Why Would I add My Name to the Blogosphere?

That is the question I’ve asked myself many times since the idea of blogging emerged in some rarely used part of my mind. The odds of my blog ever being read en mass are extremely unlikely. There are already countless blogs out there as well as online versions of every magazine, newspaper, news network, university, think tank and activist group out there. many of which actually pay people to write. I guess it boils down to something even more selfish than wanting to be read and make money from spending a few hours here and there silently opining in front of my computer: I want to do it.

Perhaps this luring temptation was best put by Christopher Hitchens when asked why he wrote, "...it was sort of decided for me, I think. I believe it's true with anyone who makes it their life. It isn't what you do, it's what you are, in other words, that somehow you've always known." (1) That's a little extreme in my case, but there is surely something irresistible about writing down your thoughts and leaving them out there for everyone to see. It's strangely therapeutic.

That's not to say that's it's solely a self-soothing sort of exercise. I would love to be read widely and influence people. I do have strong opinions and believe strongly our country is heading in the wrong direction and most intellectuals are off base with their solutions. It's almost as if I have a duty to fight what's happening even if it's only in an unread blog on one of umpteen blogging sites. And hey, it could be the start of something bigger. As an old Chinese proverb says, “every thousand mile journey begins with the first step.”

There's one last reason that is probably the most important of all. It's often said that teaching is the best method of learning. Well I, and surely many of my friends, am getting tired of interjecting my politics into a random talk about which team had the best draft. Unfortunately, people don’t always want to hear your opinions about what caused the Roman Empire to collapse and sometimes I can’t resist. Writing solves this dilemma. It is like teaching a nonexistent person. It allows you to see your own thoughts and evaluate your own arguments. I've often found logical fallacies, blatant omissions and other flaws in my reasoning after putting pencil to pad (or fingers to keyboard). If nothing else, writing will allow me to question my assumptions and clarify my opinions. Basically it should make me more smarter. And that in itself makes writing worth while.

(1) Christopher Hitchens, Conversations with History, Conversations with Christopher Hitchens P. 3 of 5, http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/Elberg/Hitchens/hitchens-con3.html