The title of this post does not refer to my usual obsession with the great metaphysical question. Rather, when I ask ‘what is this all about?’, in this instance, I am referring to ‘blogging’. What is ‘blogging’ all about, in other words … what is the purpose of it? I have asked the question before and am yet to be furnished with a satisfactory answer.
It occurs to me now that there is no purpose, and this fits in nicely with my view of just about everything else (that there’s no purpose to anything but it makes us feel better to act as though there were), but I don’t know if I’m missing something.
I think my ‘blog’ (I put it in quotation marks because I’m not really sure that I’m allowed to call it that) is a sort of diary – a vague record of my day to day feelings. So I have no interest in ‘followers’ (well …. I’m interested in all three of you, of course, but I don’t count you every day) and I don’t pay a lot of attention to the potentially disingenuous notion of likes. I do enjoy comments, though, particularly the humorous jibes.
But I am aware that others might feel differently. I know that others see their blogs as a form of duty – an obligation of sorts.
I am aware of people who devote a couple of hours every day to their blogs.
Now ….. I am not being judgemental …. but seriously…. a couple of hours??? …. who has that sort of time???? Even since COVID reduced me to an unemployed bum, I don’t have that sort of time.
My friends at Apple (or is it Mr Google? I’m not sure) send me messages from time to time informing me that my average daily screen time for the week is 1 hour and 43 minutes – up 8 minutes from the previous week. This I take to be a warning – that a continuation of this habit will send me blind, or crazy, or both. And 1 hour and 43 minutes does sound like a fucking lot of time, I admit.
But there’s a fair bit that I have to fit into those 103 minutes. I like to read the newspaper (The Sydney Morning Herald, for those that might be wondering about my political persuasions) and I need some time to deal with emails (normally with the delete button).
As well as that I do like to put aside a few quiet moments to indulge in my own geriatric version of pornography – I like to look at pictures of boats that are for sale.
As was the case with the more conventional forms of pornography circulating during my youth, I confess to a degree of guilt about this. I am aware of the dangers. It is an obsession that creates unrealistic ideas of reality and has a similar potential to its fleshy and air-brushed relative of paving a path to bankruptcy (though purely fiscal rather than moral, in this case, I think)
But … if I do feel the need to confess about such things, then perhaps this is the place to do it. Perhaps, for me, a blog is a bit more than a diary. It is a confessional. There …. I have answered my own question. This space is my confessional. I understand if you choose to avert your eyes in disgust, but I thank you for listening. You should feel no obligation to reply, of course, because time is precious.
Richmond Road 
It was with some trepidation that I hit the ‘like’, given your comment about them. But, knowing that it’s possible to turn them off, I thought it might be a double-bluff. But then again, perhaps an old man wrestling with ‘a help bat’ isn’t aware that he can turn them off? Help is at hand.
As for ‘what blogging is all about’: I think that it serves many purposes; but there’s a common thread in all of them: communication.
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Oh my goodness! I engage in internet window shopping all the time! And you’re logging in at 103 minutes A WEEK?! That’s internet child’s play. Gracious heavenly saints! You’re being wayyyy too hard on yourself! But yeah, what pedantry said: blogging is about communication. It’s about connecting with people and sharing the common (or truly bizarre, as the case may be) human experience! By the way, your blog followers would love to see your 100-word story! Nudge, nudge.
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I ask myself the same question. I agree with those above that’s it’s about communication. But that takes on all manner of forms. Just look at the range of blogs out there. I think your blog is what you want it to be. And just as importantly something you are happy to play with.
I can well imagine looking at boats for sale could be stimulating, arousing and the source of many a minute or two of random delight.
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I’ll join the “communication” gang with my vote. I prefer to do my socializing in the blogosphere because mostly people irritate me in person. Plus, one can wear whatever they want to while blogging.
I look at houses at the beach… and I feel no shame. If you need absolution after your confession, I’m sure Meg would grant it after you do “penance” by writing the 100-word story.😉
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Oh no. The 100 word story is a very dumb competition and I was very dumb for entering it – my contribution was, predictably, very dumb.
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Oh, you entered it?
I was lucky to be traveling on that day so went to bed early, didn’t get to the prompt until late, wrote the story at the airport without wifi. Posted it an hour before the deadline through a phone (I hate phones for non-calling purposes). So you can only assume how terrible THAT story was.
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But …. getting back to the blogging = communication idea, I agree, essentially. But I do sense in others some feelings of obligation …. ‘I must get my blog done for today’ sort of stuff. People make announcements when they are ‘going to take a break’ as if they had to apologise. I just don’t get that. I like because of the complete lack of obligation. If this is about communication then it is communication with no strings attached – one can come and go from the conversation as one pleases, and no one is offended.
At least I hope no one is offended.
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I don’t know if it’s still “encouraged,” but way back when I first started my blog (2008), the mantra was to post regularly — daily, if possible — in order to gain visitors. It seems some people may have taken this thinking to the extremes. 🙄
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I’ve been blogging for 4 years now, I think. So many people have come and gone… My posting schedule has definitely changed lately and I’m upset about that. Not because I feel it’s my duty to post but because I crave the outlet and quite enjoy exchanging ideas with a few people that I’ve met through here.
Confessional sounds about right to me. Diary not so much.
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