What Have You

When was the time you have set limits on something? Blogging, for example. First off, limits in this discussion will be operationally defined as the minimum, maximum or allowable range of abstract concepts that can be represented in numbers or verbal descriptions within comprehensible terms and overall statements.

For a short side note in mathematics, the subject Calculus is primarily based on the concept of limits. This must be a boring topic for many but I will still proceed. Let us take for example the equation lim 1/x where x is between 1 and 0. This equation simply shows (in layman’s tongue) that the limit of the equation goes up as x approaches zero. Meaning, whenever you divide 1 by any value of x within the range of one to zero, say with a decrement of 0.01, like 1, 0.99, 0.98, 0.97 and so on until you reach zero as the divisor, the limit or the result becomes larger (infinity being the largest when one is already divided by zero). Hence, the relationship is inverse. There are direct relationships (in an equation) though that when you increase a particular value for x, the outcome also increases.

This brings me to relate the idea to some observations in blogging.

Traffic. Every website needs traffic and it is an established need. Comments about my previous articles imply that I allegedly claimed traffic generated from a particular system is “junk”. I wonder why words like these were put in my mouth wherein fact every website administrator or blogger knows that this is perhaps the only traffic that is being sought and considered good. In a mathematical point of view, the more traffic you have, the better is for your site. Accepted and verified. No questions. No argument.

However, how you generate traffic is up to you and there is neither good nor bad method (at least in my view). Some experts would say a lot of things like, add content every now and then, increase your backlinks, improve layout, socialize with other bloggers, optimize for search engines, etc., etc. Some bloggers would also go the distance where they will actually buy traffic and backlinks from so-called “link farms”. In this regard, will you go this far just to gain traffic? Traffic is good in all angles. Correct. But is this your limit? Do you really have to buy traffic and links to increase your stats and maybe earn higher page ranks, Alexa ranking, etc.? For some, the answer could be yes. For others, the answer could be no. But, whatever is your response, that is most likely affected by your need (or desire, if I may say so). Similar to joining social networks in order to gain extra traffic, not everyone wishes to join a particular network. No single person can really convince everyone to join a network if it is not within the boundaries of his “limits”. Take my case for instance, I cannot be so socially active because my eyes prevent me from staying too long in front of the computer and I would feel nauseated if do so. This is my limit which is confined within the boundaries of physical attributes. If indeed someone joined a network, his activity will definitely affect his gains in the future. This is a simple concept of operant conditioning (which partly affects our behavior as individuals and bloggers) called “reward and punishment”. You want to earn something? Then you have to work for it. You did something wrong, then you get some sort of punishment. That is correct. No questions asked.

But the question is, how much do you really need/want something? What is the “limit” of your level of satisfaction? In terms of traffic, is the traffic that you get on daily average enough for you? How much traffic do you really want, anyway? I think these are some things most bloggers overlook. Is 5-10 visitors enough? How about 50,000-100,000 visitors? How about a million visits per day? And how about “whatever”? In terms of money, is a thousand dollars enough? How about a million dollars? Sometimes it’s good to quantify these things by deriving a simple equation in our heads just like what the old Chinese businessmen (and even new ones) do when computing their gains – they compute and create plans in their heads relying primarily with their mental abilities which are bounded once again by a limit. Aids might be available but the Chinese prefer to rely more on their own resources. They are satisfied earning cents per item in their stores hoping that they will sell more rather than put too much overhead on the tag price fearing that they will end up selling very little or nothing.

