why do people blog?

It's an honest question. Why? To keep in touch with people at home? To talk about themselves? To express thoughts? I've been thinking about this more and more recently and while the irony of this post is certainly not lost on this once avid, (or perhaps i really was reluctant?) blogger, i find myself reading blogs and just coming away thinking, why?

I've always been uncomfortable with the idea of talking about ones self and achievements. I do, in all honesty, find it crude, slightly uncouth, and perhaps even a little boastful. I can't really tell you why, but it bothers me. Perhaps my own life, in comparison, doesn't feel up to scratch and such posts simply make me feel bad? Perhaps i'm jealous? Maybe my upbringing does not lend itself to talking about oneself and what i'm doing, or where i'm going, because truth be told, there are a only select few who genuinely care about my day to day activities. I find blogs slightly annoying...i'm annoying myself as i type this. What a hypocrite!

This isn't an attack on people who blog. I am the first to admit i was (still am?) addicted to this medium of sharing thoughts and opening your own little personal world up to those in cyber space, either through typing myself, or through reading others' online diaries. But i always question it. If you need to express yourself, your personal thoughts, what's wrong with a locked entry for your eyes only? What does opening it up to the masses achieve? If it's for friends and family, what's wrong with an email and/or letter? Of course, some of the answers are completely obvious and i understand that, but there is something about blogs that just creep me out. And it's not just blogs is it? Myspace, facebook....it's out of control. Everyone has a bloody facebook account these days. Half the time i feel like people upload pictures by means of "Look at me! Look how fabulous I am! Look what i'm doing!" I admit, when uploading a few photos of my own, i could feel myself thinking "hmmm, which photos do i want these people (many of whom i haven't seen in 3+ years i might add) to see? What is a good representation of me?

What is wrong with me?!

I understand these places are great for contacting people from your past, arranging social activities and ultimately they're fun, but when you start thinking this way and find yourself looking through other peoples' profiles, looking at their pictures (which, they voluntarily posted, so fair game) you can't help but feel like a stalker. If i really care, why am i not emailing this person and simply asking them what they're up to? Ultimately i'm as bad as the people i'm talking about, and i understand that....but i feel like it's just gone too far. Facebook is fun with the people i know, but more and more people from my 'past' keep adding me as friends. Many of whom i am not even friends with. Why? I wasn't friends with you then, so why the need to add me now? To boost your numbers? It baffles me.

In one simple click you can find out what people have been doing on a day to day basis, you can who've they've messaged, what they've said, how they feel. This invasiveness is what bothers me. A lot. Today, "kathryn is blah blah blah". "HELLO WORLD! PAY ATTENTION TO ME. I AM FEELING THIS WAY AND I WANT FACEBOOK TO KNOW ALL ABOUT IT".

Yes, yes, isn't this ironic. I'm sure i have something posted on my facebook right now telling you all how i feel, and here i am, writing this in my blog.

Anyway, there is a point to this highly hypocritical post. I'm actually going to shut down all these silly things i seem to have accumulated over the years. I just don't see the point, and if i were really gung ho about the whole debacle i would just walk away quietly and press delete. But here i am, announcing my retirement.

I can't win.

Thanks for reading...it was fun while it lasted :)