Contemplating Livejournal. 03/27/05
Friends of mine have been really getting into the Livejournal thing. They've encouraged others to start their own journals, and of the 12-15 people I hang out with on a regular basis, 10 have Livejournals that they update at least once a week. So I am sometimes tempted to join them.
Because I just want to jump on the bandwagon, and not be left out on what "the cool kids" are doing? Yeah, that's it, partly. But also because I have such a hard time actually conversing with these people in real life, and I can be part of a discussion and share my own thoughts so much more easily with writing than in talking. Especially when I can take the time to carefully compose my thoughts as I do when I post here. They could get to know me better, if I write the sorts of things I'd want to say but am too hesitant -- I could find the "social interaction" I have been working towards, and with people I already know.
Which leads to the first major drawback to the whole idea of joining them. Livejournal entries, especially those of my friends, are similar to postcards. Like writing the same thing on 20 cards and sending them out to all your friends, and some send back short replies. It's small talk, 90% of it. "Had a great time visiting" and "Hey, the weather has been freaky lately" and "I'm doing well at my classes" and basics like that. Bland words and thoughts that you wouldn't mind sharing with everyone you hang out with, and everyone on their LJ friends list, and so on. If someone writes in his Livejournal that he's a bit depressed and then the Comments on his entry are all like "Are you OK? Call me if you need to talk!!!" and "Was it something I said?" and "Cheer up, here's some advice..." which is great if you're looking for that sort of attention. But if you just wanted to vent a bit in your little online journal-space, and now you have to reassure everybody, and thank everybody, and prevent misunderstandings and drama and such, it's, well, a drag. And easier by far just to stick to writing "I had a tuna sandwich for lunch today. I wish I could go ride my bike."
And when I'm journaling, I'm not as interested in chronicling the small-talk general facts of how I spent my day or doing the "How are you? I am fine" sorta crap. I want to let off steam, I want to say what I really think. I want to ramble on and on about the latest revelations I've had about my own past and about my various obsessions.
So if I join the group I'd need to create a Livejournal. A painstakingly inoffensive social-interaction-based little writing space. Which might not be all that enjoyable or easy to write in. Maybe I’ll keep this private Diaryland thing as well, maybe not… Hmmm.
