the blogger is a fun little thing. I think many of us "not so famous" bloggers with few/no readers have very interesting motives when it comes to the notion of posting thoughts in public. Recently I have been stewing over this a little. My major dilemma (which really isn't a dilemma, nor is it major) is that while I do feel a certain amount of freedom when it comes to writing in my blog, I still feel the pressure of the public viewing; I face the idea that I might say something covertly, which would otherwise stay an intimate thought in my little mind, that could offend, piss off, burn bridges. This is in no way my intention with my blog, but instead is my own little healthy dose of narcissism, clinging to the notion that people actually want to hear what I have to say. based on my reader #s, few do. which is cool by me. but if I have had some kind of major realization, the result of some stewing and brewing, I kinda wanna put it out there, at least to have a record of it. So why not just put it into some kind of personal diary? I don't know, really. the idea of a public blog adds pressure, like your readers are waiting for a new blog, and by golly ,you had better deliver.
again the theme of people only being able to achieve things with outside pressure. see also: fitness, effects of spectators, children wanting to satisfy their parents, etc.
Indeed there! I seem to have stumbled on an interesting point! parental pressure. I have seen a pattern in certain people who react minimally to outside pressure (for approval, peer pressure, etc), that these are often people who are largely unaffected by their PARENTS expectations of them. Children reared to overly expecting or critical parents, coupled with slightly more sensitive disposition (who isn't), are probably more likely to react strongly to the expectations of others when they are adults and should be making decisions based on all of that sound judgement that is supposed to be taught throughout adolescence and early adulthood. I mean, the pattern is crystal clear: start a tend early in life, and it is difficult to break it later on. makes sense to me.
Once example is Gavin: now, I wasn't present at the dinner table when he was growing up, but he reacts highly minimally to outside pressure and very much makes his own way. His dad doesn't have the psychological hang ups that I see in many people (beyond the healthy desire for a parent to see their child succeed), and from what I understand about Gavin's mom, she was probably just highly supportive and loving. Gavin's parents wanted him to be a lawyer, from what I could gather when I asked gavin about this a few months ago. but that desire was motivated solely by money, and they were not the kind of people who would pressure him too much if he showed no interest in the field. Coupled with this lack of pressure is gavin's personality, which is very sturdy. He is a good thinker and usually has things figured out for himself. The combination of the two would mean that gavin is not prone to being affected by external pressures.
that is merely a case report, so not in any way rigourously scientific. However, the point is valid. So my caution to all parents is this:
if you pressure your children too much during their youth, you are making them more susceptible to peer pressure later on. this actively decreases their self esteem levels.
Just a thought.
I will write more on the pressures and motivations of writing a public blog later. the last tangent was just too good. and now I have to go back to work.
all for now.
H
