I began my Blog with a specific objective in mind. I wanted to have a place to put a archive of relevant articles until I can get a web page up again and use it as a daily reference link for researchers. So I went about collecting informative articles and investigatory reports and throwing them up, not for anyone to comment on or view. I did ask for comment or links to other sites on the topics hoping some additional information leads could come of it.
Over time I began to get some interesting comments, complimentary and derogatory, and fell into the habit of responding, largely because it is courteous, and hoping to foster relations with other bloggers of intellectual stamina; I have found several such people. Then I began to use the comments to respond to certain members who are illogically adverse or apologists for their political Party, merely propounding propoganda put out by their Controllers, sometimes verbatim (which makes me wonder if some are actually professional reporters of the things we read in 'controlled-media' merely disguised as bloggers).
Becoming sucked into this vice, I began to go ti-for-tat a bit and allowed lesser minds to bait me into being led away from the objective. My titles began to change, being influenced by desire to incite reaction. Getting "points" and penetrating the top ten list was quite a driving force. This I have done, and I began to learn that by posting comments such as, "ugh" one could earn points to add to this standing. I never went there, but did start to post comments more and more, neglecting my own creations and becoming reactive.
I then took a day off and was devoted to other matters. When I returned, I posted a partial response to a thesis being discussed in many forums, that under this President, America is becoming fascist. I am opposed to this view for several reasons and found a 14-point template of what comprises a fascist State to base the point-by-point upon. Putting up an extensive position with regard to just point one, I realized the response would easily exceed the allowable limit for article length, so left only my argument concerning this first point up for others to read, asking for comment or other points of view, leaving it for another day to return and put up part two. I specifically asked for thoughtful replies if possible, whatever the position and to try to avoid the one and two sentence insults some scan the blog site and make routinely.
I happened to return to check the forums and verify that the article had appeared and found that, within twelve minutes, a gentleman had put up a one sentence comment of exactly the type I mentioned previously. The thing is, it would take that long to even read the article, much less formulate a response for or against. I found the gentleman had, in his immaturely developed style -( judging from comments he's made to other blogs over the last three weeks) - not even read the post but insinuated I was somehow a paranoid or crazy (it's hard to tell for his sentence is so un-intelligible). Another seemed to take a position I supported the point of view that we are now fascist. To his credit I do say 'Occult Pizza" did, once again, provide in two words an insightful grasp of the issue, and at least could stir interest where it is not being shown to date by the 'controlled-media'.
Sitting back and considering how to ask these gentlemen to go back and re-read the post before commenting so they would not form an innaccurate perception of what I was putting forth, I asked myself, "WHY?" I mean what do I care if someone chooses to be closed-minded and display it for all to see in one sentence displays of un-intelligibility? Then I went looking at other recent articles, finding one on atheism as one which would probably elicit comments. Sure enough it had, and I mean a variety of them. There are the typical one sentence type, the for and against sides taken, even one that was completely off-topic.
Looking at the comments I had to ask myself, "Why post a comment after these ones; what would I comment on; the article as the one paragraph post it was; or the comments of others? Who would ever get to comment number 22 of the posts, slogging through some of the posts to get there? What was I doing here anyway; trying to get 'points for saying "ugh"? It occured to me that if I didn't know better, and was casually visiting this blog site, I'd probably form the opinion blogs are but glorified message boards, or just message boards. So I sheathed my fingers and decided to ask myself again, " why do I blog"?
Recalling the reason has liberated me from the seductive and instantly-gratifying path I had mistakenly taken. I can post my blogs here and have no need to be accepted or believed by any one person. I have gained a new admiration for the lonely person who just wants to post her feelings on the recent break-up she is going through. I now view the diarist who records his life-a-day on his site with no one to blog in their opinion on him or his blog, as a blogger I admire for his ability to use this for what it is, a internet thought diary. I have found a new blog religion.
I now realize this blog will be removed from the article list, fade from the memory of even those who comment on it, and have lasting value only to me. So I put this up to remind myself - when I realize I'm hung-up on some invisible score-keeper rating me number 9 or 1098, or when I want to tell that silly neo-Con a thing or two about his Party - I have a reason for posting and that is good enough for my goals and wants. It was kind of a I'm OK, you're OK revelation.
I hope those who, by chance, I am privileged enough to have read my words, also consider the observations I made here and ask themselves on occassion why they blog. It doesn't matter if you tell me or anyone else, only that you have an understanding of those reasonings. We are part of the evolution of blogging, and future bloggers will come from the paradigm we are shaping by our words. When we 'Blog', what are we doing? Feel free to post a comment, or not. Blog On.