Free Blogs

Why do I like blogs? They’re free, and I like free things. Free things are super convenient. And, honestly, if you’re paying for a blog, someone’s getting ripped off and it’s probably you. Unfortunately, sometimes that can work against me.


1. Free blogs are typically short.
Now this can go either way. Most blogs are short. Some of them feel like they’re endless, but they’re still shorter than books, right? In a blog you get a short, concentrated burst of thought that’s put down on a website for people like me who like to learn but have an attention span of next to zero.


2. Free blogs cover a wide variety of topics.
There are literally like a kajillion different blogs out there with so much information it makes the Encyclopaedia Britannica look like a coloring book. I’m not saying that the information in blogs is necessarily as trustworthy or read-worthy as the Encyclopaedia Britannica, but there’s a ton of information just the same.

3. Free blogs can stir up thought.
In this information saturated world, sometimes I find it difficult to find something new and fresh to think about. And, as a student, I don’t always have time to go out and read a book for new thoughts. So I read blogs. I read finance blogs, fitness blogs, comedy blogs, satire blogs, leadership blogs, personal blogs, and Christian blogs to name a few. Every time I read a blog, I’m thinking about something, usually what the blog talked about, or at least the last thing that the blog talked about. The only problem is that sometimes, after reading all of these blogs, I stop thinking creatively for myself, which is why I write my own blog. (I know, I know, I’m feeding the endless cycle.)

4. Free blogs don’t weigh down on my conscience.

Another bonus is that free material weighs very little on my conscience when I choose not to read it. When I go out and buy a book, I feel bad when I don’t read it (unless it’s a school textbook that I sell back, but that’s a different story). With a blog, if I read the title and it sounds interesting, I’ll read it. Maybe I’ll even read it if the title’s not interesting, but I like the author. But what if I start reading and find that it’s boring? If I’m reading a book, I’ll probably tough it out and keep reading for a little longer, hoping that it gets better. But a blog? Man, that’s free. It doesn’t matter if I actually read past the title or not. I didn’t invest anything in it. In fact, I might actually be doing better off, because I didn’t invest my money or my TIME in reading something that’s potentially boring.
Alternatively, if I start reading and I feel convicted, I don’t have to keep reading. I can just click away and continue living my life. Oops, was that a bit too personal? Maybe, but if I’m honest, I use that excuse a bit too much.

What are your favorite reasons to read blogs?

Do you ever “cheat” and escape conviction since “it’s just a blog”?