Thursday, October 04, 2007

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.

19 spins:

Anonymous said...

..and that my dear, is so well-written. It really struck a chord within me, because even though I have yet to meet you in person, I know we connect in a way only bloggers can. Like you, I too, write from the heart. Whimsical and carefree, but always honest. And at times exaggerated for effect.

But from my chats with you and from what you write and how you write, I just want to tell you that you do deserve to tell everyone, "Take it or leave it." And you know what? I bet most of us would take it.

rinnah said...

giddy tiger: Thank you. Truly from the bottom of my heart. It's both strange and wonderful that we can connect thru our blogs and how I find that you are really 'my friend' more than others who claim to be.

Ehehehe... I'm not sure how many of the real life people I know could take me as I am because they've never seen me as I am. *grin*

But... *hugs* and thank you for your uplifting comment.

rainbow angeles said...

Lemme chup first. I have a lotta thots on this but all jumbled up. Can't think, well, yet. :D

Pssttt... tell me Mr. Blue's blog, I wanna go bomb him haha.. J/K!!

Cum la... tell laaa...

rinnah said...

angel: Your chup is secure! Come back and tell me your thoughts once you've sorted thru 'em.

Mr. Blue doesn't have a blog. Maybe that's why he can't understand bloggers. LOL!

L B said...

I was happily agreeing with you, going "Aye, aye..", when I suddenly realised I gotta chup first, and read later!!

L B said...

Mr Blue ain't met the Concubines..

L B said...

We are what we eat...

L B said...

So that either makes me a lormaikai, or a pizza...

Ehon said...

beautiful. :)

a blog, like a life, cannot be defined. no one can define my life or your life. it's free. it's yours, and uniquely yours.

rinnah said...

l b: Aye, you gotta secure the chups first!

Ahahaha... I wonder if Mr. Blue would change his minds if he met the Imperial cast or if he would be confirmed in his opinions at our split personalities? *grin*

I think you are... 80% pizza with 20% lormaikai. Pizza with lormaikai topping?

**********
ehon: Thanks. :)

My blog(s) is an extension / expansion of me, so it is uniquely real. Unreplicatable! LOL!

Chen said...

I am who I am
We are who we are ;)

Yeah, blogging is from the heart.
Those who never blog or never read any blogs will never know what they have missed out in life ;)

zewt said...

let us not be too over judgemental on bloggers and blogs... after all, it's called the 'virtue world'... the name virtue is there for a reason.

yeah... your rinnah itself is already quite a big hint of your name... unlike mine... haha!

may said...

I've learned that no matter how real or unreal bloggers are in their blogs, we have to take everything with a little pinch of salt. don't get too attached, nor be too detached. a nice balancing act, that. ;-)

narrowband said...

Unlike your nick, mine is totally 'detached' from my real name. But then again, it has become somewhat synonymous with my real self anyway.

As a blogger, I write from my heart, and all my work are very much sincere and real. However, if you must ask, there is a kind of 'unreal' element in my work - I leave a lot of things offline. I only write the stuff which I think are suitable for online publication - not so private, not so controversial, not so sensitive. In a way, I am afraid of voicing myself out too loudly - like how Zewt always puts it.

But as far as the published contents are concerned, they're all real and would be told in the same way if I were to express them verbally. I like to write in a more 'conversational' manner, while keeping tab on punctuations and whatnots.

I like to have a complete control over the 'emotional climate' of my blog - I dictate what sort of image and emotions I want to portray. Even when I'm sad, I try to write happy stuff - or not write at all. I don't think that is the same as being pretentious.

Anonymous said...

Whilst many of us choose to remain anonymous online for various reasons, I think most bloggers' thoughts are honest and from the heart. It is why some of them remain anonymous in the first place. So I don't agree that blogs and bloggers are full of pretense.

In many ways, I think our online personalities are in fact, closer to our "real" personalities than what we show in "real life" because online, we don't have to keep up a veneer of social politeness that stops us from saying things or thinking certain ways. This is proven every time a blogger does a thinking post, just like you did. This is the real you talking and thinking and if we don't like it, tough! :) Its just not as easy to say that in real life eh?

mistipurple said...

go behind the words. that's where most of us are. if one is discerning enough, you will know lots about that person, more so than if you might meet her/him.
and, i wish you many happy years in blogland! :)

rinnah said...

chen: :) You got that right! So, I should feel sorry for Mr. Blue and all those other people who don't blog or read blogs? Food for thought...

**********
zewt: Uhm, are you referring to the 'virtual' world? I haven't heard of the 'virtue world' worrr...

Ha... if I didn't tell you my real name you wouldn't be able to guess it, right? Yours is a real tongue-twister though!

**********
may: I'm too attached to your blog! How? LOL!

**********
narrowband: It's hard to think of you as anyone else but narrowband. LOL!

I think all of us do pretty much the same - some things are published, others are not. I know where you're coming from when you say that you control the 'emotional climate' of your blog - I would call it being reserved, not pretentious. We do that in real life too, not letting other emotions show through.

**********
parisb: Yes! The second paragraph of your comment is exactly what I'm trying to say. Somehow, the anonymity of the web makes 'being myself' so much more easier. I wish it could translate into everyday life.

**********
mistipurple: Words are very revealing, aren't they? I guess maybe some use words to put up a front of who they are not, and that gives rise to the 'pretense' claim.

I'm glad you decided to stay in blogland, mistimoo! *hugs*

chartao said...

this is a very reflective post..i should go and reflect on myself now!

*sped away!*

rinnah said...

leonard: And what have your reflections found? *grin*