Derek Shanahan | My Personal Blog - Latest Comments in The Blogger Is Not Real

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

Derek — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:48:58 -0000

You're totally right...there are huge parallels between the ways we interact
in person and online. Writing is a great way to 'record' yourself, as
accurately as you can.

Thanks for stopping by:)

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

Derek — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:48:58 -0000

You're totally right...there are huge parallels between the ways we interact
in person and online. Writing is a great way to 'record' yourself, as
accurately as you can.

Thanks for stopping by:)

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

Derek — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:48:58 -0000

You're totally right...there are huge parallels between the ways we interact
in person and online. Writing is a great way to 'record' yourself, as
accurately as you can.

Thanks for stopping by:)

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

Lindsey Sherman — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:35:50 -0000

Isn't this true for every type of communication you take part in?

In person, at parties for example, you might present a socially constructed self that is calculated--fake. But even when being authentic and open during a long conversation with a close friend, the sharing of your thoughts and ideas never reveals the entirety of who you are.

I find that writing enables me to dig more deeply into who I am and what I think. The blog just makes it easier to share that deeper part of me with everyone else. It is tempting to be false and try to present a "prettier" version of who I really am, but I constantly remind myself that being genuine and honest is more important to me. So, I choose to show my warts and all.

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

Lindsey Sherman — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:35:50 -0000

Isn't this true for every type of communication you take part in?

In person, at parties for example, you might present a socially constructed self that is calculated--fake. But even when being authentic and open during a long conversation with a close friend, the sharing of your thoughts and ideas never reveals the entirety of who you are.

I find that writing enables me to dig more deeply into who I am and what I think. The blog just makes it easier to share that deeper part of me with everyone else. It is tempting to be false and try to present a "prettier" version of who I really am, but I constantly remind myself that being genuine and honest is more important to me. So, I choose to show my warts and all.

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

Ryan Knapp — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:30:42 -0000

It should be akin to Fight Club 'You are not your fucking khakis' You are NOT your blog. You are you.

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

Ryan Knapp — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:30:42 -0000

You will always be anon on the internet, no matter how much you try to be transparent. Everyone preaches that they are the same person they are online, but no one can tell when I´m online that I'm grumpy because I got up @ 5am.

It should be akin to Fight Club 'You are not your fucking khakis' You are NOT your blog. You are you.

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

Derek — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:09:52 -0000

I think I saw that tweet. There is an element sometimes that makes our
online personas a little cooler than we really are, right?

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

Derek — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:08:39 -0000

Well put...there's a huge up to meeting someone in person, even having read
them for years. It fills in some personality gaps and adds dimension to a
two-dimensional interaction.

Looking forward to meeting you!

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

Derek — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:09:52 -0000

I think I saw that tweet. There is an element sometimes that makes our
online personas a little cooler than we really are, right?

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

Derek — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:08:39 -0000

Well put...there's a huge up to meeting someone in person, even having read
them for years. It fills in some personality gaps and adds dimension to a
two-dimensional interaction.

Looking forward to meeting you!

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

Susanna Loewy — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:59:32 -0000

So well said - concise and eloquent in a way I could have never managed...

And of course, about a topic with which we all deal. I twittered last week about it, in fact - I think I wrote something like "Please don't fall in love with the online version; the real thing just isn't as cool."

So anyway - point is, thanks for writing it in a way that doesn't depress, but instead inspires...

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

verybadcat — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:42:50 -0000

It's interesting to me that some people saw this as a challenge to their authenticity online, and others didn't.

Anyone that hasn't met me face to face could read every single post I ever published, but they wouldn't really know me until they could see my face light up when I recognize them in a crowd, or the tremble in my hand as I pick up my glass. They haven't seen me, taken in my scent and posture, my tone and inflection. You can have an intimate understanding of someone's thoughts, feelings, experiences and personality from reading their blog posts. That doesn't mean you *know* them. So much of the information we take in about someone is subconscious, and we don't have the data for that level of knowing without being able to hear them laugh, or feel their knee under our palm while we're emphasizing a point.

The most authentic bloggers might give you all the parts, but the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and it is that "gap" or difference that we gain from meeting in person.

ps: i love being late to the party. ;)

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

Susanna Loewy — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:59:32 -0000

So well said - concise and eloquent in a way I could have never managed...

And of course, about a topic with which we all deal. I twittered last week about it, in fact - I think I wrote something like "Please don't fall in love with the online version; the real thing just isn't as cool."

So anyway - point is, thanks for writing it in a way that doesn't depress, but instead inspires...

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

verybadcat — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:42:50 -0000

It's interesting to me that some people saw this as a challenge to their authenticity online, and others didn't.

Anyone that hasn't met me face to face could read every single post I ever published, but they wouldn't really know me until they could see my face light up when I recognize them in a crowd, or the tremble in my hand as I pick my glass up. They haven't seen me, taken in my scent and posture, my tone and inflection. You can have an intimate understanding of someone's thoughts, feelings, experiences and personality from reading their blog posts. That doesn't mean you *know* them. So much of the information we take in about someone is subconscious, and we don't have the data for that level of knowing without being able to hear them laugh, or feel their knee under our palm while we're emphasizing a point.

The most authentic bloggers might give you all the parts, but the sum is greater than the parts, and it is that "gap" or difference that we gain from meeting in person.

ps: i love being late to the party. ;)

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

blaez — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:03:33 -0000

but what you say is very intriging and i can completely understand where you are coming from and i believe that a lot of bloggers probably pain themselves in a different light whether it is intentional or not.

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

blaez — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:03:33 -0000

i am exactly on my blog how i am in real life. i am brash i am brazen and i speak my mind. those that read my blog actually know more about me and what's going on with me in life than my real life friends do.

but what you say is very intriging and i can completely understand where you are coming from and i believe that a lot of bloggers probably pain themselves in a different light whether it is intentional or not.

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

Andrea — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:35:32 -0000

Her recent posts about her breakup are why she is the best diarist. So honest and raw.

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

Andrea — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:35:32 -0000

Her recent posts about her breakup are why she is the best diarist. So honest and raw.

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

JHepCat72 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:37:47 -0000

DShan, Love this post. Relate to the max. Thanks!

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

raeleighbsg — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:47:10 -0000

i tend to be more forthcoming on twitter, because it's blocked and i have very few "in real life" people on there -- and the ones i do, i know love all the horrible things about me. i put very little about me on facebook -- mostly because i have a TON of work people on there.

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

JHepCat72 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:37:47 -0000

DShan, Love this post. Relate to the max. Thanks!

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

justatitch — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:20:05 -0000

While I don't feel as if I present myself differently than I am in person, I agree with you to some extent. I think the distinction I make is that most things I don't write about are less about ME and more about the fact that my boyfriend, parents, family, etc. are uncomfortable with me posting the "nitty gritty." And yes, it's calculated to some degree---I just try and give the highlights, if you will.

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

raeleighbsg — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:47:10 -0000

i feel like you're saying that there's MORE to us than we read on each other's blogs, but i'm not sure that i agree with that being the same thing as not knowing each other. i mean, yeah, you guys don't know me like, say, my roommates do, but that's because they're with me day in and day out. and trust me, if i put everything on my blog, it would be a snooze fest. but that doesn't mean that what i DO put on there isn't 100% me.

i tend to be more forthcoming on twitter, because it's blocked and i have very few "in real life" people on there -- and the ones i do, i know love all the horrible things about me. i put very little about me on facebook -- mostly because i have a TON of work people on there.

Re: The Blogger Is Not Real

justatitch — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:20:05 -0000