Recently, Vietnamese netizens have been buzzing about a scandal involving a blog (essentially an online diary) that has achieved record-breaking traffic. On peak days, the blog received up to 40,000 visits. Many people suspect that the author used tricks to inflate these numbers. The main character insists that his blog has become a testing ground for some tech-savvy individual. The truth remains unclear, but it is evident that the blog has become an integral part of the online community, reflecting all the joys and sorrows of digital life…
1,001 Reasons to Create a Blog
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| Yahoo! 360o – One of the most popular blog service websites |
“Because… I’m bored!” – V. Long, a student at Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, lamented. Failing grades, being scolded by his mother, losing a soccer match, and fighting with his girlfriend… Long pours all his frustrations into his blog. Seeing the widespread complaints throughout his blog, his friends feel disheartened for him. “As a guy, should I really complain to my friends when I’m down? That feels too… feminine. But guys also need to vent stress. So, I go on my blog, write down my feelings, and it helps lighten my mood a lot. Then I feel happier and more motivated to study.” Recently, V. Long has been busy building a blog to impress his girlfriend. With his IT expertise, he diligently creates a very romantic blog, featuring well-curated images and timeless love songs. It’s no surprise if his girlfriend gets swept off her feet by this blog.
T. Trang, a translator for a television channel and an amateur writer, created her blog to publish her writings. Some pieces have been published in newspapers, while others are thoughts that just came to her mind… Trang jokingly refers to her blog as her “erratic newsroom,” where she serves as the editor-in-chief, reporter, and guardian. She pays close attention to the comments left by friends after each of her posts.
Unlike personal diary-style blogs, those with high traffic often belong to either famous figures or focus on specific expertise or life experiences that many find beneficial. Particularly noteworthy are the blogs of “pros,” which resemble information channels that compile news, offer commentary, and analysis, with the authors taking on the role of volunteer journalists. Some worry that these blogs might dilute the information from online newspapers, but that day seems far off.
Joy and Sadness in Blogging
Friend Phuong Thuy is an editor for an online newspaper in Ho Chi Minh City. Working mostly on a computer connected to the internet 24/7, she seems to be affected by “occupational hazards,” often browsing her friends’ blogs in her free time. Her friends, some studying abroad and others working far away, mostly have the means to be online regularly. Previously, friends primarily communicated via email or chat. However, as work became busier, there was less time for letters or chats, leading most to shift to blogging.
“Blog” is a term derived from the pairing of “Web Log” or “Weblog,” used to denote a diary based on the web or an online publication to report daily events on a topic. Blog content is diverse, often comprising personal stories, news, reports, critiques… from the author’s perspective. Interest in blogs surged about two years ago when a blog by a call girl in London saw its traffic skyrocket, leading to her being featured in newspapers and earning substantial money. Today, blogs have become increasingly popular among youth as a means of self-expression. |
Thuy shares: “Whenever something joyful, sad, or thought-provoking happens during the day, writing it in the blog is a way to relieve stress. Friends read each other’s blogs to understand how their peers are living, thinking, and share a few words of encouragement, which brings us closer together. I see my younger sister in Hanoi recounting stories about our parents also “sneaking” into my blog to see how their beloved daughter living far away is doing…“.
Behind her glasses, her eyes gleam with humor: “One of the popular blog service websites is 360.yahoo.com. Do you know why it’s called 360 degrees? Because the Earth is indeed round. Many times, when you visit one person’s blog, you can follow links to another’s and then another… Eventually, you might stumble upon the blog of an old friend you haven’t contacted in ages; it feels really delightful.” Thuy explains the joy of wandering through blogs: “When people write blogs, they tend to be quite honest, focusing on their personal feelings and emotions. Therefore, reading a blog feels like having an intimate conversation with someone else. Sometimes, by following random links, I find myself reading the blog of a young person I don’t know, who shares very genuine struggles of coming of age. Other times, I land on the blog of a travel enthusiast, and the stories and photos from his journeys inspire me to work hard to… save money for travel!“.
Phuong Nguyen