You see, these numbers are determinants of our needs and/or desires. That is why statistics is there to provide us guidance. If you’re simply not satisfied with your stats, the logical move is to determine the problem or weakness in your blog either it be in terms of content, layout, socializing activity, et al. Then do something to improve whatever weaknesses you have identified. Maybe a blogger should ask himself, “should I write more?”, “should I become more active in linking with others?”, “should I create a hype for my blog so that others may notice me?”. Whatever is your answer, that is entirely yours to determine and harsh as it may sound, only the blogger knows what is best for his blog based on his limits in the following observed areas:

1. Blogging schedule and number of hours. Not all of us live and breathe the internet. Some bloggers have actually great careers in real life. Some are doctors, engineers, nurses, and others. Some are stay-home-moms, single parents and students who can afford to stay long hours online. Some might start from 10pm onwards and some might start at 2am. For me, I only blog at random hours with a quantity of 2-4 hours a day usually at 2am after picking up my wife from work in the hospital at 1am. At times I blog at 2pm after watching a noontime show. Other times include upon waking up in the morning at 8 or 9am.
   
2. Some blogging habits. Do you open emails first before starting your blogging activities? Do you go to a blogger-friend’s website to check on her blog before bloghopping? Do you check your stats first moving forward? Do you check on comments before writing your article for the day? These are just some of the habits that make bloggers unique. We have different habits. That is why we have different needs. Some bloggers need to be recognized, some need to read. Others need to make sure their traffic is high. Others just need to write. And this uniqueness greatly influences our personalities online. Some are active in social networks, some are just looking around and others may be busy trying to figure out what to write next. In fact, what we write, who we are associated with and our priorities are so diverse some blogs I’ve visited do not even contain a single advertisement. Besides, we cater to different audiences which in turn incite our actions online making us who we are as perceived by our audience and/or online friends. This prompts me to believe that blogging is a three-dimensional system with x, y, and z axes across the virtual world making it as real as it gets. But being “real” is also relative to the individual. The way I see it, the “realness” of the blogosphere can be categorized in three dimensions in terms of our interaction with people online: blogger-to-blogger, blogger-to-readers and blogger-to-third party companies like Google, Mybloglog, etc. You can even add a fourth dimension if blogging has already become part of your real-world life wherein you have begun talking about your articles, problems and other blogging experiences with your kids, wife, husband, colleagues and friends. But what about if the virtual world is also your real world where you most of the day and where you derive your income, friends, support system and satisfaction in life? That… is another story.
   
3. Some blogging behaviors. Do you take blogging so seriously that you allow it to affect your whole life? Do you take comments by heart that you cry over it when it disagrees with your view? Do you feel low when nobody visits your sites and may consider that a slap on your face? Do you feel happy when anonymous readers find your articles from search engines? Some commentators in my previous posts shared with me some of their valuable experiences and I am just so glad to have heard their stories. These stories are so real that I can imagine how painful it could be for bloggers to see their stats low, when they don’t feel appreciated, or perhaps, not making enough money. In this respect, I find it relevant to write in brief Maslow’s study in psychology which defines these basic needs in his famous hierarchy of needs. These include physiological needs, the need for safety and security, the need for love and belonging, the need for esteem, and the need to actualize the self.
   

   
   

    

Relative to blogging, these needs also exist. Evaluate yourself if you have the time. Hence, Maslow’s theory is very much related to our blogging behaviors and personalities where a blogger’s need (for traffic, friends, and more often than not, money generated from serving ads or reviewing posts) are also evident. Like I mentioned in my previous articles, this author’s needs are small in quantity in terms of traffic and recognition. This is my personality and this has nothing to do with yours. To quantify, 50-100 visits per day would do just fine. More would be better but it is a “need” I can hardly recognize in me. Maybe I’m just someone who is so satisfied with his real life in terms of good friends and family (social support), good health (I do a little boxing, love the UFC and has never been sick of any kind for many years) and personal achievements (not important to discuss) that I can afford to be ignored and be attacked online. I can cope with that and I certainly can live with that. Bloggers cope differently with things relative to blogging since these are dictated by their blogging needs and real-life personalities.

Crying is a good form of coping as clinical studies show. That is why I will never say to people who cried due to blogging that they are weak, lame or whatever derogatory remarks you can think of. In fact these are strong individuals who have strong connections with their feelings and know what they need or want. In clinical practice, we do not associate crying or silence as weaknesses or stupidity. Nurses and other health workers do not judge other people out of ethics. Caring and understanding are a must-have in health workers (though not everyone in the field possesses these traits).

