Philosophy and the reviewer...

A friend asked me tonight "so what do you get out of Websnark?"

Which if you think about it is a good question.

I made some answer about ego, and that's actually part of it. I like being read by people. I like having people consider the things I say. I like having impact, even if it's just in a small way.

But that isn't it, really. I'm happiest when I have impact, of course. I love being linked (when it happens) or having someone I've snarked respond in some way, but no one's beholden to comment or link or even read the thing, and I decided back when I started that I couldn't do this purely to see my Technorati profile or google standings increase.

In the end, what I get out of Websnark is much more basic.

I write. I like writing. And for the first time really since Superguy, I have a forum to write in that feels successful -- both in terms of subject matter and readership. It wouldn't matter if five people were reading it or five thousand. It's an audience sufficient to keep my 'writing' gland pumping out Muse hormones into my bloodstream. The material feels right to me. It feels important. And I'm hitting it with confidence -- when people say nasty things about Websnark or about me, it literally just rolls off. After all, if they hate me, then I must have done something right.

And it heartens me that so few do hate me. Oh, I got the one comment accusing me of working fast food, living in my parent's basement and never talking to girls. I loved it. The highest compliment I could receive, in my humble opinion, is "yeah? Well... you're an asshole! I get all the chicks and you get none! Asshole!" But it makes me feel better that pretty much all of the creators who've been negatively snarked (and who've acknowledged it at all) have taken the "he makes some good points, and some others I don't agree with," stance. David Willis in particular was a total class act -- I'm sure he didn't like my "You had me and you lost me" essay, but he was a champ about it. And so, really, were even his rabid fanbase.

I sometimes think webcomics fans are a superior breed. With rare exceptions, they'll even accept criticism of the object of their support without biting.

But I'm rambling. Which is fine. This is the Livejournal. Maybe the best way I can describe it is from a phone call I got from my Mom, earlier. She noted, with some surprise, that I was really happy.

Really happy.

Part of that's the weight loss. But that kicked in back in March, you'll recall, and I certainly wasn't happy. Part of that's the change of day job -- a huge part. I enjoy what I do, now. I utterly hated what I did by the end of last trimester.

But I was just content this summer, right up until I started hammering out snarky words. Now, I'm writing every day, with only a couple of days "missed" and even those I at least posted something. Essentially, I'm doing a few hundred to a few thousand words a day again. I've broken 110,000 words in Websnark since starting it up in late August.

And I feel wonderful. Wonderful.

So what do I get out of Websnark?

Happiness.

Is there anything in this world that beats that?