Are Bloggers Really Narcissistic?

I know you are looking at this title and trying to decide if you want to read this post, and I’m sure you are thinking about the title and you have already formed a decision, and I’m going to challenge you – especially all you lurkers – to comment as to whether or not you think it is true that “bloggers are narcissistic”.

This came up a few months ago at the bar with my friends, when one of the guys at the table commented that he loved reading my blog, and he reads the posts every day and he finds in entertaining. The guy to his right then said that he reads this blog only when there is nothing else on TV, or on the net. “I’m sorry” he said, “but it’s true”. I have no problem with that, when the third guy at the table said to me, “I didn’t know you blog. Why do you blog?” Before I had a chance to comment, the 4th guy there, on my right, said, “people blog because the are narcissistic. The are into themselves and want others to comment so they look important.”

So I thought about it for a few seconds, and all that came out of my mouth was, “oh yeah? you think so?”

“I do” he said.

So I’ve been chewing on this for a couple of months trying to find the best was to post this conversation without offending the guy who made the statement, but also to really think about why it is that we do this…

I think with the growth in bloggers, it does water down the quality of “news” we receive but it also gives up a view of the news from a non-partisan angle in some cases. Like with Tiger Woods, the traditional news media were very cautious when presenting the news to not piss off any of his sponsors, or Woods himself, whereas a non-traditional media outlet such as http://www.tmz.com went there and from what I remember, even paid some of Woods mistresses for their stories. TMZ didn’t care about pissing off Woods, or Nike, they only wanted the story… First.

But be clear, I am not comparing this blog in any way to traditional media, or even non-traditional media, as in my case, I use this as a forum to vent my viewpoint in a forum which does not involve my best friend, my wife, or anyone else that I know. Most of my friends or acquaintances don’t care about the Toronto Maple Leafs not having a 1st round pick this year, or Rob Ford’s ascension to mayor, or that I stood in line at Tim Horton’s behind a guy who would take one step forward, then one back and I would forget resulting in him stepping on my toes 5 or 6 times. He probably thought I was a knob!

My point here is that out of all the reasons I have chosen to blog, and to continue blogging over 6 years and 600 posts later, none of them are for narcissistic reasons… I think.

Instead, I post with no-one in mind. I post to remember things my kids did, or to bitch and moan about random crap that matters to me and me only. Turns out some people like that. They probably use my postings to look at their lives and realize we’re all in the same boat… Some shit bugs us, and some makes us happy.  As a result, I cannot remember pressing “publish” on a post and thinking how great I was, but that’s me.  What about you?  What about others?    Do you know someone totally in this for the “fame and fortune?”  Someone who blogs because they love themselves so much that their blog encompasses them and takes over their life?  If so, let me know so I can read it and see it my friend was referring to me by his comment or if he was making a sweeping general comment about bloggers in general.

There is nothing wrong with a little narcissism but like everything else in life, too much of it can be dangerous, or obnoxious.

There is loving yourself, then there is LOVING yourself.