Why Risk Getting Murdered by Blogging?
Doug and I are headed to his parents' house for Passover Seder this weekend and I am reminded of our last trip down there for Thanksgiving dinner. I had just started blogging and was very excited to share my new hobby with the family.
Most people I know don't actually know what a blog is; so if I want to talk about it, I usually have some explaining to do first. Over Thanksgiving dinner, I had just such a conversation with my sister-in-law's mother-in-law. (Is it any less confusing to say my husband's sister's husband's mother?)
Her first question was "Aren't you worried about having a blog? There was some girl around here that had a blog and she got murdered. You should be careful." I wasn't familiar with the story she was talking about, but figured this girl tried to meet someone through a social networking site (that is, if this story was even real to begin with.) I explained the difference between social networking and blogging, which is really irrelevant anyway, because there is no inherent danger in either one. I am in more danger of getting murdered walking down the street than I am by posting to my blog. She was not convinced.
"Well then, don't you worry about someone stealing your identity?" Well, no, it's not like I publish my visa card or bank account numbers.
"But you just post stuff on the Internet for ANYONE to read?" Well yes, that's kind of the point. Kind of like what writers do in newspapers and magazines. In fact, the more readers, the better. And even better if they leave comments, turning the whole activity into a conversation.
I told her how interesting it is that I get readers from all over the globe. A college professor from Lithuania commented the other day. "Well how do you know he's really a college professor or that he really lives in Lithuania?" Well I guess I don't, but he really has nothing to gain by making this up.
So I gave her another example, recounting my excitement when Millionaire Mommy Next Door had commented on my blog for the first time. "How do you even know that this Millionaire Mommy is a real person?" (MMND, this was before you were on the Montel Williams Show, which I'm sure would have helped me immensely here!) I explained that every blog has a real person behind it because someone has to actually write the posts. "But what if she's not really who she says she is?" She writes stuff, I read it. What do I care "who she says she is?" Am I worried that, in reality "she" is really a "he" and he is an ax murderer? No, not if I like the writing.
I could see I was getting nowhere fast so I told her I would be careful and try not to get murdered.
I would now like to offer one piece of advice for those of you new to the blog world. If a friend tells you she has a blog and then you later say "I read your blog," you need to follow that up with "and I really enjoyed it." Don't make her ask after an awkward pause . . . "well, did you LIKE it?" And if you didn't really enjoy it, it's probably better not to bring it up in the first place. I would never know you read it and I'd rather not know you hated it.
This made me laugh out loud, nearly spewing my morning coffee.
Thanks for risking life and limb to keep the early retirement FIRE alive.
Now I'm off to w*%k!
Posted by: Judy | April 24, 2008 at 06:41 AM
I read your blog.
...and I LOVE it!
Watch your back (ha!) and keep writing. You're hysterical!
Posted by: Millionaire Mommy Next Door | April 24, 2008 at 07:37 AM
See folks, she's a pro!
Posted by: Retired Syd | April 24, 2008 at 08:09 AM
your mil of your sil has a valid point.
say (or write) something to offend somebody and it's very easy for them to find you. don't be so smug.
i'd eliminate this post if i was you.
Posted by: anthony | April 24, 2008 at 11:29 AM
Are you my mil of my sil disguised as a man named Anthony?
Posted by: Retired Syd | April 24, 2008 at 11:37 AM
Also, just to throw more fuel for thought:
you've got your photo on the blog.
it's not hard to figure out where you are.
your computer has an IP address that is easily broken into.
you've listed the different places you've lived and what your favorite things are. i wouldn't be surprised that some of those answers are part of your password security questions.
plus, you are retired so you must have some money somewhere.
getting concerned yet?
PS: my name may not be anthony and I may not even be a man.
again, please do not be so smug. the internet can be a very dangerous place.
Posted by: anthony | April 24, 2008 at 11:41 AM
It may be dangerous to some, but according to experts (yes, real ones) we live in the safest time in history.
see here -
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/163
Most fears are unfounded and not based on reality. Bad things happen, but it's not as common as the media like to makes us think it is.
Posted by: Nicole | April 24, 2008 at 11:59 AM
Thanks for your contribution Nicole.
And yes, you are right "Anthony", because of IP addresses you are not totally anonymous. That's how I know you are indeed a she.
Posted by: Retired Syd | April 24, 2008 at 12:18 PM
I hope I've made my point.
Please be very careful.
And to Nicole-I looked at the speech Ted made. I'll try to remember it when I go to the 'grave sites' of some of my friends who were killed at the World Trade Center.
The crimes that are being committed today are NOTHING like what was experienced before. First example would be identity theft. The internet can become a frightening place.
Peace.
Posted by: anthony | April 24, 2008 at 01:39 PM
Wow, this is an awfully creepy comment thread. Syd, I'm with you--there's very little reason to worry about blogging. The worst that'll happen to you is a little online bullying like that perpetrated here.
Posted by: Working Rachel | April 25, 2008 at 06:22 PM
Working Rachel:
Well the thread started out good. . . people saying how hilarious I am and images of spewing coffee--gotta love that!
Syd
Posted by: Retired Syd | April 25, 2008 at 10:40 PM
Yes, it is ending upbeat too!
You're all so funny.
Posted by: Nicole | April 28, 2008 at 02:22 PM
anthony comes off as patronizing, but is bang-on
it may be too late by the time you wish you could go back and take steps to protect yourself a bit better
whenever friends or acquaintances give me a "are you hiding something?" look or comment, my response is invariably, "i may not have anything to hide, but i likewise have nothing to share" (with respect to personal, identifying, financial details)
all warfare is based on deception (sun tzu), and theft is nothing but a form of economic conflict
Posted by: Steve Austin | May 01, 2008 at 08:49 AM