Privacy Part Deux

Late last year I wrote a post all about the notion of privacy and blogging. If you haven't read it, go right ahead and I'll wait for you.

***waits**

Since then, my thoughts on this haven't changed much, other than to acknowledge that the joy I get from blogging has thus far outweighed any potential fall out. Something happened yesterday which has made me re-visit this notion of privacy - and I'm going to share it here in the hopes that some of you take the time to share with me your opinion on this.

As a result of a blog post I wrote, I recently received an email from someone I have not heard from in a long while. I was really happy to receive that email - but the catch is I had no idea that person even knew I had a blog in the first place. My blog has never been private - in so far as there is a picture of me on it, a vast majority of my friends and family members know that I write it, and in general it's not like it's a big secret (although I do make the effort to leave out real names and my surname). I know very well that this blog is read by both my close confidants and a bunch of total strangers from around the globe (check out the map on the bottom left corner. People in Asia, Africa, the Middle East...have all at some point clicked onto this blog. It's mind boggling.)

Last night I was out with a girlfriend and I told her about my shock at receiving this email, and she said, "Well, that's the thing about blogging. It's a public forum. You are CHOOSING to put it all out there where anyone can see it, so don't be surprised when you get that kind of result."

Of course she is right - blogging is as public as one can get, and I've always made it a policy to be as honest and open as I feel I need to be. For me, if I had to pretend to be someone I'm not, or edit my thoughts before writing, blogging would be pointless. I still can't help feeling very odd about all of this, though. Hell, I feel odd when people who I know read it comment to me about it in real life. It always takes me a second to think, "Why do they know that? Oh yeah, I wrote about it!" People who are new to reading this blog have said to me, "What will you do if the people you write about (like the SSOTH mothers) read it someday? How will you deal with that?" It's true that my writing is not always kind, nor complimentary - but again, that's part of me choosing not to censor myself here.

When I think about it, I think it's the very nature of the internet which makes us believe we are somehow safer than we really are. It's as though the screen and keyboard in front of us provide some sort of shield - when really, we are as laid bare as it is possible to be. I often hear stories of people falling for email scams, or giving out a whole bunch of private info online and then getting robbed as a result...and I think, what morons, sharing all that info! But aren't I here, doing the exact same thing? (But no, you can't have my account number, even if the Nigerian government has 5 million waiting for me.)

On the one hand, I'm not sure that this is really a problem which requires a solution - surely a bit of discomfort now and again is bearable in exchange for what blogging has brought me (namely, some amazing friends and opportunities). At the same time, though, I'd rather not upset people (those who have read about themselves here don't necessarily enjoy the experience, even if I was referring to them in a positive way). It's all a bit...disconcerting at the moment.

Now I know most of you are readers and not commenters - so this time I'm flat out asking you to reply .... what is your take on blogging and privacy? Too risky, or worth it?