Blogging and me

Today's deep thinking post comes as a result of:

~ reading Paris' Beaverbanks' musings on the masks we wear in life
~ reading that Pink Elle's bro thinks of bloggers as "all those people who have no real names"
~ reading the writings of Mr. Blue* - who thinks that blogs and bloggers are full of pretense
(*name changed [ahahaha] to protect identity)

And I thought to myself. Do I, rinnah, fall into any of those categories? I commented on Paris' post that I don't count the masks I wear. Sure, I do wear masks. This one for work, this one with friends, this one with family (close), this one with family (extended), bla bla bla. But I don't think of it as wearing a mask. More like adopting different roles to suit the occasion. I cannot be fun, silly me at work. I need to be focused and serious. I can't be serious all the time with my friends, but neither can I 'manja' them like I can with family. Sure, it would be a whole lot easier if I didn't have to think about which role I'm in all the time (and sometimes I do get them muddled up) but it sure would be a lot harder to get along with everyone if I didn't adapt myself every now and then. There are times, however, when I just want to give it all up and tell the world - "This is me. Take it or leave it if you don't like it."

So just as playing a role(s) in real life, is who I am online another role? Yes, and no. I think of my online persona as an expansion / extension of who I am. I say things louder and express myself clearly in the blogosphere when I would just keep my thoughts to myself in real world. I don't airbrush myself to make myself look good, neither do I dumb myself down. This is the real me, what thoughts go on in my head. I put them all out, so there's nothing to hide. But yet, there are many times when I don't want someone from real life who knows me intruding into the blogosphere (unless by invitation!) so I use a pseudonym. Yet even then, my blogname is derived in short form from my real name. So, that is my reason for not having a real name.

Are then blogs fiction made up by people with no real name? How much of it can you believe and not be led astray by the persona that the other person projects onto his or her blog? Therein lies the question. And that is why Mr. Blue thinks that all blogs and bloggers are by no means any match for the real thing - e.g. getting to know the person in real life. (But what if they're wearing a mask when they meet? Aha.)

I beg to differ. For me, blogging is from the heart. And every word I blog is real. Not made up. Exaggerated at times, I'll admit that. But mostly all me. And I'd like to think that it's the same for you, you and you out there. I'm sure that you've made a connection with someone in the blogosphere that can be called more than acquaintance, closer to being called friendship, just that it's not sealed by a face to face meeting. Why else do we keep on coming back to those blogs and bloggers whom we know and love?

Mr. Blue doesn't know me or my blog, so he will never read this post and have the opportunity to respond. But what do my fellow bloggers think? Let me know in your comments.