Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Blogs and Identity.

I think blogs represent the personality of the blogger at least quite a bit. A maxim goes "One can fool some people for sometime, he can even fool all the people for sometime, but never all the people all the time". So, I am wondering how far blogs speak about people's nature. It would be interesting if some study is taken on this. On a different note though, given that a blog is a great medium for self-expression and has a potential to influence readers thoughts, it is quite likely that a blogger with good repute can be approached by a management for publicity. If such politics enters the blogsphere, the credibility of the blogs would go for a ride. Hope such things doesn't happen.

9 comments:

NaiKutti said...

i completely agree with sathyaus... but blogging reveals the identity of a person much more than plain-chatting anonymously... politics and blog???... u giving some ideas to some people out there waiting to grab such opportunities??? ;-)

Ranj said...

I'd have to disagree a wee bit with sathyus and naikutti and agree to some extent with parvati. This anonymity actually brings down the veils of inhibitions, mindsets, facades that exist in us because of our friends, family, society etc. Like chatting, blogging is a medium that I feel reveals the true personality - so much that a person who actually met a blogger in real life would see a more "shy" (by comparison) person in real life.

All this if the blog is a personal one :) Otherwise, we may know someone with certain opinions on certain issues, nothing more.

Mysorean said...

A blog is definitely an indicator of what the blogger's personality is.

It depends on us as to how much we are capable of analysing the write-ups to understand the true personality behind the blogs. If you are capable of analysing correctly, then you will be able to discover the personality how much ever he or she might try to hide it for whatever reasons!

As far as I am concerned, I just read the blogs that are written and not bother much about the person. Because here I come from Sathyus point of view. Even by staying with a person for years together you will never know the true person. It can get very tough.

And regarding commercialisation of blogs, well, we will know when it happens. And in all probability we will avoid those commercial blogs and keep to blogs like ours that are natural and straight from the heart! :)

Narayanan Venkitu said...

I had the experience of watching some bloggers closely and could find some traits...What you've said is true indeed..It will reflect ones thoughts to some extents.!!

Anonymous said...

Dear Kasthuri,
I really don't have the energy to practice subterfuge in discourse, either face-to-face or on media like blogs, mail etc. I think I am quite open about my identity. as for blogs and business/politics I am an idealist of sorts and I really don't want anything of that sort to spoil a great avenue for self-expression.
SARVAM SRIKRISHNAARPANAMASTHU!

Ganesh said...

very thoughtful post.
I guess there is a Dr.Jekyll and hyde in everyone of us.
But I wouldnt judge a person based only his/her blog.
Some people remain anonymous so that they can express their thoughts freely.

BTW I dont want any ads in my blog,like to continue on that. Eventually every blog every inch of cyber space is going to be bombarded with ads.

Miya said...

Blogs represent the thinking of a person and their opinions, mindset, etc.

> politics enters the blogsphere, the credibility of the blogs would go for a ride

Well, when major newspapers 'sell' editorial spaces and do not inform the casual reader about it, utilizing a blog for such a purpose is child's play!

Kasthuri said...

@ sathya : When it is difficult for a peroson to find his real nature, it is impossible to be understood by others. However, I am not talking about the real nature, but about general characteristics of the person.

@ naikutti : I hope I didn't give ideas out there...guess people are not dumb enough to grab ideas from this space. :-)

@ parvati : I want to address you as 'energy'. Nicely written. I too think anonymity actually reveals the identity more than anything else. Also IMHO, as u rightly pointed out its the honesty that makes the blog attractive.

@ ranj : I concur with most of what you have said. I don't know whether we would be looking at a more'shy' person than what he/she writes. I think writing skill plays a good role.

@ adi : True. Analysis plays an important part of personality reconstruction. I think the personality of the blogger will have a big influence on the reader depending on what he/she writes. I think the curiosity to know the person will remain if we like what he/she writes.

@ narayan venkitu : Cool...I have another person who thinks the same way.

@ Anand : While I admit honesty should rule the blogs, I respect if the person wants to remain anonymous and doesn't want to reveal his identity through his words. As long as what he writes is interesting, I am okay with it.

@ ganesh : Thanks buddy, I don't want to have any ads on my blog even if it fetches money.

@ ramya : Do u have a particular newspaper in mind ? I am just asking because I can know about it. I have heard some complaints about TOI

Saravana said...

@sathyu - one can never understand a girl even after going thru a thousand posts of a girl :P

@kasthuri - in fact I've been analyzing the character of people directly, through blogs, through the way of speaking on phones, through the comments they post on blogs. Its true we can analyze a person from these things. but its also that people evolve everytime.