Blog Addiction to Blogging

Blogs, have you got an addiction or what? 

With every wonderful new invention enivetably comes a number of issues to be dealt with.  

I started blogging a few years ago because I could see the potential of Blogs for IT students that wanted a web presence that would be a bit of a no-brainer to set up,  providing they had good instructions.  I stepped out of the blogosphere for a while. Meanwhile I have been living my life doing other virtual things which keeps me on the computer about 60 hours a week.

Stepping back into the Blog universe a few weeks back has been quite a shock; the technology has changed, numerous widgets and tools to drive traffic have appeared, lots of people using blogs as affiliate doorways…it really is a new world that is changing while we’re staring at it.

And like all areas of Info Tech, when you’re concentrating on one area, a whole new technology emerges. Or, a pre-existing one morphs into a monster.   

Now there is a whole new digital generation living their lives online, sharing their worlds with strangers, sending messages/comments to people that they pass in the digital street.  I guess it had to happen.

• Forums were too black and white and not pretty or customizable enough. 
• Rebuilding a web page each day was too nerdy and impracticle. 
• Email a bit too too spammy.

So enter the blog, the land where you can add pictures and build /shape your virtual personailty, tell people your woes and break throughs, and tell others what you think about the way they view the world.

But after having a little bit of a dig around the blog lands I’m seeing the foundations of a potential issue. Over the past few years I’ve been exploring computer addictions a little. Our education systems and the business world is pushing everyone into the world of computer technology in a manner that really divides the community. This means:  you know or you don’t, like it or lump it it’s coming anyway.  And there are many people that have a lot of trouble just locating the on button…and mind you…many that can’t find the off button.

 A few of our common digital addictions that really need addressing are

• young teenage guys at LAN parties
• teenage girls that spend hours chatting
• downloading endless amounts of MP3’s that there is not enough time to listen to
• people in jobs that spend all day checking their emails

So what I’m starting to see know is the foundation of a new addiction the BLOG ADDICTION

So how do we know if we have an issue?  (Please note this is a bit tongue in cheek)

• If you create comments on your own blogs
• If you get upset when no-one comments
• When you ask people to comment
• If you get depressed when your blog stats are down
• If you check your blog before breakfast
• If your blog friends out number your physical friends
• If changing your avatar is a stressful experience
• If you post things on your blog like…”I had to go out for an hour but I’m back now”

Ok let’s watch this phenomena closely, its upside or downside.