> > 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.

This is one of the aspects I was wondering about, actually. It's part of what I was thinking about the wanting-to-be-noticed thing. Most people want to have their views and feelings validated by others. Perhaps this is why a person would choose an online diary over a paper diary, beyond other factors like using it to keep in touch with friends.

Maybe I should ask some other questions to the journallers to dig into this deeper:

Do you also keep an entirely secret diary? Is that diary coloured by the knowledge that, somehow or other, somebody *might* read it one day? And how would you react if that happened? How would you react if you knew conclusively that it *wouldn't* happen?

Does it seem like your life experiences become more real or understandable if they're written down and read, even if you're the only reader?

I hope this isn't sounding like criticism of people who keep diaries of any kind. I just don't understand its appeal, and I'd like to.

Brunnen-"trying to find out why people do stuff is my second favourite contact sport"G