A designer by day.

I remember when my online life started almost 10 years ago. Back then, the term “blog” wasn’t so much in use; at least I wasn’t that familiar with it. Back then, the hype was journals. The trend was to keep online diaries, to share everyday life with friends and strangers alike. It’s true, some stuck to the direct meaning of a diary, while others broadened it through photo galleries, links and more general entries. Yet still “blogging” as we know it today wasn’t really “in”. Now the blogosphere keeps growing exponentially. It isn’t just about personal opinions and interests; it’s about exposure, being present on the web. It’s a must for every marketing strategy, for every starting business. Whatever your favorite topic, you’ll find a blog about it. That is why I always find myself wondering about whether to blog or not to blog.


Why have a blog?

When I had diaries, it was mostly about knowing that I wasn’t alone. That other people out there shared my experience. There was a tremendous comfort to that. With blogging however, it is a certain truth that you are “not” alone. Someone is blogging about the same topic you’re blogging about, having the same niche you’re targeting and looking for the same exposure you’re looking for. And that is definitely no comfort. On the contrary, that files you up instantly into the “be unique” propaganda. I have nothing against being unique, mind you, but when it’s become such a core message in advertising for mass consumption products, I think we can all spot the paradox there.


So what’s wrong with exposure? With the growing media craze in the last decade, being famous has become everybody’s dream and it’s only a reality TV show away, a youtube video away, a blog away. But how do you make sure that you’re not just a waste of bytes? The ecology of the web is also something to think about. How can you be sure that you have something worth saying? Can you trust the people to judge that when the people don’t really know that they want anymore? Think about it. People are easily entertained these days. With enough spice, they will applaud whatever you need them to applaud. They don’t really need to keep up with the Kardashians but they love doing it. So can you really count on any kind of feedback?


This is all you can really count on. The process. If you really love the process of writing, of keeping data, of sharing with like-minded individuals, that is all that should matter. I always find it intriguing how a piece of writing doesn’t sparkle the same way if kept locked in your drawer. Why can’t it be self-sufficient? Because context changes everything. If you keep it to yourself, it stays restricted to a moment in time and space. If you share it, it becomes art. Art is meant to be shared. This is still your ego flirting with fame and exposure, but under the flag of art, it manages to keep its dignity intact.


Thinking about it now, this was definitely a “diary-suitable” entry, blogged.