As of late I have been doing a lot of thinking about this world of blogging and I have to wonder how the millions of blogs that are being written and read are affecting us socially. I think blogging is a great thing because it allows us to share our lives with friends and family, therefore connecting us in a new way that wasn't possible before. While I think blogging has advantages, I also fear that it is at times rather detrimental to us.
I love to hear about what is going on in my friend's and family's lives - it is fun to feel like I am in the loop, but I noticed that there are times when I feel worse about my life after reading everyone's blogs. I find myself wishing that I could have done X, Y, or Z like so and so did, or that I was living there, or doing this, or experiencing that. I start to feel that my life is more boring, trying, and difficult than other people's lives. I thought that was a strange thing to be feeling after reading about so many wonderful things going on in everyone's lives, but then I realized that is why I feel a little sorry for myself - I am only privy to the happy news in everyone's lives - I rarely read about anything bad and I feel like I am the only one who ever has a hard day, week, or month.
Of course that isn't true because the REALITY is that everyone has crappy days that need to end, trials, heartache, frustrations, and disappointments. Everyone has both good and bad come their way but most of us only blog about the good stuff. This in turn causes the rest of us reading the blog to feel like we are alone in our trials when in truth we probably have more in common than we think we do.
Blogging was designed to connect the world and allow us to share ourselves with whomever is willing to 'listen' but I think in some cases it only makes us feel more alone than we felt before we were able to read about everybody's successes, joys, and adventures. I am not saying that we should all start complaining on our blogs, but I think we could all be a bit more honest with ourselves and with others. Because it is okay to feel sad and disappointed and chances are that sharing those feelings on your blog every now and then will only help someone else feel like they are not alone.
I am just as guilty as anyone - I like posting about the exciting and good things in my life, not the boring and bad things, but I have decided to try to be a bit more honest with myself and with my readers. I have crappy days and good days, successes and failures, true joy and heartache. My life is not just good or just bad - it is both and I am not telling my real story if I only one side of it.
Let us all be a bit more honest and trust that the rest of us will find compassion and love for each other as we ride the highs and lows of our lives together in this world of blogging.
5 comments:
I was just thinking this exact thing last night when i was reading peoples blogs! I am glad I am not the only one that feels this way! Thank you for your views! I agree completely with you!
That's a really great point you bring up. Maybe a dose of honesty would help all of us feel a little closer and more human!
I totally agree with you! I think the same sometimes just looking at people's facebook pages, like people from high school. It looks like they've had such an exciting life since graduation and it makes me feel bad about my own life. I will try to take you message to heart on my own blog. ;-)
amen amen amen. I notice the same feelings often... or notice that I don't blog unless I have something good to say, or pictures to post..
How are you feeling? I was sorry to not get to see you... next time, yeah? We need a 15th ward YW reunion.
i agree with you, sweet, beautiful girl! hence, my venting posts the last few weeks. i don't know, i can't always be the "perky smile-all-the time" wife and mother...its just not realistic...and unhealthy :) but really, it feels good to know there are people out there struggling and enduring, too- and still trying to find the joy in between. love your blog :)
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