Saturday, March 17, 2007

Who Are We?

Joy, at Gingajoy recently posted a series of questions aimed at her community of bloggers that I found quite interesting.

Joy's questions were directed at the so-called "mommyblogging community" to which I don't belong, even though I think I can claim associate membership since many of you that read my blog (and I read yours) ARE members of that community. By the way, if you are of a mind, go by her blog and give it a read.

Whether or not I belong to that community isn't all that important here, though. This is about this particular community in general and how it formed.

For me, this whole blogging lark was just a way to put my thoughts in a printed form... but like so many bloggers, I guess, once you start writing, you also start visiting the blogs of others. Comments left at blogs lead to others reading your blog. The next thing you know, things start to snowball and there you are.

These questions are about my blog and the people who read it... those that form this sort of random community.

Here are the questions, and my answers to them.

1. Who are we?

In the case of my blog, I'd have to say that we are a VERY eclectic loosely-knit group of people. We are ethnically and culturally diverse. We are from New York city, L.A., Lawrence, Kansas, Washington D.C. and it's suburbs, Washington state, rural Virginia, Ohio, Nevada, Texas, and many, many other places.

We are Black, white, multi-ethnic, and probably lots of other things.

We are straight, we are gay, we are married, we are not, we have children, we are childless, we are college educated (some with advanced degrees), and some of us were lucky to make it out of high-school... hell, some of you may even have voted for George W. Bush (please don't tell me, if you did!)

I don't think I could possibly pigeonhole this group of people by trying to define it... so I won't. Definitions impose limits. I don't like limits.

2. Who am I writing to? Who is my audience?

I suppose this is THE most important question that a writer can and should ask of him/herself. In my case, I'm writing to any and everyone that will listen, particularly when I ask questions or make statements on politics, culture and/or race.

I suppose saying that I am writing to everyone is a bit self-indulgent... but it is true. I write for anyone who will listen/read. I reckon that a therapist would probably tell you that I am just some oddball, kilt-wearing, narcissist. Maybe I am. I just like to communicate with people. I'm chatty. I thrive at small talk.

3. Why are we writing? What is our purpose?

Probably because I want to be heard. Don't we all want to be heard? Isn't that the best thing about blogging? I'm not trying to change the world, here. This is my way to make a Seuss-ian "Yopp" (look it up, you parents of small kids should know from whence I speak).

4. What is the context for my writing? What am I saying? What is my message?

My main message is: I am Gunfighter, hear me roar... (oh, and I hate George Bush, passionately).

5. How does the medium of blogging affect all this?

Simply this: I get to socialize without consuming an unreasonable amount of my limited free time. I get to shout about GWB's disastrous policies to a wider audience. On a daily basis, I get to share myself with more people than I can in the corporeal world. I learn things from other like-minded souls. I can expand my solidarity with people who have similar social and political outlooks. I can fellowship and share the gospel with fellow believers and share my faith with others in a non-scary, non-pushy, non-intrusive way.

I asked Joy if she minded if I re-posted her questions here, and she graciously assented. She said that she was interested in seeing the answers. I have to say that I am every bit as interested in seeing YOUR answers.

So, if you feel like it, answer away... or not.

Cheers,

GF

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love reading about why people blog because it helps me to understand why I am so drawn to it...

My answers would sound like yours. I started blogging as a lark but once I found my voice and made connections with a variety of people I was hooked.

super des said...

I blog because I like to tell people the nothings of my day (and show off my jewelry!). If it's not for blogging, my poor boyfriend has to hear all of it.

I too like socializing but have limited free time. Plus, more often than not, I prefer a Pajama Day at home over going out.

Also, since I re-located from CA to NYC, blogging is an easy way for my CA friends to keep up on my life, on their own time. And I've made so many friends this way, I get to do the same.

Obviously, I am pro-blogging.

Alex Elliot said...

I like blogging because I like that I get to say what's going on with me. Every Wed. when I head off to the playgroup that my older son and I been in for every 3 years I think about all the things I want to share and and all the things I can't wait for people to share with me. It never happens. It's just too chaotic.

Unknown said...

I freely admit it. I started my blog to handle some of the overflow from my commercial website. It was supposed to be a flog or a splog or whatever such blogs are called.

I realized that I have a lot of interests that I share with other people. I also have an opinion (right or wrong) on just about any topic. And I do other stuff, not commercial stuff, that is just plain fun to share online. So my blog now reads, "One woman's repository of stuff, all neatly organized." I like it. Sometimes I rant (about W, but more recently about dogfighting). Sometimes I rave (most recently about a lovely new backup utility). But I always have fun.

Terri@SteelMagnolia said...

Okay,
I won't tell you ..... :-/

does this mean you won't be coming by my blog anymore!!

Hint Hint!

Terri@SteelMagnolia said...

Oh, my husband started blogging so that people could keep up on our baby while he was up at Stanford having heart surgery ...
then...

after about a year and a half... I started meeting such nice people thru Matthew's blog....
I think the Queen of Mayhem started leaving posts on Matthew's blog first ...(looovvvvve her)

and
since I am homebound w/ Matthew ALLLLL DAAYYYYY LONGGGGGG ...
it's my way of having some kind of adult interaction....
and I can do it in the middle of the night or when he's sleeping...

NOT ONE of my "live" friends or family members blog...
and now I have a whole lot of wonderful friends in the blogosphere.... I am loving it!

It's a great way to get certain messages out into the world ... which I am currently trying to do!

Anonymous said...

Very interesting post. I'd been writing a marathon of a comment, but decided against it. I may have to write a whole post!

Queen of the Mayhem said...

I did a post somewhat similar to this one. I agree with your reasons! (Well, most of them anyway!)

You know, you are one of my favorite kilt-wearing liberals! (hee-hee) :)

Gunfighter said...

I'm a liberal?

What's a liberal?

Kelley said...

I really liked your responses; a lot of mine would have been the same.

I loved what you said about the common desire people have to be heard. I think that's a strong desire for everyone, and I think it's wonderful that blogging gives everyone the ability to put their thoughts out there; it's a great tool for communication.

Lawyer Mama said...

I posted over at Gingajoy's post & I've talked about this on my blog recently too. I started blogging because I like to write and I wanted something my family could read for kidlet updates, etc... but once I started, I found that I didn't talk about my kids all that much. I spend more time talking about being a parent, how that has changed my thinking, and how it affects my views about politics and the world. And then I found all these other great bloggers and I'm fully addicted to this great little ongoing conversation. Everyone or no one can join in and I love that.

Plus, it's damn hard to be a Democrat in SE Virginia. I have to find my like minded people somewhere!

Grimm said...

I am dissappointed.

Nowhere in your responses did I see anything about blowing stuff up.

Now that I have seen your kilt wearing pic, that is all I come here for. ;)

Oh...that and the GWB rants...

...and the Award show reviews...
...and when you write about your family...
...and when you talk about your Rosary beads...

I guess you get the picture...

PT-LawMom said...

Great responses. Like Lawyer Mama, I'm blogging to find like-minded people outside my conservative town. I was in DC for many years and now live in the South. I have a group of future law school classmates who keep telling me that we need to do "Jesus' work" in law school. Now I'm a happy Episcopalian and when I think of Jesus' work, I think of ministering to the homeless or working on a Habitat home or something. I just found out that when they talk about Jesus' work, they mean going from law school to private practice to Congress where they can influence the country, a la this week's Supreme Court decision. YIKES!!!