So I had a friend recently put a new light on the whole commenting thing. Wondering why we blog. Do we do it for the comments? Do we do it for the validation? Are we showing off? Comparing lives?
I blog just to document our lives. It has taken the place of scrapbooking for me, and I feel like it has more meaning because I am journaling a lot more than I do when I scrap, and I am capturing more daily life stuff. I enjoy the comments...I feel like I am staying in touch with faraway friends, making new ones, etc...
This same friend recently turned off her comments. I thought, "cool, I should do that too...just to prove I am blogging for ME and my FAMILY." But, after a week of being unable to comment on my friends blog (you know who you are), I have changed my mind. I HATE not being able to comment. Even if it's just a sentence. I just want to say "love what you did to the place...what a beautiful garden your growing, etc..." I dont always comment, and dont expect others to always comment. Maybe it's nice once in awhile to enjoy the silence...I dont know.
I would love to hear what others think of blogging/commenting. Are we all just bragging and hoping for validation? Comparing lives, etc?
Feedback people, feedback.
14 comments:
It's the only way I remember everything that happens in our life. It's totally my journal, especially my personal blog. But I agree, I like the option to comment on other's 'cause sometimes things are so cute or funny you just have to comment! :)
I blog to share with far-away family & friends what's happening in our lives. We don't see each other often, so blogging is important to us. A little big of bragging is in there too, to be honest! What mom doesn't like to show what great/cute/funny/amazing things their kids & families are doing??
Comments are super important to me. I receive loads of love, support, laughter, and, yes, positive feedback from my friends & family in the comments section. I suppose if we wanted a private journal, we'd just type & never share it with others.
So, YES to blogging and YES to comments! It's a good thing, says Martha.
I hate not being able to comment either. It's not that I comment all the time, but it is nice to have that option. I love it because it has kept me in touch with people I wouldn't normally keep in touch with. And my wonderful sisters!
I feel the same way you do. I've never felt the need to make time or spend money on scrapbooking -- it just isn't the season for me; however, I can document our lives for -- and luckily can share with -- friends and family as well. Sometimes I feel my posts can be excessive and turn into more a brag than a blog, but it was established first and foremost to cinch the geographical gap between my little fam and our extended families. The self-expression aspects (music, colors, backgrounds, writing styles, etc) of the blog are an added bonus to me. Me, someone who I never thought was creative or artistic at all, but I can be in my little corner of the universe. A blog that I frequent recently turned off comments and it was strange not to see even an opportunity to share thoughts of any kind or read what others might have said (because admittedly, a lot of this cyberspace mishmash totally encourages blurking).
These are some lengthy comments- so I'll have a go to. Lately, I've had a bit of blogger's block and really can't think of anything to put on mine, but I still love to check everyone else's out. And I enjoy commenting, getting comments, reading comments, etc. I don't think it's for vanity, more like validation. You're putting your opinion or thoughts or whatever out there, and it's interesting to get at least a small guage of people's reactions to it. I don't think blogs are bragging (well, some are but not most of the ones I follow)- I think they're more like you say, chronicling.
Everybody already said it way better than I could! I like to get comments because part of me likes to see who is actually interested in my life, and who cares enough to comment (not that you care only if you comment, you know what I mean? But sometimes I wonder why certain family members NEVER comment...) Anyway, I blog because we live far away from our family, and it's an easy way for them to see what's going on. There, I think I've rambled enough, and probably not made any sense, so i'll stop.
OK, I have to finish my thoughts...I think we all have our different reasons for blogging -- some heathy and some not so heathy. I just happened along that blog I mentioned earlier to see a new post with only a time stamp and no opps for comments. I have to say, that format to me is unfortunate; I get the feeling from going there that what they have to say is important but what anyone else may want to say is either not welcome and/or not worth the bloggers time. K, that's it. I've got to move on with my thoughts now. (this comment is a good case for proponents of character limitations. :D)
PS- Why no spell check for our comments. Half the time I writing my comment in a word doc first. ;)
I think I blog instead of journaling. I have more access to a computer than I do to my journal (in my closet at home which I started in high school, some 30+ years ago). It's easier to hit delete when your thoughts come out wrong than it is to erase ink on paper (we had to write with ink because we were saving these journal entries for our ancestors).
