THE DIGITAL DIARY: THE INTERNET

Since I can remember, I have always had a diary. It is not a journal, I do not write in it daily or on a regular basis. I write in it when “big” things in my life occur- grades are posted, friends are lost and gained, trips are taken, secrets are received, fights occur and yelling happens. I often joke with friends that if ever the diary landed into the hands of a stranger, that stranger would think that I was an emotional and dramatic wreck who is solely focused on grades and boys. The beauty of this diary is that it is written evidence of the changes that have occurred in my lifetime- that is the changes that I think is necessary to write down. Getting them down on paper helps get them out of my brain. 

Recently, I learned that one of friends was violently raped. However, I was not told in the traditional manner- word of mouth, phone call, letter or email. She blogged about her experience. On a traditional Saturday afternoon, what starts like a regular blog posting quickly turned into a confession. Instead of telling people of her experience in a common way, she used her greatest strength, he words as her weapon and her shield.

What pushes a person to blog about a traumatic experience? What is that person looking for when she is giving the world access to her most private and intimate thoughts?

By posting about her experience, she is trying to empower other women who went through similar experiences and are ashamed about it. The plethora of traditional advertisement like the posters below or the video, can only reach so many people and are limited in their effectiveness. 

In digital media, the reach of one blog post can go very far.

According to her blog post:

“I'm putting this out there because when I was raped I remember thinking that no, Law and Order SVU does not prepare you for this sort of situation. And no, not everyone is kind or supportive. I know there are people who will read this and judge me for it, and I'm ready for that. I was a strong character to begin with, and this whole ordeal has only built me up with more courage to speak out about injustice. If someone reading this is a rape victim I hope my late night post gives you some comfort. There is so much isolation that comes with this type of trauma. I hope you know that you can get through it.”

In blogging, people who do not know you are reading and reacting to your posts such as Jennifer Warren who writes that;

“Wow, your story was extremely moving. I am sorry that all of this happened to you and you had to endure that kind of pain and injustice. I do not know you, but I know you did not deserve to be raped-no one deserves that. I am happy that you seem to be trying to find the positive in your life and inspire other people. Best of luck to you at Columbia.”

When it is a victim blogging about her experience, the message is so much more powerful. You feel connected, you feel empathy, you feel outrage at the injustice committed. There is nothing more effective than having that personal touch.

The rise in homemade movies surrounding do not ask, do not tell and gay military members also demonstrates the tremendous influence that digital media has on interpersonal experience. After the repeal of  DADT, a plethora of homemade YouTube began sprouting up about military members coming out of the closet in the most public way possible. 

On Sep 19, 2011, a military man calls his father in Alabama and for the first time, LIVE, tell him he is gay. The raw emotions in this YouTube clip makes the viewer feel connected to the boy “ my heart is racing like crazy” “It is 2 in the morning, I am in Germany, I did not sleep all night” “ he breathes out as the phone rings. “Can I tell you something”“ Will you love me . You will always love me ? Dad I am gay. The father replies “Ok” “Ok”- “I still love you son. It does not change our relationship.”

This video has been seen over 7,000,000 times.

If one searches “gay military men coming out”, one finds over 45,000 results

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Here again, we have a person who uses digital media as a way to empower other. With YouTube, the military man knew that others would watch his movie- and perhaps be empowered to come out as well. In Izzies post, she ends on a rallying cry to empowering cry to other rape victims.