A lot of us are aware of the dangers of exposing our personal lives over the web. But there are many users who feel the instinctive, almost redemptive need to share this very information. Some do it for selfish reasons, others do it as a form of therapy. It's true that many blogs are of little value to the average internet user, but nowadays, I'm disinclined to judge the motives or desires of bloggers because I myself have been tempted many many times to reveal personal details. Knowing that your digitized thoughts are of interest to even just a few people is a very seductive and empowering feeling (many columnists won't tell you this, but this is what drives them). But for me, anonymity is a warm blanket. It's cowardly to keep complete anonymity, but foolhardy to expose yourself completely.
Emily Gould, who used to be co-editor at Gawker.com, has just written an account of her personal crises in having her life shared so publicly over several blogs and websites, both openly and anonymously. It's not the usual stories one hears about, like being taken advantage of by scammers, or petty images being photoshopped. Emily is an experienced blogger who was well aware of such amateurish escapades. What she does detail is the psychological toll it takes on people who thrive on or need such attention.
A lot of the commentary that has been directed at her piece has been negative, but whether her reasons are trivial or not, she has painted a rich picture of what many bloggers secretly or openly crave for. And the very commentary that she has elicited indicates that even those who don't like her writing or her actions, seek to satisfy their own desires to be heard. In the end we're all a little like Emily Gould. This is a long, but worthwhile piece.
