Is this question rhetorical?

[casett]

I have been reading a batch of LJ posts today and it has got me thinking.

1. Why would someone want a tutorial to make an icon like that?
2. Why do so many people use LJ just to bitch about how crappy their lives are? Are their lives really that much more crappy than the rest of us?
3. Why do people say "we" when athletes from their country win at the Olympics? Are they training 18 hours a day? Have they forsaken a life to compete? Have these supporters really done anything but be born (or have moved to) somewhere? Don't they realize that other people who aren't from the same country might read their LJ?
   
4. How can so many people agree that some LJ users are rude when they don't buy into someone else's excuse for ego stroking? Who made up the LJ laws that says you must do something?
   
5. Why do I not recognize so many of these "celebrities"? Who is --insert just about any name here--?
6. Why are there so many new icon communities?
7. Are there any men on LJ or are they just not on my flist/communities? Does it matter?
   
8. Why am I writing about this anyway?  :-)

Comments

[jenniferjensen.livejournal.com]

-I was trying to find out what Icon Tutorial you were talking about but I found a couple that I wasn't crazy about, I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder but sometimes I have to wonder if their might be something wrong with the beholders eyes ;)

-I have to admit sometimes I need to rant a bit but if I did it all the time I think I would go crazy and life's too short to talk about how crappy life is.

-You know, I was talking about this with a guy the other day about how their are mostly women on these types of communities such as LJ, I have no idea why it is. I know a few guys that go on facebook but that's about it. I think its cause women are more creative and according to my guy friend its cause women like to talk lots, which I resent. Although, when I start talking good luck getting me to stop :) I do find it odd though, their are plenty guys at cons and stuff but their almost non existent in LJ land.

[casett.livejournal.com]

It wasn't with regard to any particular tutorial, there are lots that I consider not technically very good but yep everyone has their own taste.

I agree - everyone should rant on occasion, but agree, it is better to sometimes try to talk about the positive.

I think guys might rather do other stuff online and maybe it is just because of the kind of comms I am part of. Plus some of the guys online are kind of creepy.

[sheryden.livejournal.com]

I would guess that people use their LJs the way they would use a paper diary, and they write whatever they're thinking about or whatever is going on in their lives. Perhaps it helps them to vent or express their feelings. A lot of my flist does this, and it doesn't really bother me. I'd rather they vent on LJ than let it fester in real life. I don't think I have anyone who uses it just for that purpose, though.

I don't know what celebrities you're talking about, but I'm seeing names all the time I don't know. Maybe we're out of the loop. D:

I have four or five men on my flist, and I see men a lot on the Doctor Who comms.

The Olympics, yeah... I haven't turned them on since they started. I wonder if that makes me a terrible person. D:

[casett.livejournal.com]

I suppose you are right that people use LJ the way they would have used a paper diary. That is a little bit short-sighted of them unless everything is friend-locked and they really do know everyone on their flist. I usually just skip over the ones that get so deep into it on a daily basis. And, everyone has bad days, tragedies and wants to share and get some support and I have absolutely no problem with that. But if all they want to do is constantly get their negative feelings out, paper might be a better venue. Hopefully no one's boss runs across some of these.

I agree, I am just out of the teenie bopper loop. Haven't read 16 Magazine in ages (does it still exist?)

I don 't really know how many men are on my flist, but I don't think many. I don't ask anyway but from the responses, pretty much women.

I haven't been watching the Olympics either except what is involved with my work.

[sheryden.livejournal.com]

I flock my personal posts, but that's me, and I'm paranoid. I don't know... It's never really bothered me when people vent. Like you said, I just ignore it if I don't want to read it. I know I've certainly used my own journal to vent.

[casett.livejournal.com]

I think it is a good idea to flock. Most people on LJ aren't as anonymous as they think they are and, although most people are really nice and we feel we know them, we don't really.

(I ran into that in another comm where one of the friendliest people turned out to be a stalker. Not me thank goodness but some young girls were very frightened.)

:D

[aliaseverus.livejournal.com]

1. - Like what? Maybe they like it crappy?

2. It's my blog and I'll whinge if I want to :) Also - it's human nature I think.

3. It's the "royal" we. I've never quite got that either. Though watching those athletes sure is inspiring.

4. *shrugs* People are crazy.

5. Every time I see one of those "hottest" lists I find myself shrugging and thinking "Never heard of him/her" for most of them. I figure it's because I'm old.

6. See #1. too many how to tutorials making too many people think they can make icons.

7. There are. Mostly gay men I think. But they're there - in an extreme minority.

8. Dunno. It's your blog and you'll question/rant/whinge if you want too?

Re: :D

[casett.livejournal.com]

1. LOL - right
2. Agree, its your blog but you don't write something bad every day and every single thing in some people's lives can't be that bad! If they wrote about some of the positive things they might feel better but maybe I am just a Pollyanna.
3. Royal "we" - chuckles!
4. Correction some people who don't realize it are crazy.
5. We are both old!
6. I don't care if people want to make icons - it is fun - just a whole bunch just sprang up. Must be the summer thing.
7. Yep.
8. I just did - thanks! But it doesn't happen often.

[alata-elentari.livejournal.com]

1 - yeah, I know what you mean. Probably the reason I have never done a tutorial myself.
2 - Heh, I do that, but I try to keep to things that really piss me off. But it's a venting thing; I use my LJ as my personal journal because I can't seem to keep a normal diary.
3 - Um, I probably do that too. I think it's just a country-unity thing, although I agree with you.
4 - No idea.
5 - Haha, I spent a lot of time out of the loop and I'm finally back in. Grab some magazines if you really want to know.
6 - Good question. No idea. But it just means my flist gets more and more crammed.
7 - Oooh, good point. I think at maximum, I had five or six men on my flist and all but one are gone now.
8 - I don't know, care to enlighten me?

[casett.livejournal.com]

1. sometimes I wonder if someone has asked for a tutorial on a particular icon of if the person just wanted to see if they could write up a tutorial. Probably just not my taste.
2. I don't mind that everybody gets a bit pissed off every once in a while but some people it is day after day after day. Vent away when you need to. My advice would be to just make sure you are positive that no one who might hurt you is reading!
3. I think there was just one person gloating way too much and making it seem like she caused the medals to happen.
4. I think some people enjoy making a big deal out of nothing. Thus my list of questions :-)
5. I don't think I would be interested in magazine with the Jonas Brothers, Gabriel U-something, anybody from the Twilight movie (had to Google that one), etc. I am totally loopless (or maybe loopy)
6. I suspect the mods don't really have a committment to these and many will die out shortly. That's the sad thing about icontests and communities
7. It doesn't really matter to me, just find it strange.
8. See #2 LOL.

[bellabelball.livejournal.com]

The 'we' thing is just a national pride thing I think. I agree that it can be annoying if you have to keep looking at user profiles to find out who 'we' are, especially if they don't give a location, and you (read: I) haven't kept up with the Olympics at all. ;)

I have quite a few men on my flist, but most are RL friends who I knew before LJ, and they aren't in fandom. I do have 2 or 3 guys in Doctor Who fandom on my flist- there are on average more guys in that fandom than in SGA, from what I've seen.

[mutant-wolf2.livejournal.com]

Hi there! I love your icons. Mind if I friend you? Don't worry, I'll credit when I take some.

[casett.livejournal.com]

Sure - welcome aboard! I like new friends. I'll friend you too.