So sometimes people ask me... why is my blog "shallow" and why don't I write about all my emotions?
Truthfully, I just don't see the relevance of writing about all my emotions, or, as what seems to be a recurring theme in a lot of blogs, how depressed I am. In fact, really dislike overly emo people. Like seriously... It seems that almost every day I run into some sap who "can't go on anymore" because their "heart is throbbing with heartbreak" or some crap like that. Why do these people feel the need to go out and broadcast this to the world over AIM or however else? Sometimes, it's like they just want attention or people to pity them, which is sad in itself.
First of all, for most people, being all emo because you feel like "the world is closing in on you" or something is not even true in the first place. A lot of people feel like crap because they can't see most of the good things in their life, only choosing to focus on the bad things which happen to them... If you do this, of course you're going to feel like shit... so just don't do it!
Secondly, if for some inexplicable reason, the problems of someone's life really do cause the world to come crashing down, then what is the point of broadcasting your problems/emoness to people over the internet? I really believe that writing about your innermost feelings is something that should remain private for all people. This is why I disliked blogs before I actually got one. In all seriousness, if someone's problems are bugging them so much, then they should go out and do something to solve them, rather than hoping that someone will come and sympathize with you, which, although may help at the time, won't solve anything at all.
Now, I admit that we all have our moments where we feel like crap... I get depressed all the time, but that's just life. I seriously doubt that any one person is being singled out by the cosmic forces of the universe, and is doomed to spend the rest of his or her life in utter misery.
And now i'm off to play some golf! Toodles!
Truthfully, I just don't see the relevance of writing about all my emotions, or, as what seems to be a recurring theme in a lot of blogs, how depressed I am. In fact, really dislike overly emo people. Like seriously... It seems that almost every day I run into some sap who "can't go on anymore" because their "heart is throbbing with heartbreak" or some crap like that. Why do these people feel the need to go out and broadcast this to the world over AIM or however else? Sometimes, it's like they just want attention or people to pity them, which is sad in itself.
First of all, for most people, being all emo because you feel like "the world is closing in on you" or something is not even true in the first place. A lot of people feel like crap because they can't see most of the good things in their life, only choosing to focus on the bad things which happen to them... If you do this, of course you're going to feel like shit... so just don't do it!
Secondly, if for some inexplicable reason, the problems of someone's life really do cause the world to come crashing down, then what is the point of broadcasting your problems/emoness to people over the internet? I really believe that writing about your innermost feelings is something that should remain private for all people. This is why I disliked blogs before I actually got one. In all seriousness, if someone's problems are bugging them so much, then they should go out and do something to solve them, rather than hoping that someone will come and sympathize with you, which, although may help at the time, won't solve anything at all.
Now, I admit that we all have our moments where we feel like crap... I get depressed all the time, but that's just life. I seriously doubt that any one person is being singled out by the cosmic forces of the universe, and is doomed to spend the rest of his or her life in utter misery.
And now i'm off to play some golf! Toodles!
posted by Chris at 8:08 AM
6 Comments:
Disagreed. The emo people that you mention may actually be exhibiting the feelings that they write about, so that would put them into your second point. (You have no way of knowing that because you aren't emo yourself. Neither am I, but you know my story.) However, blogs are helpful for conveying information. It's sort of like free therapy. Someone with such and such feelings will blog about it, and hopefully someone will comment. Then, if the problem really isn't outrageously crazy, they can act on it.
From knowing you for a year I think you've grown up in a very protected environment. And for that you're quite lucky. However, people just aren't as happy as you are. This world is not a great place as you make it out to be. And that's when you say:
I get depressed all the time, but that's just life. I seriously doubt that any one person is being singled out by the cosmic forces of the universe, and is doomed to spend the rest of his or her life in utter misery.
Yes, sure. But your ad hominem attack against people like that is uncalled for. It helps people who experience things like that feel somewhat better to write about it.
You can write about emotions in your blog. You can make your blog less superficial than it is now, reflecting on various things in your life. All this is possible without ever once mentioning how depressed you are. Depression is not the only emotion that one can write about.
And yes, I agree that your blog is a little on the shallow side. There should be, in my opinion, a little more reflection on your part. I'm sorry if this comment seems harsh, but it's something that I want you to know and think about.
I'll have to disagree with you there. What I write in my blog, I choose to write because it's what is going on in my head at the time, and what I think are things which I would want my friends to know about me. I could just as easily write about how crappy my life is, but I choose not to. This doesn't make my blog shallow.
Unless somebody is themself depressed and hopelessly emo, most people would probably prefer not to read depressing posts about how bad someone thinks their life is.
Superficial resembles something which is fake, or insubstantial. A blog is only what you make of it. Just because I choose to include certain events rather than others does not make it shallow or insubstantial in any way. It simply means that what I choose to write about are what I think are the important things going on in my life. This doesn't mean that I don't reflect on the thoughts that go into my posts.
Knowing YOU for a year, the exact same could be said about your situation. Not as many people have experienced life as you have, and although I did exaggerate when I mentioned the cosmic forces of the universe, many people really do think the world can be a pretty decent place.
hi long time reader first time commenting lol
i think i side with you here. i think that even tho sometimes i dun understand wat you write about (popo?), ur blog isnt shallow. also, i really really hate it when my friends wine to me when their lives stink
Time to lay the smack down on some emo bull shit. Chris growing up in a sheltered environment? I think not. Come on, he went to a private school run by an oil company in a gated community followed by a three year stint at a prestigious and preppy boarding school. I would not call that in the least bit sheltered… OK, well maybe I’m wrong, but simply because I grew in the same “sheltered” environment.
Chris was completely correct saying that emo blogs piss people off. Who wants to read the problems of some first year university student? Not I for one. Most people aren’t happy for really superficial and dumb reasons: Daddy wouldn’t buy me a beamer for my 16th birthday, I got dumped by the cheer leading captain, people don’t think I’m cool, George Lucas is a hack, my Dashboard Confessional CD got scratched in my Civic (which would not of happened if daddy bought me a beamer with a CD changer) and other trivial crap like that. If you look at one of the most popular blogs of all time (http://maddox.xmission.com) the author does not bitch about his privileged American life, he kicks ass and takes names.
Chris was very right when he said that “most people can't see most of the good things in their life.” Sure everyone feels bad sometimes but to constantly bitch about it in you blog fishing for sympathy and complements borders on the pathetic.
This part is for you omair. As one who seems to be obsessed with Japanese culture you sure don’t know a lot about them. (I would ask why but I don’t want you to ban my IP address) But J-Pop, for the love of god why? Anyways, for the Japanese showing emotions is not the cool thing to do; they bottle it up and take it like a man (or woman.) Just give ‘er, be thankful for what you have, and be glad you weren’t born with AIDs in Uganda. That’s it.
Speaking with the somewhat insubstantial authority of age, I'll have to go ahead and agree with Chris, too. Emotional maturity is shown by dealing with the bad as well as the good, yes, but the strength lies in relying on Yourself and not others to feel better. Putting your feelings up for public display almost makes you lose something; it cheapens something that's raw and genuine and turns it into something that other people can stare at and pick apart. Why do it? Because you want other people to solve your problems for you. Life is about growing stronger and overcoming obstacles, and naive wishing without doing something about it doesn't solve anything.
As a product of the ARAMCO system myself, I wouldn't call being forced to leave your family and friends at 15 to live on your own a "sheltered environment". Everyone's got their own shit to deal with, so why marginalize something you've never gone through?
-OAR
PS - Who says that writing about your emotions isn't shallow?
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