This is similar to treating comments on your posts or commenting on someone else’s. You may react positively and leave a good remark, you may react violently up to the extent of calling other bloggers names or you may simply ignore the article and look for other articles to read. Now, this is the limit of my behavior. You see, when people comment negatively to what I write, I usually do not argue with them in an offensive way since that is my way of showing respect. I must be a bit conservative but my Filipino family is strict about calling names and it’s totally a no-no within family members. This is carried over my blogging behavior wherein I show my stance in a polite manner and react to contradicting comments in a similar fashion. I have to admit that I once used in a comment the word “con” but in the third person (not directed towards the author). He retaliated by “diplomatically” saying he understands why I can use a term like that because of the country where I am from, because of the language I use (English being not the first) and lectured about etiquette as if I told him he was a stinking piece of ****. I didn’t reply back to cut the long story short. What’s the point for replying back, anyway? As for me, this is not being emotional not to reply to comments but a small part of who I am in real life. Like I said in previous articles, “Silence is a potent tool”.

Further, people who drop by my site and disagree with my views have been treated fairly and politely in my view. A little act of courtesy in the middle of conflicting ideas won’t hurt I think. I don’t get mad when people view things the other way because of the belief that “just because you’re mad doesn’t mean you’re right”. I deal with arguments everyday because of my work. When my students disagree with an idea I present in class, I provide a forum and evaluate if there is truly an issue within from which he’s basing his contention. Maybe I’m lucky to be in the area of mathematics that nobody can contradict when I say that 1+1 was and will always be equal to 2. This has been the rule even long before the time of Jesus Christ up to the time of Oprah Winfrey. But some conflicts/problems/issues don’t have resolutions because there, thus the phrase “the solution does not exist”. Like the equation 1/0, the only answer to it is represented by infinity where it is mathematically defined as a very large, indeterminate number. Hence, the only rational solution is to stop the discussion, stick to the accepted rules like “traffic is always good”, and let silence prevail to be able to move forward. Just do your own stuff, to say the least.

There is a twist, however, in mathematics when there is a problem posed. Teachers, in general, value more the method of arriving at a particular problem rather than the final answer itself. The final answer may be wrong but math teachers can and will still give the whole process of a solution a high score. It’s not for the effort but by the validity of steps taken by the students in solving the problem. In fact, there are problems where multiple methods are applicable. Mathematics does not deal with one dimensional thinking. Mathematicians will not claim that their own method of arriving at an answer is the only correct one because there could be other ways (that is, if there is indeed a problem to be solved or there even exists an answer to a problem). Claiming that you’re opinions are always right is a false claim in mathematics. It is why we employ a certain “margin of error” that our findings could be wrong particularly when studying social phenomena. There are no emotions involved in this process, only logic. That is why when I wrote on a particular new system in blogging (that aims to increase traffic for blogs), I as an author, never intended to convince you that it will not work. Try it out yourself then you can tell me your results and you’ll give me my fun with numbers . I will thank you and consider you my friend (within the limits of online interaction) if you can do so.

