name call or say something stupid, they only make themselves look like an idiot, not me.
Only once did I delete someone's comment, because they used the "f" word, and I simply cannot tolerate that word.
I do appreciate your suggestion, and if it works for you by all means continue to moderate. This is afterall, your blog!
My very first blog comment was on a lady professor's blog; she taught
'military publications' and was very pro-war. I was interested in expressing a viewpoint from the perspective on having served and supporting the troops, but disagreed with her views on the military as an arm of foreign policy. She since shut down. Curious, I followed links and profiles of other commenters, sort of a chain reaction thing; more
commenters, more links. Then found blogs which appealed and those that do not. Those which I like to comment at are moderated to exclude
extreme opinion, vulgarity and ad hominum attacks; and those which the blog owner always responds, at least in acknowledgement. For example, I learned of yours from
frequenting Gayle's blog. She and I disagree on most politics, but she has a great sense of humor and we have common interests; we e-mail on occasion. Another attraction, at least for me, are eclectic topics varying from the
constant politics. I avoid the huge blogs with hundreds, even thousands of comments (impatience, I won't wait at a full restaurant
either ;))..commenters simply get
lost in the volume. I am interested not so much in what people think, but why, and though opinionated as anyone, I hold back on hyperbole because, well..it's just polite. Now, I don't own a blog because that would be like a job; posting is more like a hobby.
Your blog is interesting because it is brand new and you have described the hows and whys that are involved. I'll repeat what I
mentioned to Gayle a couple years back; visiting a person's blog is
like the 'salons' run by the ladies of the French Aristocracy.
These gracious affaires were attended by a few diplomats, nobles, philosophers, soldiers,
scientists. More on these ladies
and their guests at http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/lit/historical/TheWomenoftheFrenchSalons/toc.html ..since
the hostesses moderated and kept the various conversations going, they remind me of the modern day blog. A bit of a stretch perhaps, but the comparison works for us old sentimental types. :)
" I am interested not so much in what people think, but why,..."
Very well said. That's sort of the way that I view my blog. It's not my mission to change minds and to get people to think like me. What its purpose is is to better help me scrutinize my own thought process and better define it.
It makes no difference to me whether another subscribes or agrees with it or not. The only thing I would hope they would see (of course they'd have to first embrace objectivity to do so) is the process by which I've come to see it.
You know, sometimes we have to forgive people for a little subjectivity. Life hurts sometimes and seeing past our subjective hurts sometimes takes time. I figure all I can do is plant a few seeds in people's minds that will help them find the way to truth, yet sometimes I find them planting similar seeds in my own mind and I find out that even I am not always as objective as I once thought I was.
Getting back to the subject of the post. We blog to learn and as Soapbox says, "to better help us scrutinize our own thought processes and better define it."
I was thinking about another thing today that I never realized about blogging until I got into doing it and that is that we blog for friendship. I'm finding that I really do love all of my new friends. You guys are great and it is so much fun to interact with all of you.
Blogging around is indeed a fun hobby, and as you said Lista does form friendships is a unique way.
I could be wrong, but I think women might have a harder time letting go of subjectively looking at things.
Beth,
This could be, yet when ever I hear people talking about what is typically female, or what is typically male, I'm always thinking to myself. "Wow! I never realized before that I was a man." lol.
But, no I'm definitely not gay. I like men very much, thank you, yet I shop like a man, in and out as quickly as possible, and apparently I am not supposed to be quite so goal oriented and analytical as I am, but what can I say. I never did fit the mold and as we were talking about on another post about Soapbox's little equations idea, I mess up everyone's simple equations.
1+1=2 lista. the fact that you add another 1 to it doesn't change the equation it still remain an addition problem. 1+1+1= 3. same equation, same formulation, just some additional work involved. lolol
the whole idea of life is to get the highest answer possible, which perfection would be 100%
Lista, we have the shopping thing in common. I'm probably lucky my hubby likes to shop because if he didn't our house would be pretty bare. I detest shopping!
In regard to "why do I blog?" The answer is simple: It's the only way I know of to fight the back against a society that seems to get more liberal with every passing day. Sometimes I get overwhelmed though and have to get away from it in order to get the things done that I need to get done. For example, I haven't posted since Monday and I don't know when I'll feel like posting again. I'm just having my morning coffee and making a few rounds. :)
Hi Gayle!!
I've been thinking about you. I haven't been by your blog lately. I have so much trouble making the rounds. I've still got that problem of wishing I could read every post on every blog and since I can't, I'm forced to make choices and it's hard. Naturally, I sometimes wish that everyone would just slow down a little, yet just because I'm slow, doesn't mean that everyone else needs to be too.
I do like to buy nick nacks, but as to cloths, my husbands makes me shop when my cloths become faded or begin to fall apart. It's pretty pathetic.
At Christmas time, my husband likes to browse around for hours. It drives me nuts. I ask people what they want and quickly go get it, meanwhile if I happen to see a cute little nick nack for a girlfriend while I'm there, I pick that up too.
I'm a little torn now between two motives for blogging. I find that when my only motive is to try and make some kind of an impact on the world, blogging can become very discouraging, yet thank God for the friendships. Sometimes I just feel like resting in that and I'll worry about the other more serious stuff when I happen to have the energy and time.
Hello again Griper,
Funny, I had actually initially moved your comment to the post about equations, not even realizing that it was me who brought up the subject on this page. You put the comment in this context and you almost seem to be implying that the way I mess up equations with my own uniqueness isn't really all that much extra work. That's a nice thought. I wonder if that's what you're implying.
he laughs. shuckens, girl, i'm just like a little puppy. i just follow you around wherever you lead me. told ya i'd never be far away. then laughs again.
Hi Puppy! Now you be a good little doggy, yet you know what? Don't become too loyal and obedient or I might lead you down the wrong path. I need you to keep challenging me and keeping me in line.
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