the purpose of blogs

So, now that I'm off and running with this blog thing, I've recently been thinking about it's purpose. Or, rather, my purpose for starting it.

Why do people blog? I'd venture to say that a few do it simply because it's the thing to do, at the moment. I'll take that. Some do it because they've seen others do it and enjoy doing it, so they, too, want to see what all the fuss is about. I'll take some of that one, too. Some people blog because their lives are actually that interesting, or they have something to say that is genuinely worth reading. Nah... boring life here, and I've never thought of myself as a very eloquent writer... so, don't put me down for that one.

Which leads me to think that some people really just need to 'get it out'. To have a place where they can put their feelings, thoughts, plots, etc... Especially when something is really icky, or eating away at you... I can completely see that. Putting it down on paper, or, in today's world, that could translate to blogging it... gets it out of your head. I've personally experienced that one, although, I'm not so sure I'd file that one under my reason for blogging.

I'd certainly love a place to put it all, but would I then turn around and not only tell people about it, but actually point them in the direction of said blog? Hell no. If I'm going to put it all out, I'm going to do it completely and totally anonymously... nobody, I mean nobody, is going to know it's me.

A friend of mine said that she thought of starting a blog for just that reason. She's bearing a pretty heavy weight on her shoulders right now, and just needs a place to let it all out. However, there could be a real danger if the wrong people got word of this place... she could very well risk relationships and people who are very close to her. So, what does she do? Well, to answer for her specifically, although, that was really a general question... she didn't do anything. She didn't get a place to put it all out. Rather, she, like others, started a blog, yet continues to write with that 'filter' in place. The 'I know people are reading this so I have to be careful of what I put down in case (enter name here) reads this' filter. C'mon, we all have 'em. Even my husband, who generally comes from the school of "if they don't like what I type, then they don't have to read it", which, I may add, I subscribe to... for everyone but myself. He thinks about what he writes before he publishes it. Probably to a lesser degree than me, but, still, he does it nonetheless.

So, is there a way of truly remaining anonymous? I'm sure it's possible. Haven't really investigated it that much. I'm sure there are thousands who do on a daily basis.

Just not me. Yet.