The Blogblond Is An Intellectual Exhibitionist

i was thinking about this whole phenomena of blogging. why would otherwise normal, rational, regular people want to put their innermost thoughts out into cyberspace for everyone to read? the same people who would hem and haw if you asked them about their first crush or their best birthday ever, will willingly discuss the intimate minutae of their lives under the somewhat pseudo-anonymity of the blog world. different bloggers will show different quirks when it comes to revealing information. some will put up heart-wrenching, soul ripping poetry, but won't say what city they live in, for the sake of privacy. some will talk about their most personal experiences, but use initials instead of names in order to protect the guilty. others hide behind current events or humor to get the thrill of narcissistic exhibitionism without the pain of self disclosure (literally or figuratively). and a rare few will just lay bare their true selves for all to read about (hi, josh!)

so, the question is: what's up with this quasi-exhibitionist trend? why are so many people doing it? why is it so compelling to read about someone else's break-up or their first girlfriend or their mother's pancreatic cancer? is this just socially acceptable soap operas? mind candy for the reasonably bright? what compels us to write, even though we are done with high school english, and compels us to read, even when we have full real lives that are very much engrossing? is this just the gawker delay on the road of life, or is it something more?

or am i just an intellectual exhibitionist?