The Need for Reflection

Bloggers also blog because they are curious about themselves; by examining their own beliefs, perspectives, and responses, they gain a better understanding of who they are. Turgeon (2004) referred to this need as "getting to know yourself" and "deepening our awareness of human nature," and Graham generally used the phrase "explore and experiment" (2002). Information and skill development required Table 2 illustrates the abundance of blogs describing hobbies and areas of interest. These blogs draw people to the blogosphere with shared interests, where they share and gather knowledge about these topics (Turgeon 2004). These blogs give bloggers the chance to focus on their areas of interest and increase their expertise in those fields.

A "underground" culture of information sharing is also made possible through blogs. Many people have doubts about the veracity or objectivity of the information made publicly available through official channels, from news and events to medical treatments. Then, bloggers work to present current events in a less biassed manner: "Even though their remarks spark debate and scepticism, they've [bloggers] given depth to the way the linked issues are debated and reported, especially by the traditional mass-market media" (Rosenbloom 2004, 32). They were correcting the media's distortions, according to Pedersen and Macafee (2007, 1484)

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