> An increasing number of Rinkies seem to have online journals, such as LiveJournal or similar. I'm not the sort of person who would ever do this, so I'm curious about what people personally feel they get from it.
>
> Online diaries appear to be the most extreme possible way of revealing your private self to total strangers online.

I think what you need to remember about the whole concept is that the fact that it's specifically written for public consumption clearly colors and shapes what's actually put there. Whether the writer will admit it or not, consciously or subconsciously, the knowledge that friends, family, strangers, voyeurs, curiosity seekers will read it has to, on some level, affect what shows up. I think that realization has to color the reading of it, too.

M