I was sitting in Starbucks, working on a final project with my partner from class. As we were adding the finishing touches, she looked at me and said, “Do you use Facebook?” I paused for a second; wondering what sort of relevance this might have to our project. Wondering if she was pulling some sort of Dorothy Parker clever twist, I told her that I did, indeed, use Facebook. She then said, “Oh well I don’t.” She stared at me for a minute and I realized she wanted to talk about why, exactly, she didn’t believe in the almighty Facebook. “Why not…” I asked her hesitantly, treading carefully.
As she launched into a long story about how her ex-boyfriend abuses it inappropriately when her page is activated, I had a realization. All anyone really wants is someone to listen. People just want their ideas to be validated and their feelings to be heard. Doctors diagnose because concerned mothers are willing to listen. They earn a sense of self-worth from knowing those parents need to hear what they have to say. Lawyers fight because eager jury members need to hear each case. They earn a sense of self-worth from knowing the jury is hanging upon their every word.
And writers write because people are willing to read what they have to say. It’s been said that writers are the most narcissistic of all professions, because their success relies upon people’s willingness to read their words. Maybe it’s true. Maybe it’s why I’ve started a blog. Maybe I just want my feelings to be heard. But, it seems that wanting to be heard is truly just standard. I guess studying is Starbucks really does make you smarter.