The Noble Art of Blogging

I suppose psychologists have a number of theories about why people "blog", and I have often wondered myself. This morning I was following a train of thought in my head as a result of which I looked up something on Wikipedia (I don't think I need to elaborate about what and why ...). It happened to be about a well-known person of whom I knew a fact that the average person would not know, owing to the fact that the "celebrity" in question had a descendant with whom I was acquainted in my school days.

As one does I followed a "web trail" of links and cross-references, and ended up reading someone's "Blog" where quite detailed and intimate (not in any way in the salacious sense of the word) references were made about my former school-mate. At this point I should say that I wasn't a close acquaintance but, an at least we would have been on "first name terms".

Now it so happens that my former school mate deceased prematurely in her forties, a few years ago. I was already aware of this fact, but the "blogger" in his column made me aware to a certain extent of some of the reasons why this person's life came to a premature end. Part of that story actually had its roots in our mutual school-days and, naturally, it struck a nerve.

As you can imagine, this was quite a harrowing experience, but it did make me wonder about why I find some blogs so interesting.

I now think it is something to do with one person articulating in the form of the written word (unlike in the printed or officially published press, there is no financial or career motive for writing down what one thinks) their thoughts, observations, etc, and the reader reading those thoughts and observations and thereby giving their own thoughts and observations a context. Possibly rather like having a conversation with someone you have never met before, but whose point of view you find rather interesting, even if you don't necessarily agree with it.

One of my personal philosophies is that I don't mind too much being wrong about something.  I will admit to prefer being right to being wrong, but accept that that one cannot be right all of the time.   However, I usually enjoy the argument, and if the argument proves that I am wrong, then so be it!

Just a thought ...