Sometimes I wonder

[chani]

What's the point? What's the point in doing this LJ thing again? 

I can't tell you how many times I have been about to quit. 

Because I had a dream, you know. It was to create a place where we could gather and discuss screen stuff around a virtual cup of tea.  I wanted to use the web in order to hold a salon as Julie de Lespinasse or La marquise du Deffand did in the 18th century. We would have discussed movies and television as their guests used to discuss books and ideas of the Enlightement at the time.

But overall I failed. 

The only times people really gathered in here were when the topic was about kinks or about commenting/lurking/de-friending because they felt curious, teased or in need of explaining themselves...which means they came when it was not a salon but rather a playground. It was cool, but it wasn't what this LJ was supposed to be.

 I've indulged myself with playground stuff, I've posted memes when they were connected to the Jossverse or to movies, or just because I knew some of "my friends" liked to learn things about their flist and it was a way to connect -which is good- but I could have done the very same thing on their LJ. 

I'm all for the Internet to be a place of sociability, but it's something I can have elsewhere, on boards, on my friends' LJ...


So what's the point? 

Why should I keep on updating? Does anyhting of this  still worthwhile? Has it ever been?

I can't help thinking that somehow, somewhere, I made a mistake or somewhat lost my way...

Comments

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

I don't think you have lost your way, but notice the same thing on my own LJ. Whenever I write a well thought through argument, I hardly get any comments, but I do get comments when I whine and bitch or talk about sex. Maybe it's the nature of LJ, a different nature then other blogs, for LJ is renowned for its whiny and teenage-journal-like content. I have never thought of quitting and try to write a decent post once in a while, but I notice I'm slipping too. The good posts are getting a bit scarce in between the personal yapping. I don't think you failed, dear friend, I think we failed you.

*bisous*

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

You didn't fail me, you never committed to that plan *I* had!

It's only my own hybris I have ot blame. Thinking I could make of this LJ exactly what I wanted it to be was a mistake.

*bisous*

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

yes, that is, but that's because LJ is a tool that does certain things. You've got to learn to master the tool first and then make it your own. Which you have, ultimately. frenchani isn't like any other LJ. It's you.

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

But I didn't necessarily want it to be me...I feel like I got trapped in LJ's system.

It's a bit like Angel who thought he could do something from inside the belly of the beast, yet ended up as a true W&H CEO, you know. ;- )

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

There's a system here? I fight it will all my might every post I write. (And I rhyme doing so...) Angel ended up true CEO of W&H, but turned the place upside down nonetheless (in a rather eventful way, okay, but yeah, he succeeded in making things different).

I've read through the comments and they're all very to-the-point. First and foremost: this is your LJ and that's how people will percieve it. But remember Lj isn't the only way to make a website or talk about personal stuff. It's one of so many ways, and maybe you need something different.

The "salon" isn't inherent in blogging. Of all the blogs I frequently read (and they aremany) only a couple of them generate the amount of discussion you'd like to have, and those blogs have immense heaps of traffic. I notice discussion is possible in communities. I've been following some lately and it's nice to read what people bring up there, but again, only so little of the discussions spark my enthusiasm to actually take part and give my ideas. I need feedback when I think I've written something interesting, and if those comments are ignored I might stop commenting.

But where was I anyway? Well, you can say you generate lots of comments when you talk about something people are familiar with and that's why these meta-posts get so much out of people: we all met this problem before, we all wondered why we keep it up, although people comment on strange posts.
And about the screens: I gave up on television. Ain't watching Lost, not Veronica Mars. When I'm through with AtS5, I'm gonna watch Firefly, though!

*bisous*

P.S.: I read you couldn't be bothered writing up reviews. Am having the same thing. Sometimes I write about books, or theatre, or film, but lately I can't be bothered to actually typ the damned words...

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

There's a system here?

Yes and you even defined it by saying First and foremost: this is your LJ and that's how people will percieve it. !!!

I know LJ wasn't the only way to make a website, but it's was easier for a novice like me. I never figured out how to set the webpage noos gave me...

Would you feel up to set up a "web salon" with me, Frances? A salon where we could discuss books, ideas (philosopy, morality or politics), films, television, art...anything?

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

Well, actually I'd love to do that. I always need an incentive to write some stuff up and maybe together we can lure some people in. I'm on AIM at the moment if you want to discuss it or send me an email.