Blogging: A Worldwide Community

~ beetleypete

I had a big moan about dodgy comments and fake blog followers the other day.

So I thought I would counter that with something really positive about our great blogging community.

Little did I imagine when I started this blog in 2012, that eight years later I would be part of a huge worldwide community of bloggers. Just taking into account the smaller community of my own followers, and those who I follow, it is still an amazing thing to feel included in.

I have followers who comment from over 30 countries around the world. Most of those countries are ones I have never visited, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, The Philippines, America, Canada, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Thailand, and Cambodia. (Among others) Yet I am able to connect with people who live there, in English, and learn something about their lives, thoughts, customs, culture; even their hopes and fears.

It has taught me a great deal, especially that wherever we live, we often are just the same. Separated by oceans or continents, most of us are trying to connect, to be decent people, and to share our life experiences, writing, photography, poetry or culinary skills with anyone who might be interested, irrespective of where they live.

The current Covid-19 pandemic in particular has highlighted our similarities, as bloggers write about their experiences of the virus, and how they fear the impact of it on everyday life, and their own future. I have found out about countries where there has been little or no social distancing, and others with far better reactions to dealing with the crisis than we have seen here in England.

With the George Floyd incident bringing racism into the spotlight once again, it is just wonderful to see that this is virtually non-existent in the world of blogging, where tolerance is our watchword.

Bloggers are rarely concerned with the colour of a person’s skin, their religion, or their wealth and influence. Blogging gives you a blank sheet of acceptance, whatever else is going on around us in this troubled world.

Whenever you might be close to losing hope, just think about Blogging. It is not an exaggeration to say that it can ease loneliness, help to combat depression, and offer true friendships from complete strangers who you will almost certainly never meet.

86 thoughts on “Blogging: A Worldwide Community”

  1. I agree with you so much. One of the reasons I LOVE blogging esp here on WordPress is because it gives me soooo many people to connect to from all around the world.
    I had beeen MIA for the past 6-ish months and now I’ve lost all my engagement 😦 does that happen??? Considering I was never THAT popular anyway??

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  7. As does Jennie, I refer to my blogging writers as my friends. It is probably a little confusing at times when I speak of the weather of my friend in England, for instance. I wonder if we inhabit an especially nice corner of the blogosphere or if other parts are as friendly. No time to find out as I am busy with the friends I already have here.

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  8. All true, Pete…I wish I had started blogging years ago and never dreamt how it would open up my world to so many lovely, genuine people who I would never have known existed if I hadn’t started blogging…:) I am now off to read the next installment of The Fear…I have just shivered when I wrote that…

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  9. How true, Pete! For the first time in my life, I have met the real part of people, nameless, faceless, and hence true to themselves, trying to cope with problems by sharing and looking for acceptance. I have learnt to accept them and they have accepted me, advised me, cried with me. I don’t feel like the lost child anymore, thanks to this ‘more-real-than’real’ world.

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  14. Congratulations Pete! Honestly you are a very up-to-date blooger, and with your self written novels an stories you are a premium one too. I have to apologize for another later revisit, but wish best wishes for the rest of Sunday i will work through the missed postings. Best wishes, Michael

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  15. Pete it is still there just they tend to stick together to cover their butts…..[because of my name I have been asked many times if I am a Muslim…I reply is Does it matter? That usually shuts them down. I agree with you I love the fact that I am basically talking with people around the world. chuq

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  29. so very true, Pete. blogging is truly a joy. the wonderful connection, friendships and more importantly respect is palpable. thank you for all you do for this community 🙂 🙂

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  30. Totally agree, Pete! “Separated by oceans or continents, most of us are trying to connect, to be decent people, and to share our life experiences, writing, photography, poetry or culinary skills with anyone who might be interested, irrespective of where they live.”…..yep, Very true

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  34. I feel the same way Pete. I came to WP going on 7years ago from another site that closed down. Little did I think I would still be at it, with folks around the world whom I will never meet in person. I did get to meet one in person, her husband and two sons. She was originally from Florida, married a Dutch guy and moved to the Netherlands. They would annually visit Florida to see family and we arranged to meet for lunch in Tampa over tapas. It was much fun!

    Best regards as usual.

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    1. I have met up with just the one blogger, who used to live quite near me at Lakenheath. She was English, married to an American Air Force guy. We all met for coffee halfway, and it was as if we had always known each other. Sadly, he was posted back to North Carolina, so I doubt we will meet again.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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