Blog Assignment 1

The article Why We Blog surveys an ethnographic study focusing on the blogs of average individuals, exploring wide array of motivations for their blogging as well as what these participants gain from blogging. The sample studied consisted of well educated, middle class adults who were either enrolled in school or employed in “knowledge” work or artistic pursuits ie. Intellectuals. Uncovered was the variety of styles found amongst the bloggers, with some posting frequently and others occasionally, some self-promoting their blog and others finding blogs through others. Delving deeper, researchers found that bloggers put quite a bit of effort and thought into the cultivation of their posts, most notably what they excluded, such as comments on friends and family. Some bloggers were driven by a desire to document their daily lives in a public forum, welcoming viewers to their personalized experience of life. In this vein, other bloggers use the medium to decompress, often expressing deep, heartfelt emotions that the authors were able to resolve through writing and talking to an audience. Many bloggers, reinforcing the typical perception of blogs, used the medium as an outlet to voice their opinions and commentary on events, ideas, or whatever popped into their head. Another motivation for many was the use of writing to help clarify their own ideas, leaving physical evidence of their thought processes and assisting in the formation of conclusions. The final motivation found in the article was the author’s active engagement in community forums, not only as poster but as commentator as well. The interactions across blogs are the fruition of blogging’s potential, as personal space enters the community arena and creates a distinct culture. I found that many of these motivations were in line with why I thought people blogged, while the variety of content found within blogs surprised me. Blogging represents a revolution of sorts, as the traditional “journal” becomes an open book, shared with the world and embraced by others. The opportunity for empathy, conversation, and development of the conscious are inherent elements of blogging’s potential.