BloggingOn 10.1 - "...Of All These Weird Creatures Who Lock Up Their Spirits, Drill Holes In Themselves, And Live For Their Secrets"

I spent some time last night leaving comments on Colin's blog. I think because I have too much to say and I'm not quite sure where to begin. If not art, blogging is at least a creative endeavor, and much of the creativity I appreciate exists in conversation with its environment - it is referential and self-referential. So why not begin at the beginning?

Aldon thinks that: "blogging and other online communities [can] be tools to help reconnect American's with their family, friends, and neighbors". I'm still skeptical, and not just because Aldon says this in another post: "I read Tom's blog entry... Tom is actually a neighbor of mine, at least according to Feedmap. I haven't actually met him, but I've commented on his blog before."

I don't doubt that the internet helps us to make connections. I am however, not quite as confident in the quality of those connections. Posting on one's blog can certainly facilitate self-expression, but most (if not all) blogs are just a step or two away from PostSecret - they allow the blogger a free space in which to say things that they probably wouldn't say in public. I think most bloggers "say" things online that they wouldn't even say in strictest confidence.

Either way, I'm not convinced that this is a bad thing... I just don't think it's the best thing. That is to say, most of us do not feel free to fully express ourselves in our daily lives, with friends, family members, coworkers, etc. Blogs, email (and even cell-phones to a certain extent) give us the degree of anonymity that we apparently feel is necessary in order to say what we really want (ok, almost). BUT... that communication is not really communication. It's a weather balloon or a message in a bottle or running a flag up the pole to see if anyone salutes. Real communication is hard, and despite the PostSecretTestimonials I don't think that blogging is making it any easier. Real communication is a different muscle entirely.

That being said, case NOT closed. Colin declares: "Blogging is an activity that appears isolative but is rather the opposite. It's shouting in a forest that has a thousand eyes and ears."

Blogging is not isolative. I agree. And that forest thing seems about right, too. But what about arms and mouths? Which is to say, perhaps blogging is more exhibitionist than expressive. When I let-my-little-light-shine (if such a thing ever does occur) I don't only want to know that people are watching, but that they have some words of encouragement to offer, and that they'll be around to catch me if I fall. Yes, comments are interactive, but...

And there I'm not quite sure where to go next. Comments make me feel good, but is it the particular flavor of good that I'm really looking for? Is it the sort of good that makes me sleep easier at night, that makes me want to jump out of bed the next morning to meet another day of living, eager-like and head-on?