Friday, May 23, 2008

Exposed - the angst-filled blogger

The New York Times Magazine is fronting an article this week by one Emily Gould who regales the world with her angst as a blogger (both on Gawker and personally) who -- surprise -- finds out the world's scrutiny is not always a great thing and that when the tables are turned can be vicious.

Most of the comments (700+ so far) are, shall we say, not especially supportive. Can't say as I disagree with most that the article is long on -- well, just plain long, boring and generally shallow. (Although it does have a pair of neologisms I had not really come across before -- "oversharing" and "oversharer" -- that seem to perfectly capture the concept.)

I do continue to be fascinated, however, by the swirling, evolving ethos of the online world when it comes to this apparent national obsession of baring our souls digitally. A year ago, in New York magazine, Emily Nussbaum's take on it was of a "just deal with it" generation. (What is it about Emilys and this topic?)

Later on came a meme that, in essence, said: If I post it on the Web for someone to see and it's not designed for you , then it's your bad if you go and look at it.

Now, it seems, with the NYT Magazine article we have entered the angst phase, as boring and narcissistic as it is.

I just find it fascinating to watch things unfold as we deal with redefining our relationship to privacy. (I was going to write redefining privacy, but as I reread the article, it seems to me that Gould really is grappling with what has become for her a longing for the old-fashioned idea of privacy and how to achieve it in the self-promotional new media age.)

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