Blogging is a way to remember the small incidental things in life. The funny things somebody says or does that you otherwise would forget a day or two down the road. Blogging doesn't require a four-hour block of time to get the perfect paper, embellishments, and font to do a scrapbook page.
Blogging is a way to keep up with those I love ... it's a blast seeing what you all are doing.
Blogging is a great way to "spy" on a stranger... have you ever clicked on your friend's friend's friend's blog and gotten caught up in their lives? I have.
I vote for blogging!
good question, especially for me since I'm not a huge commenter. When I do get comments is like a litte chat that we had without picking up the phone. I get sick of people saying blogs are just bragging. Blogs are great and a fun easy way to keep tabs on people, remember the good times, keep in touch and be inspired. More than anything I love to look at others blogs and be inspired! I never feel like people are bragging, I usually think wow, that's a great idea I'm gonna try that with my kids or yeah everyone has a hard time sometimes and cause we are all human we can relate. Of course people don't usually blog about the mundane sad parts of life. Rehashing the tough just isn't healthy! But it is healthy to write about the good times and be able to comment to others about how you had a hard time once too and it always gets better! Blogs rock and really if we are comparing and worrying about who thinks what or who says what maybe we need to all go back to high school (did that sound like the self righteous Janae that I try to stifle, most the time ;)
In the end we only have to answer to ourselves and the guy upstairs so lets all just keep inspiring each other and reminding each other about the good parts of motherhood/life and how the hard parts always get better! Love ya Ade and love to be inspired when I click on your blog!
I vote for blogging! And I vote for comments. What a great way to keep connected and it is usually illustrated. And I see that it is a great way for you young women and maybe especially mothers to help each other out, pick each other up and get on with the daily grind that is always there when you have young ones. I saw it with two of my girls just this week. One had emailed me about feeling down and why weren't things better when they were doing what they were supposed to be doing and the next thing I saw was her giving encouragement and some thoughts about how to do something differently. Keep going on those blogs! I love them.
another thought on why comments are so great. Matt just commented on Abby being allergic to cats, in his funny Matt humor and I just laughed my head off when I read it. It was like he was here being his funny big brother self and not so far away in big old Idaho! Love ya Matt you're hilarious then Ade comments questioning maybe how she could implement this in her own household and mom chimes in with her graditude that she'll never see a cat at our house. Rob and I laughed forever at my quirky hilarious family and our distaste for felines. It was like a family reunion without having to drive to it!
Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I have loved them all. I really agree with them all. (guess thats why were friends/family) All hail blogs with comments! Blogging and commenting is a GREAT thing. I am grateful for such an easy way to document my family life and keep in touch and be supported by family and friends. Love you all.
I know the blog/comment consensus is in, but I just wanted to share my thoughts since I instigated this query. Like others, I blog because we live far away from family and I want to share what we are doing in our day to day lives. For that it is great. And I love receiving comments AND being able to comment. It's a fun way to keep in touch. But, what about the times when nobody comments? On my blog, that's way too often. And most people who read my blog don't comment. So, what's the point of having comments on just to check and see the 0 comments at the bottom of the post? It just reminds me how far away from family I am, how people are too busy to connect with me (but not too busy to read the blog), and how much I long for a little interaction with friends and family(even if it is over the computer). It just sucks.
So, I turn off the comments, and it makes it easier because that's one less reminder. And people always can call me on the phone if they want to comment on my life. BTW, thanks to my family who does comment! I love you!
Funny you should ask...
The other day, I noticed that Cutest Blog on the block, started doing blog books...
It asked me if I wanted the comments included... my answer is always... "No". I blog for my family... for them to see how my mind works, to get the 'gist' of who I am, internally, when I write... the comments are great...
but my not wanting them printed proved to myself that I am still blogging for myself.
Great question!!!
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