Corollary to this, when clients or evaluators in research do not agree with my findings, that won’t stop me from presenting them. If data are not sufficient to warrant a valid conclusion, then gather more then rewrite. On the other hand, there is a marked distinction when people can disagree with me and say it in a language I can comprehend (bounded of course by the limit of my own abilities to grasp and limited experience as a blogger) from those who will disagree with me in a not-so-nice manner. It just doesn’t feel right when people you have not even seen and known your whole life talk trash against you because of a topic that is in reality subjective in nature. It’s as if asking how much love do you love? But prior to this, maybe one should assess if he even need love. That is simply my take on traffic. How much traffic do you need for your site? Do you even need traffic? How much is “enough” traffic? If your objective in blogging is to make money on top of all others, quantifying this concept may be higher than those bloggers who are already satisfied posting on their blogs photos of their kids, pieces of jewelry, bags, cars or even much more simple items like old stamps and old candles. Your take on things may be different from this author and I will always be happy to be corrected if I erred. But I used in this paragraph the word feel and not think simply because my gut says so, not my logic. But I’m also fully aware that there is no true standard of morality – online or offline. Hence, the phrase “freedom” which comes in many forms like speech, writing, academic, etc. Also, God gave man freewill which has been proven by history to have its flaws. In return, man even questioned the existence of God so as his own origin. Why can’t I then question the goodness of an online system if that is the case? Don’t i have my own freedom to choose what I perceive is best for me? If something is good for you then it is good for you. The same thing holds true for me if your system as fellow bloggers can accept that, unless of course the blogosphere is autocratic or despotic place that one man’s rules is unbreakable with which everyone must comply. Show me one blogger who is believed by all or a company that controls everything online and I’ll show a God every man will believe in. This is no blasphemy because this is in the context of philosophy and not purely religion. Sorry, Catholics. If you won’t put malice in the things that I have said, then, you’ll know what I mean.

These behaviors exhibited by bloggers are not new to the blogging world I think. This has been stated by some bloggers, not just myself. Is hostility becoming common among and between bloggers? Can bloggers with opposing views really co-exist peacefully? Is there a need to persecute a person whose views are not in line with yours? Whatever is your blogging style, niche, theme or priority, I don’t think it will ever be a problem with this author. These are just some inquiries I have in mind as part maybe of being a researcher and “baby” blogger as described by a friend. I’m sure some of you have experienced it online. Maybe you too have met j*rks, b*tches, racists or psychotics (please pardon these words) at some point in time. With my nursing background, these people need understanding more than anything else. They don’t need pity since that could be an insult on their part. Maybe they’re just satisfying some needs within the limits of methods they know. For those who haven’t had such encounters, congratulations and may your tribe increase!

And in a much worse scenario, where someone has already treated you as an enemy, let me put it in the words of the king of Troy (in the movie “Troy” when Achilles dragged Prince Hector’s corpse with a horse carriage to his camp, and the king-father came to Achilles to claim his son’s body). The king said “… even enemies can show respect”.

This blog will deal more with articles of these types because this is my limit as a writer and it is bounded by my understanding and view of this ever-expanding universe. blogging is new to me and I could only be lacking experience and maturity in blogging ways. But this is what makes me the writer I have become. In my humble view, the blogging community and the real world are not much different. Those who think alike usually stick together. This somewhat defies a natural law stating that opposite poles attract. This is because blogging is not a natural science but a social science where different types of people meet, interact and voice their ideas. The beauty of it is when you can disagree with each other’s views and still manage to become friends by way of a friendly gesture. And as an observing new blogger, blogging in my opinion is not just about building character but about revealing one.

Whether or not this blog becomes successful, whether or not I make money or not, I will still thank God for making me realize I can still write. Material reward or the absence of it makes no huge difference for a blogger like me. I will still do just fine in my small place called home, in the company of friends and family who have long ago accepted my weaknesses, inadequacies and idiosyncrasies. And these are some people who do not judge, condemn and persecute me in any way. They have loved and giveth more than they have ever received from me, and have never left me especially during the lowest points in my life. These personal observations tend to convince me that a blogger’s real life can have a big impact on his blogging behavior and personality. Mine is nowhere near perfect and far below ideal. I do not claim self-righteousness or authority on any subject but I do have the conscious effort to make sense in the things that I write whether you agree with them or not. I could be wrong in my analyses because many more variables interplay in the world of blogging and the space for this post isn’t just enough to discuss them in a sensible manner. Maybe it’s best if you find out yourself if I was right or wrong. Besides, why should you even believe a blogger whose daily page hits rarely reach 100?

Thank you for reading this long and boring article. I hope you have found something useful.

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1. Blogging Behaviors, Blog Reactions and Blogger Personalities Part I
2. Blogging for Fun and Enjoyment