Tuesday, January 26, 2010

This is the end...

It has been a long time since I wrote a blog post...way too long. Well that’s not entirely true, I have actually drafted a few posts. But then I stumble, and here’s my issue.

I don’t think I can do this anymore.

I am largely conflicted. On one side I think I have thoughts I would like to express, perhaps other people may be interested in them...who knows. Sometimes the writing is almost a cathartic process. But there is a big ‘other side’.

I am also an intensely private person, I protect my personal life and don’t like intrusions into it. Which is a little contrary to putting myself out there through such mediums as blogs, twitter and Facebook. And I also have a passionate hatred of people that live their lives through such public forums, posting what I feel are inappropriate comments and/or actions and divulging information that I don’t feel should be announced to all.

If you look around the web it takes about two mouse clicks to see that everyone publicly vents their opinions, their innermost thoughts...Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Blogs. Pseudo-Journalism. Let me give you some examples:
• A friend writes on his Facebook status that a close relative passed away a year ago today, and he loves him and he's never far from his mind...
• Another posts his relationship status...
• Someone carries out a conversation between herself and her teenage daughter...not a pleasant “hi mum” type of chat either...
• Twitter posts of “At XYZ for lunch”...
• Facebook/Twitter/whatever posts of “I'm eating/drinking/drunk/hungover/sitting in seat x watching event y...”.

The logical comment is “you only have to read what you want, just don’t use those tools etc”. Well that’s entirely true. I have actually removed my Facebook account twice in the past and while I currently have one it is a) locked down tighter than...[insert funny quote here], and b) it has only my friends on it not ‘associates’ or ‘fakebook’ friends...primarily as I am relocating to the United States later this year and want to stay in touch with close friends and family. I also recently culled my Twitter down to just ‘news’ and ‘information’ style subscriptions with one or two minor exceptions.

However I would feel a little hypocritical if I then continued to post on a blog in a public forum about my thoughts and opinions.

I should reinforce here it is very much a case of each to their own. It is not bad to do the things I noted above (I’m sure someone is interested in what you had for breakfast), it’s just not who I am.

So I think this is it for the moment. Maybe I will change my mind, or somehow feel differently in the future. But until then, take care.