Blog on blogs

I have been encouraged by others to document my thoughts and opinions. A blog seems the best way to do this, and a ‘blog on blogs’ the most logical place to start.
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The blogs that I have read generally fall into four categories: self promotion, self-obsession, issues, and creativity. Obviously there are many that combine these themes to varying effect.

Self-promotion: The writer belives that their life has meaning because other people know about it and that the more people that read his/her blog the better, regardless of the content or the feedback. No detail of their life is too trivial to be shared and is complete with a a list of things that they like/dislike and a picture of their face. Events in their life are reported as facts and no critical examination of them is taken.

Self-obsession: As above, though, while the promoter wants people to care, the obsessor works on the assumption that they actually do. These blogs are typically complete with numerous pictures of the writer looking forlornly off camera, into the middle distance. Again, the 'self' in question is taken as the starting point and any reflection that does take place will probably be of the 'Why am I so different to everyone else variety?'. This is primarily the realm of the adolescent.

Issues: This can be anything from 'save the bus route' to 'save your soul' (via 'save the pound'). The interest they elicit is likely to be entirely subjective. You actively look for these sites rather then stumble upon them and most probably have your beliefs confirmed by them. There is, however, a massive variety in the quality of the writing on these sites which is largely independent of the issues they are concerned with.

Creativity: Music, art, photography, creative writing, poetry, journalism. Those sites that share something original because they hope others will appreciate it. As with 'issues' the interest they generate will be subjective, but for the reader there is a heightened sense of having 'discovered' something that they like.

My favourite blogs are those that take the self-obsessed format and approach it from the creativity angle. The authors of these blogs don't just tell you about their lives, they critique them and say what they mean to them. Instead of just listing the things they are interested in or the issues that motivate them they may explain their origins and make an attempt to justify them through essay and reasoned argument. They may share their ambitions with you, but they also speculate on why they have these particular ambitions.

Since blogs are usually confidential the depth and accuracy of the personal detail contained in them is largely irrelevant. The content achieves it’s validity in its ability to resonate with the reader’s own life and either allow him to view it from a slightly different perspective or to promote further discussion on the subject in question.

This form, which I will call the ‘creative self’, can still be seen as distinct from an 'issue blog' because the author, although writing about himself and his way of life is not trying to convince the reader of anything. When the events of the author’s life touch upon issues of universal importance to us all I believe we can learn a lot from a personal assessment of the origins and meaning.

I have found that these blogs often work best when the author is brave enough to be honest but grounded enough to not take themselves too seriously. I believe that almost every subject matter benefits from a light-hearted approach, especially in the written form. Whenever I read something I want it to make me think or make me laugh; my favourite blogs do both.

Naturally, I hope for my writing to take that form which I most enjoy reading, and so it is to this category of creative-self blogs that I aspire. It is a lofty ambition and one with which I will require assistance. Therefore I welcome feedback of all kinds, link to further reading where appropriate and criticism when constructive.

I have opinions and beliefs that I will attempt to justify to my own satisfaction but, should you disagree with me or see a weakness in my argument please tell me so. All I ask is that noone comes with an agenda other that the free exchange of ideas.