A Time article about Thought Catalog and how it is both greatly admired and criticized for its self-reflexive, “narcissistic” articles.

I found this really interesting not only because I’ve written one whole article for Thought Catalog, but also because I recently read through the many comments on one article and noticed that there was this intense volley going on between “This is exactly how I feel/ you said it perfectly/ I love this article” and “It’s so lame that people keep writing articles that just say exactly what everyone thinks/ Articles like this are what is ruining this website.”

There is such a desire for and yet a resistance to this personal, introspective writing style.  I find the anger puzzling.  If Thought Catalog is filling a void for this kind of writing, but you don’t want to read it, then couldn’t you just… not?  Would you be angry at a fan fiction website for existing just because you don’t read fan fiction?  Maybe it’s less anger than contempt.  And I guess there is nothing you can do about contempt, other than try not to care when it is directed at you.

Ironically, the article I wrote for TC is not at all personal, and so apparently doesn’t fit the direction the website is heading.  Even more ironic considering how much I clearly gravitate toward writing about myself.  I’m in a weird new phase in my life where I don’t have much of an outlet for that.  Maybe I should try to contribute to TC again.  Just so long as I can figure out how to duck for cover simultaneously.