Why Blog?

My brother started blogging. I encourage this kind of behavior. His blog (bluerope.org) is mostly about cocoa programming (which he seems to be fairly competent at). Anyway, I wrote this comment on his first post.

"I applaud your effort to begin a blog again. If everyone had a blog, this world (the internet) would be a better place. Just remember, the first person you are writing for is yourself. Even if no one else ever looks at this, it should still be useful to you. The next person you are writing for is that one person that has a particular problem that you just solved.

I still don't get this cocoa stuff."

And I meant it. So, the question: why blog? I can think of several reasons, but let me give you mine (as best as I can). I think my reasons for blogging have changed over time, so this is my best estimate.

I blog because...

  • I am human. (I stole that one from Chad)
  • I enjoy it. Really, I do. Blogging is like two things put together, teaching physics and writing. I know I am not the best at either of these, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy it. A lot of people like to play golf, even if they are not that good at it.

I could list some other reasons, but I am not going to do it. I think those two cover my blogging basis-set. Instead of listing the possible reasons people blog, how about you just tell me why you blog. I know a lot of readers are bloggers.

Oh, I forgot, my wife also has a blog (HyperHomeSchool).

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My blog was started as a form of thinking out loud. In general my focus is the lack of critical thinking (skills) in both the general public and among journalists. Unsurprisingly politicians take advantage of that by making misleading statements. As such the theme is how politicians intentionally mislead us and journalists through inadequacy fail to point that out to the general public. Which in turn has come to believe in several non-existent controversies.

Over the years I found a multitude of situations (War on Terror, War on Evolution, anti-vacination nonsense, global warming denialism, et cetera) that I find difficult to understand (how can reasonable people take a blatently anti-scientific stance?) and it made me think. Blogging for me is a way to

1 clear my thoughts, and
2 make notes for future reference,
3 in doing so I hope to better understand why people still fall for such manipulation, they willfully refuse to even think about what is being said to them,
4 practise my writing skills for that novel I someday will write,
5 yes, your points I subscribe to also,
6 in short, personal enjoyment

That said, as added benefit it still is nice if others could see my ramblings.

Greetings

@Tsutsugamushi,

I agree about the "thinking out loud" part and the "nice that others can listen".

I blog just because the world really needs another blog.
Kind of like castor oil, it is good for the worlds' health if I blog.
If I didn't blog, Earth would probably self-destruct or something.