Blogging is Like Praying

Abby: Ooh! Another website to check often! This will be great!

Me: Yeah. Nothing like another username and password to remember. Why are you here again?

Abby: Because I'm required for this writing assignment. Don't you remember? I'm your Avatar, your alter ego, someone to push forward this dialogue.

Me: Aren't you a dog? Why are you talking? Or typing in my blog for that matter?

Abby: Actually, I don't really exist. I'm just here to personify the concept of thought.

Me: Well, that makes sense. What are we supposed to write about?

Abby: Stuff that has to with class, Persepolis, practically anything! What did you think of last night's reading?

Me: I actually found it interesting how religious Marjane Satrapi was as a child. What did you think?

Abby: I'm just a fictitious dog, so I may not completely understand everything. But wasn't it strange how the author could "talk" to God?

Me: Isn't blogging somewhat like praying?

Abby: I don't get it. But then again, I don't get why you humans don't sniff each others' butts when you greet each other.

Me: First of all, ew. But as I was saying... When people pray, they reach out. They try to talk to someone who might not hear them, they might not even exist. That's somewhat like blogging or posting stuff on the Internet. We write out our thoughts, post pictures, show our interests for people that might not even see them. You just hope someone cares enough to respond. Marjane Satrapi does the same thing as a child. She tries to branch out to someone, hoping they'll listen. Not that I'm comparing you to God or anything. It's just interesting how people bash "religious" people for their "pointless" praying when blogging is essentially the same thing.

*edited on 11/13/13*

http://youtu.be/0mvrKfcOnDg

This song "The Hymn of Acxiom" by Vienna Teng just reminded me of this post. It's basically about how people on the Internet have a deep need to be noticed, even though they may not admit it. I think that the song is sung through the point-of-view of technology. When interviewed about this song, Vienna Teng describes it as:

"At some level, as human beings, we have this deep need, this deep desire to be understood, to be seen, to have the sense that someone knows everything we do. Then there's the question of what that entity does with that knowledge. In religion, the message is that God loves you and embraces you while holding you accountable for being your best self. Whether Acxiom databases do that is much more questionable."

Here are the lyrics for this song if you want to check it out:

Somebody hears you. You know that. You know that.
Somebody hears you. you know that inside.
Someone is learning the colors of all your moods, to
(Say just the right thing and) show that you're understood.
Here you're known.

Leave your life open. You don't have. You don't have.
Leave your life open. You don't have to hide.
Someone is gathering every crumb you drop, these
(Mindless decisions and) moments you long forgot.
Keep them all.

Let our formulas find your soul.
We'll divine your artesian source (in your mind),
marshal feed and force (our machines will) 
To design you a perfect love—
Or (better still) a perfect lust.
O how glorious, glorious: a brand new need is born.

Now we possess you. You'll own that. You'll own that.
Now we possess you. You'll own that in time.
Now we will build you an endlessly upward world,
(Reach in your pocket) embrace you for all you're worth.

Is that wrong?
Isn't this what you want?

Abby: Wow. That's pretty deep. Wanna go for a walk?

(Me, my brother, and Tory Belleci from Mythbusters. In case you want to stalk us.)