Too good to pass up
Blogging is the epitome of narcissism.
I saw a Facebook post the other day where a guy posted a link to a Haitian charity, which after being criticized by a friend, he responded that he’d be willing to “issue a retraction.” I got the sense that I was the only witness to something very strange. Who was this intended for? What body would be overseeing this formal procedure? Why would he say that?
Schopenhauer had a name for this empty talk, he called it “fencing in the mirror.” It’s more common than you think. Consider all the times you’ve seen some blogger apologize for not posting recently – profusely addressing some concern that likely was never expressed.
h/t Ryan Holiday
I heartily agree. But then again, Schopenhaeur also says http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/s/schopenhauer/arthur/lit/chapter5.html
Jonathan R. Wallace
15 Feb 10 at 7:30 am
[Consider all the times you’ve seen some blogger apologize for not posting recently – profusely addressing some concern that likely was never expressed.]
I do not see it as narcissism but more of a case of good manners. I used to live in a small town where it was common for everybody to gather at the restaurant to eat, drink and gossip. The local restaurant had several tables pushed together where individuals would just come in during the day set down eat and gab with whomever was setting at that group table. There were people that the only time you might see them was when they came into the restaurant to eat and gab. When you become accustomed to meeting people and bond and then they do not show up for a few days questions and worry may arise. In many ways blogging has become like that group table. Very often in blogging the only time we interact with each other is while visiting each others blogs. Very often the same people tend to flock to similar blog sites. There becomes an expectation of meeting at blogs as people tend to blog at noticeable intervals. So when and individual does not post with the regularity that you have come to expect – the regular visitors have no way of knowing the meaning behind the silence. The most recent experience I saw was when local QC blogger Dave Barrett died back in December. I probably would not have known except QCExaminer had mailed me. I also noticed someone on her blog that just found out the information on his death a few days back. We as bloggers owe no explanation when we interrupt our posting. Still it is just a case of good manners to let regular visitors know when we are purposely interrupting those normal meetings.
thescoundrel
20 Feb 10 at 5:16 pm