Why do people bare all?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about why people post what they do in their blogs – and I’m talking about those blogs that read like personal diaries.  I can’t say I haven’t been tempted to post about some pretty personal issues and my parents would say I have crossed the line, but why am I tempted?  Why do people post their personal diaries?

I think they are looking to share their stories and commiserate with others.  It’s kind of the same reason you talk to the stranger at the bar or in line next to you.

However, here’s the dilemna I keep coming to.  If I’m going to post my personal diary, I want to do so anonymously.  And not just anonymous to strangers, I wouldn’t want everybody in my life reading what I thought about them.  After I get in a "discussion" with someone I might go vent in my diary, but it wouldn’t be good for that person to read my diary right away.  We might end up duking it out in the comments!  So if it’s anonymous and I don’t tell my friends about my personal web diary, then who reads it?  Perfect strangers.  And what perfect stranger is going to want to read about the argument I had with my best friend or how my six year old didn’t listen today?  Not many of them.  So then nobody would read it.  So if nobody is going to read my personal diary, why post it? 

If I post anonymously, only strangers will know about my blog, they won’t be interested in my life, nobody will read it, so then why post at all?

So then I have to assume that the only way to get someone to read your diary blog (assuming you want someone to read it – personally I think most diaries are better off unread) is to tell friends about it.  Well then you better not blog about too many of the negative things that happen to you or any of the arguments you get into!

I have a feeling my kids might have very different opinions on this by the time they get old enough to have their own online presence.