Sullivan's Reasons For Blogging

As I am reading this piece written by Andrew Sullivan, I see how even though he has many reasons to blog, it seems like he has an inner battle with himself over what the reason is that he blogs. First and foremost like many other bloggers, Sullivan says, "Blogging is therefore to writing what extreme sports are to athletics: more free-form, more accident-prone, less formal, more alive." (2,3, iii). Furthermore, he explains how in the past the pains of publishing work used to cost time and money but now there is no trouble with that thanks to blogging as he says, "Every writer since the printing press has longed for a means to publish himself and reach—instantly—any reader on Earth." (3,4, ii-iii). Nevertheless, it is evident that blogging is a more personal form of writing that he sees as a portal to a writers core in a way. With blogging allowing a person to write what he/she thinks immediately and unedited true thoughts come out but with a risk. "Writers can be sensitive, vain souls, requiring gentle nurturing from editors, and oddly susceptible to the blows delivered by reviewers." (3, 6, i-ii). In the end, I believe that Sullivan is telling us that the freedom associated with blogging is the reason for its popularity; there are risks involved; however, it is worth it because the pros out due the cons. Rather than going through the process that the past technology required us to, everyone can keep an online diary to keep their thoughts and dreams alive.