Quote: (07-06-2013 08:14 AM)xsplat Wrote:
Perhaps a blog can fulfill similar functions, plus a few extra. Articulating what is on your mind has added challenges when you are writing to an audience. There are matters of being persuasive, interesting, cogent, diplomatic, stylish, and more. As with a journal, it will help you to puzzle things out.
Conversely a journal runs the risk of wasting attention on navel gazing, or running on at the mouth sloppily, which could set up bad communication habits. People don't much care about our achievements and inspirations and emotions. And while clarity and focus of mind and direction are important, there are diminishing returns to going over our personal narrative. A journal makes our story seem very important to us - much more important than it will ever be to anyone else. It can be un-neccessary and even counter productive to be terribly invested in our narrative. The fact that it's boring to others should tell us something - it's actually not terribly important.
"Today my emotions were extremely this way, and then tapered off to a bland emotionless. I had the insight that it was because of so forth."
Rumination.
Much of our experience can be handled spontaneously and on the fly and then let loose.
Ok, that's all the negatives.
The positives are that yes, absolutely, touching in to pinpointing things with clarity sets up our minds and lives to be more insightful, organized, and productive.
The advantage to publishing openly our thoughts are to get the benefits without the disadvantages, plus to be challenged in a broader more social way. Plus, a blog can add value to other peoples lives, and is a ongoing resume for networking. I judge people by what they have written on blogs and forums and decide if I'd want to engage in friendship or business with them based on that, and I've even invited perfect strangers to meet based on their "resume". Writing for guys is like tits for a woman. I'm attracted to a good set of writing.
Some great points. I'll only contribute that we often edit ourselves when publishing our "journal" publicly, which can be a downside.
Then again, does part of the evolution of a man necessitate finally syncing your private self with your public self?
Beyond All Seas
"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling
"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling