your life . . on the internet.
9.16.2009
the phenomenon of reading about someone's life on the internet still baffles me. it mostly baffles me when i actually know the person in real life. because lately i'm discovering that the internet personality seems like a completely DIFFERENT person than the one that i actually know.
through this medium, you can portray yourself as anyone you want to be. or rather, only show the sides of you that you want others to see. and that does make sense . . you are putting yourself out there for all the world to scrutinize. "dress for the job you want, not the one you have"? it's not like the old livejournal days where you had "friends only" posts and could selectively filter who sees the information you're willing to share.
i am guilty of this too. back in the more "filtered" days of journaling (pre-blogging, the dark ages), that was my immediate outlet when i wanted to get something off my chest, when i was upset, or needed an ear or an ego-boost. this is not the place for that. i think of this somewhat newly created blog as more of a scrapbook of my life - highlighting the parts i want to remember and savor (in with the positive). not where i whine, search for sympathy, or passive aggressively attack someone who annoys or has hurt me (out with the negative).
i've been reading lots of blogs lately that are all about couples.
like:
"WE are so happy!"
"WE are getting married!"
"WE are having a baby!"
. . most of which are written from the XX chromosome side of the coin. surprise. knowing what i know now, i have to wonder - is your life REALLY that great? are you REALLY that happy? do you REALLY think you have something that unique? i don't buy it. especially when i know your "partner" does not reciprocate your enthusiasm. sorrrryyyy.
as i said before, bringing forth the positive and all that, i get that. but sometimes i just want to reach right through my google reader page and shake people. instead i just stop "following" them and save myself the annoyance.
that being said, i don't typically blog about my relationship problems. but i don't sit here and profess that it's the most amazing, strong relationship that none will put asunder either. i probably would have done that during the first 6 months of most any relationship i've ever had . . whose relationship isn't amazing during that time? you don't know everything about each other yet. ha.
maybe i'm just feeling bitter or jealous or unfulfilled in some way. regardless, i guess this is the contribution that completely contradicts paragraph 3 of this-a-here post. here is my cynical-realist-brash-rolling-my-eyes side (the one that turns people off) for all to see. i just had to say it SOMEwhere. where many people will come and read it anonymously and not say anything, you damn stalkers. it's ok, i'm guilty of that too. at least my mom tells me when she reads my blog.
el fin.
through this medium, you can portray yourself as anyone you want to be. or rather, only show the sides of you that you want others to see. and that does make sense . . you are putting yourself out there for all the world to scrutinize. "dress for the job you want, not the one you have"? it's not like the old livejournal days where you had "friends only" posts and could selectively filter who sees the information you're willing to share.
i am guilty of this too. back in the more "filtered" days of journaling (pre-blogging, the dark ages), that was my immediate outlet when i wanted to get something off my chest, when i was upset, or needed an ear or an ego-boost. this is not the place for that. i think of this somewhat newly created blog as more of a scrapbook of my life - highlighting the parts i want to remember and savor (in with the positive). not where i whine, search for sympathy, or passive aggressively attack someone who annoys or has hurt me (out with the negative).
i've been reading lots of blogs lately that are all about couples.
like:
"WE are so happy!"
"WE are getting married!"
"WE are having a baby!"
. . most of which are written from the XX chromosome side of the coin. surprise. knowing what i know now, i have to wonder - is your life REALLY that great? are you REALLY that happy? do you REALLY think you have something that unique? i don't buy it. especially when i know your "partner" does not reciprocate your enthusiasm. sorrrryyyy.
as i said before, bringing forth the positive and all that, i get that. but sometimes i just want to reach right through my google reader page and shake people. instead i just stop "following" them and save myself the annoyance.
that being said, i don't typically blog about my relationship problems. but i don't sit here and profess that it's the most amazing, strong relationship that none will put asunder either. i probably would have done that during the first 6 months of most any relationship i've ever had . . whose relationship isn't amazing during that time? you don't know everything about each other yet. ha.
maybe i'm just feeling bitter or jealous or unfulfilled in some way. regardless, i guess this is the contribution that completely contradicts paragraph 3 of this-a-here post. here is my cynical-realist-brash-rolling-my-eyes side (the one that turns people off) for all to see. i just had to say it SOMEwhere. where many people will come and read it anonymously and not say anything, you damn stalkers. it's ok, i'm guilty of that too. at least my mom tells me when she reads my blog.
el fin.
4 comments:
The life blogs I love to read most are the brash, reality check ones!
So um, am I a different person on the internet? TELL ME! Gosh!
dear johanna,
you are definitely NOT in this category of non-real people on the internet, or the category of the overly-fakely happy type. not at all! if anything, i think your blog tells a lot about who you are. it is real and shows the real you. and i don't mind when YOU talk about your wedding plans (i.e. cupcakes!). hehehe
i'm all just like "fuck 'em" too, so i don't know. how does one conduct oneself in this information-laden age?
i guess we are just making up the rules as we go along. i hate those kinds of games.
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