Since there's not a rule book out there on this topic I am asking for your feedback. I guess I should set up the situation before I ask my question....
First let me say that I know that some people mean for their blogs to be read by the whole world. Mine is one of those, which is why I try to keep the personal information on my blog limited. I also know some people who have truly personal blogs that they mean for everyone to read (why they invite the world to have a seat in their living room I'll never know. I try to be a little more judicious with what I put out there than some people.) I also know that some people just have personal blogs that they keep public so that their friends and families can come and go as they please, but they don't necessarily intend for the world to be viewing.
I sometimes "blog hop". You know, I look at one friend's blog then off to the side, or in the comments I see the name of another friend so I check out their blog, and so on and so on. Well, here's where things get sticky. I always end up finding someone's blog whom I know of, but I know they probably don't know, or care about, or remember me. And yet sometimes I occasionally go back and check their blogs again. (Come on, I know some of you out there do this too. I can't be the only one!)
Now I know I do this innocently, but it does beg the question, is this appropriate? I mean well. I'm interested in their lives and happy to see their accomplishments and blessings in their lives. But in the end is this really just voyeurism?
I decided for me that I needed to make my judgments based on whether I would be happy to hear they are reading my blog and if I thought they would mind if I was reading their blog. Making my decision based on that, some blogs I look at regularly and some I don't go back to.
But what are your opinions? What do you think about blogosphere voyeurism?
(I know many people read this blog. Don't feel shy about giving your opinion. Remember, I'm okay with anyone and everyone reading my blog and I would love the variety of opinions.)
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I know that I get -a lot- of traffic that way, and I'm pretty sure there are those that keep coming back. It certainly doesn't bother me and I wish they would speak up.
ReplyDeleteI also do what you're describing all the time, and I've never had it received poorly when I have commented. It's typically seen as flattering.
There's no reason to put links on the side of the blog if people aren't meant to go there, know what I mean? The idea is to network out. The links aren't there for me, I have google reader for that. It's to give a shout out to blogs that I think are worth reading.
I'm kind of (prescription) drugged up right now... so I hope that answered the question. lol
I say that if it is a public blog, you are doing nothing wrong. Commenting on these blogs may be weird, but you are doing nothing wrong by reading them. Like you said, if they were worried about it, they would make their blogs private. Maybe I am justifying it because I do that, too. In fact, I have a system for some that I blog stalk regularly. I say more power to you. They would probably even be flattered that you cared. I know I would.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both comments. I suppose it's a little weird to keep up with people I don't know, but it's also somehow really comforting when I stumble upon a blog written by someone across the world who is feeling the same way I am in life. And sometimes I comment on those blogs and say, "Hey, thanks for writing that into the world." And I think they appreciate it. I hope they do. I appreciate it when people do that to me.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, is that nearly everyone knows now how a blog works and what to do if you want to make it private. If you don't make it private, then it's almost guaranteed that you're going to like it when random people find your blog and like it. Everyone likes an audience. Right?