People use the internet. You use the internet. Have you ever sat down and asked yourself the question of why you use the internet? Why others use the internet?
I have.
I feel like I ask myself that daily. In fact, it’s one of the first things that I thought about when I first started blogging consistently here on ChurchCrunch. I asked myself why the world needs another blog about web technology.
The fact is that it doesn’t. But I’ll get to that in a second.
As I’ve come to understand it there are some core and base reasons why people use the internet:
1. To Find Information
2. To Be Entertained
3. To Do Work (Generate Income, Run a Business)
4. To Communicate Something
5. To Socialize
Now, this list is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive, but I think you could probably bucket anything else in these top 5. And, in most cases, it’s typically a combination of a few.
For myself I realized that I wanted to do #4, then provide #1 and then (hopefully) do some of #5. I wanted to communicate valueable information to the public. If the “community” was generated, that would be sweet, but there was no guarantee.
Now, in regard to the fact that the blogosphere didn’t actually need another web tech blog is the fact that it’s not about saturation necessarily but with satisfaction. The question ultimately, for me, boiled down to whether or not the blogs that we’re “doing” what I intended to do were satisfying the growing need that I saw.
Obviously I felt that they weren’t, but that’s not to demean any one or any blog. Remember, I felt, at the base-level, that I wanted to do #4.
So is your blog satisfying something? Does it fulfill a need?
Aaron says
I use the internets because the revolution will not be televised.
Ancoti says
My blogging fulfills a need of self expression. I write it for myself first and pray others get something from it as well. Otherwise it may be like a tree falling in the forest that no one hears. Maybe it then makes no sound other than to my own ears.
Doug says
I found there hasn't been much "new" information for several centuries
Pareidoliac says
In fact, AOL in 2005 reported that ~50% of bloggers do so as a form of self therapy…
http://pareidoliac.blogspot.com/2009/02/what-can-…
Daniel_Berman says
True, but there are always new and better ways to sort and store it!
Phillip Gibb says
I am a 145 person, oh yeah.
although 1 (Finding information) seems to get harder everyday- there is just so much,
while socializing and communicating gets easier.
how about a #6 : To find yourself? (validate yourself, get recognized and get respected – word)
Phillip Gibb says
If you wanna that Twittering as microblogging ….
[http://blog.mrtweet.net/poll-results-7-reasons-wh…
MrTweet says:
"Twitter Fills Basic Human Needs
Saving the more nuanced points for the last. Several users believe that Twitter will go mainstream simply because it fits in very well several of our basic human tendencies – the need to feel connected, the need for attention, a certain sense of narcissism, and a want to know in detail what it is like to be in touch with people we are in awe of, celebrities, politicians, business leaders alike. That is certainly true for anyone, mainstream or otherwise! "
Doug says
I think my fingers quit before my mind did, could have swore I had the same thought as I keyed
Jim says
it seems my 3 blogs are like my 3 children, all different, unique and all at different stages and each with their own purpose.
wilco74 says
this is helpful…i'm a guy looking to blog…haven't even started yet (less the "notes" on fb)…and have been looking for Blogging 101…or An Idiot's Guide to Blogging…so things like this are very helpful…keep em coming…thanks for giving me a lil taste of #1 & #4.
human3rror says
Trey,
Sure thing man! Thanks for stopping by!