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that's a good point about how there's more comments on the more "everyday" posts. but i think maybe more people have to spend their time thinking about ironing, while not everyone wants to spend their time thinking about the big ideas, and the roles blogs play in society, etc.?

but there's also the issue of why we write and read blogs. i find that i enjoy reading more of the ones with personal anecdotes and everyday insights than the ones on legal theory or politics or whatever. i'm not sure why that is.

also, i think it's obvious why some people prefer email to commenting. they don't want their statement to be public. it could be argued with, or worse, ignored.

Posted by: monica at June 10, 2004 08:25 AM

For me, it has a lot to do with shared misery. Going to law school is hard, and it's strange, and people who aren't in it can't quite understand. I enjoy blogs because it's like talking to my friends at school -- a way to vent about the odd experiences we have.

Ironing illicits lots of advice. The law clerks at the courthouse seem to have their deepest conversations about such things. =)

Posted by: Shelley at June 10, 2004 08:38 AM

I am just starting a blog, but here are my 3 reasons.

To improve my writing skills. God knows that I need the help!

To keep track of my thoughts for future reference. Wouldn't be nice to look back on this online diary and see what exactly the thought process was at any given day?

To complain. I often have to rant about something. Gotta get it out or I will explode! It's just nice to know that someone else out there is going through the same thing. Kind of a community of misery.

Posted by: compy at June 10, 2004 01:56 PM

I actually prefer to post comments rather than emailing, but since you requested people to email you... :)

One reason that "serious" posts don't elicit as many comments as more informal posts could be indicative of social confidence in confrontation. If someone posts a comment about a more serious matter, it is probably going to include an opinion, which may or may not differ from that of the original author. Perhaps the idea of a potential argument or debate (which may lead to offense being taken) dissuades the would-be commenter...

As for what law school blogs are doing, they definitely provide an outlet for law students to practice writing skills, especially when the course-load is reading-rich and relatively writing-poor. They also allow fellow students to look at things from a different perspective, which if you don't already get enough of it in study groups, is definitely a good thing.

Posted by: In Limine at June 10, 2004 03:32 PM

it's much easier to make a funny, off the cuff comment about ironing than it is about anything legal/political/historical

and mostly i'm reading during work, where i am begging to talk about the NON-legal/political/historical :)

Posted by: another law student (at GW) at June 10, 2004 04:39 PM

I'd have to concur. I love reading the everyday nonsense of the life of a law student. THe legal theory we get enough of in class. And I much prefer commenting than emailing.

Posted by: Beanie at June 10, 2004 08:52 PM

Thanks everyone for all those responses -- lots of great ideas in there. I agree that the blogs I read most frequently I read because they are at least a little personal. Of course, I also enjoy seeing people mix personal anecdotes with "deep thoughts" (or not so deep, but more thoughtful than, say, ironing). But thinking back, I probably comment less frequently on the "serious" posts than I do on the posts about music, movies, lunch, ironing, the annoying people in a classroom, etc. For me it has a lot to do with time. If someone has taken the time to put up a serious and well-considered post on a topic, they generally deserve more than a flip response. Yet, usually when I'm reading other blogs, I'm just breezing through in a few minutes of free time between other things I have to do, so it's rare that I have the chance to give a "serious" post the consideration it deserves so as to come up with a suitable response. On one hand, it would be nice if we could all practice talking about "serious" stuff more readily and w/out so much time/preparation. Since we're all so busy, if we don't learn to talk about serious things more readily, we won't talk about them at all. Yet, the danger in that might be that we lose the ability to talk in depth and with consideration about things that deserve more thought and time and attention.

Perhaps blogs are not going to save public discussion about serious issues. Still, it's good to have a place like this to bitch about ironing, because it really does suck. ;-)

Posted by: ambimb at June 11, 2004 06:18 AM

I know what you mean... the most comments I ever received (4, but I'm fairly new to the blogoshpere) was when I talked about Survivor... and I get nothing if I talk about politics or something more serious. It's weird.

Posted by: Unreasonable Man at June 11, 2004 12:29 PM

I started my blog as a way of keeping family and friends updated as to my life in law school. I didn't really think I'd get an audience that contained people I didn't know personally. Then it took on a life of my own when I discovered other law student blogs. I love keeping my blog, and am always delighted to discover a new reader.

You came up with the reason that describes why I love reading other law student blogs, in your post awhile back describing the 1L law blog cohort. I feel like I've met kindred spirits, even if I haven't met anybody in person and in fact don't even know them by name. It's inclusive and encouraging.

As for serious posts, it's something I've thought about a lot. I don't write many serious posts, even though I do spend time sending serious emails back and forth to a group of friends. Why not post them? I think it's in part because I have a hard time believing people would actually read it. I know my friends are interested because we have similar political interests and similar interests in comparative cultures. But I don't know if anybody really cares what I think in the blogosphere. And yes, there is only one way to find out. I'm considering it for the summmer.

Posted by: transmogriflaw at June 12, 2004 11:42 PM

I think another part of it, for me, is that I read a bunch of different blogs -- some law school-related, some political, some music-related, etc. I guess I compartmentalize somewhat because I tend to respond only to the thematic posts on each one -- I don't respond to the music-related posts on the political blogs unless it is specifically about music-sharing or something I have a strong opinion about.

It's not that I don't think each group has very valid opinions about "off topic" matters, it's just the way my brain is prepared to comment. When I'm in politics mode, it's harder for me to switch to "Don't you hate laundromats?" But when I'm reading law school blogs, I'm likely in "law school mode" which encompasses not only law school matter specifically, but some of the more mundane daily activities that rise to the forefront when you have limited time to accomplish them (see: ironing).

Does that make any sense at all?

Posted by: Cinnamon at June 14, 2004 11:22 AM

other people have brought up reasons that i started (and continued) blogging this year:

1. to keep family and friends updated - so i don't have to write so many emails.

2. to keep a record of what these 3 years will be like. it's so neat to read journals of ancestors, and at some point, i want to print out all of my blog archives and eventually give them to my children. my grandfather left law school after the first year, and i'd love to have known what his thoughts were then.

Posted by: monica at June 14, 2004 12:21 PM

Cinnamon: That thematic breakdown is fascinating. I never really thought of it, but I think I probably do that, too. I wonder how it happens that we put blogs in these mental theme categories, even if they contain posts about lots of different things. I'll have to think some more about this...

Monica: The record-keeping thing was my original thought. I'm not thinking about my children (doubt I'll ever have any); my motivation iks more selfish than that. I just want a record for myself. So far I haven't tried to quantify the value, but I do know I enjoy seeing what pops up in the "one year ago today" sidebar everyday and remembering where I was and what I was thinking about a year ago. Life moves too fast and it's easy to lose track of events and your own history, so a regularly-updated blog can provide at least some reminder to the blogger of the things he/she thought were important at one time. Perhaps that sounds a bit lame and narcissistic, but there it is. Less about narcissism than it is about amnesia. I think it was Gore Vidal who's credited with the phrase, "United States of Amnesia." I wonder if blogs will grow in direct proportion with the sense of disconnection people begin to feel with their own lives in a world where history seems to disappear as fast as it happens.

Posted by: ambimb at June 15, 2004 05:57 AM