Is it easier to communicate on the web than in person?
How easy is it to sit down and write something in this little white box and click a button, sending your words shooting off around the world within a few seconds?
How easy is it to write something down, something you feel close to your heart and may not share with even your best friends, yet you can send it off in all its shining anonymity around the globe for all the world to see?
How much easier is it to do these things from the quiet solitude of your study, tucked away behind the screen with no prying eyes to watch your tears fall, hear your heart beat or listen as your laughter echoes through the walls?
Is it healthy to have such an outlet, to post your life online, even if it is only for the eyes of nameless strangers who you will probably never meet?
Does the feedback that you get from such an experience really count? Are people genuine in their response or do they just tell you what you want to hear in order to keep you happy?
Is it so much different here in this huge world wide room than what it is like in the 'real' world?
Is this the way the world is moving - that we are gathering virtual buddies instead of having real ones?
Hiding our emotions from our loved ones yet sharing them with complete strangers?
Is it because the judgement that we get is easier to cope with than actually facing someone and looking them in the eyes?
Or is it something that we should be embracing? Something we should indulge our fingers in and allow our minds to run free with?
Can we work through things better by starting off with words from people who have totally objective viewpoints?
How easy is it to write something down, something you feel close to your heart and may not share with even your best friends, yet you can send it off in all its shining anonymity around the globe for all the world to see?
How much easier is it to do these things from the quiet solitude of your study, tucked away behind the screen with no prying eyes to watch your tears fall, hear your heart beat or listen as your laughter echoes through the walls?
Does the feedback that you get from such an experience really count? Are people genuine in their response or do they just tell you what you want to hear in order to keep you happy?
Is it so much different here in this huge world wide room than what it is like in the 'real' world?
Is this the way the world is moving - that we are gathering virtual buddies instead of having real ones?
Hiding our emotions from our loved ones yet sharing them with complete strangers?
Is it because the judgement that we get is easier to cope with than actually facing someone and looking them in the eyes?
Or is it something that we should be embracing? Something we should indulge our fingers in and allow our minds to run free with?
Can we work through things better by starting off with words from people who have totally objective viewpoints?
WHY?
The Voices in my Head
I love this post. Great questions! I won't answer all of them, my comment would be epic. lol I'll just answer a couple...
In regards to feedback being honest and exposing emotion to strangers vs. loved ones, the reason that I love to write online vs. an offline journal is because of the honesty. If someone doesn't like your work, they either don't comment on it or they give criticism for what you wrote. They have no personal investment, no relationship to protect, no reason to lie. There are those that do lie anyways, I know that. But their flattery or criticism is easy to detect, in my opinion.
In regards to why it is easier for us to reveal ourselves to strangers is due to that lack of relationships. We all have hats to wear, which also means we have masks to wear to a certain degree. Mom doesn't know or need to know about that thing that caused you such pain. Sister doesn't need to be reminded of the time she stole your boyfriend...but the pain is still there, etc.
I write about things that no one else would understand in my life, generally. I am a writer, I'm the only one that I know personally. How can they understand the fear I have of not being good enough? They read what I write and think it's the greatest, enter masks, relationships to protect, etc. I don't need protective flattery. I need brutal truth. It's the only way I will improve. I also think that societies are so politically correct that we censor ourselves in the day to day. We don't have to do that online as much.
That's why I do it...
Great post,
Voices~
Flashes of memories
Excellent! I hear what you are saying about family and friends reading your work - they would automatically say that it belonged with Shakespeare and Austen. My family don`t really appreciate writing - they don`t understand what it is like to have this desire to sit and write about things. A place like this is great to have feedback and sort out ideas that are floating around the head, to have so many like minded people who share in your desires and offer some advice along the way.
Exactly what you are saying about online writing - objective opinions are sometimes the best - they expose your weaknesses as well as your strengths - both are vitally important in this game.
Thanks for your comment - happy writing. Hopefully 2007 will be a good one for you. Look forward to reading more of your work.
;p
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I freely admit to being a social retard.
Flashes of memories
How and Why ....two such small words with such great possibilities................
Ash
Flashes of memories
*cheers* I`ll drink to that - is there a club we can join? :0) People are fascinating creatures aren`t they? I sometimes find them very difficult to understand!
Ash