July 29, 2009
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Crying For a Fellow Xangan
I am curious as to how emotionally attached you get to what you read on xanga or even the people involved. For example, it made me sad to read a post the other day where someone mentioned his father mistreated him.
Recently, I made friends with someone who said she was dying of cancer. When I heard she was in the final moments of her life, I was sad and even depressed for a few hours. (That story was later brought into question by some on xanga but I don’t want to get into it for the sake of this discussion).
I wonder how many have even been moved to tears for someone they have never met on xanga.
Have you ever cried for someone on xanga?
Comments (154)
Oh yeah. I’m all kinds of sensitive, though.
yes, i have.
I almost did once, but not all the way. I don’t cry all that easily.
Hmm… No, but i’ve been very sad or touched, etc.
Yep. But I can be a real soft touch at times
I don’t know that i’ve ever cried, but i’ve gotten extremely upset by some people’s circumstances. So much so that i have given money to help out because i didn’t know how else i could lend a hand. Some of the people on Xanga have become some of my best friends, although most of them i have never met…..
Yes I have.
if I were the crying type..definitely.
Never cried over someone on Xanga, but then again I’m not really an emtional person.
I haven’t cried…yet.
i have been moved many times
Yes. I have my moments.
I have cried over something someone wrote on xanga, but the story wasn’t about the author.
yes.
No. Haven’t gotten a chance yet.
Yes, lots of times! I’m a big crybaby. And people’s stories can easily move me to tears. “My dog died. He was my best friend” = me bawling like MY dog died!
I think a few times. Words when written in a way can move me.
Yes, I cried once when someone deleted his site without a warning.
Yes
Teared up twice, maybe 3 times, but never bawling crying. It wasn’t because of my emotional attachment to the author either (both were strangers), but rather how powerful their writing was.
No, because none of you are actually real people.
I’ve never cried over someone here in xangaland, but I’ve felt a ton of emotions for my friends here.
Some of the people on my friend’s list, I truly consider ‘real friends’.
Not cried, but really felt for/ thought of them. I’m not a big crier.
@DrugInducedDuck - You’re right. I am, and always will be, a figment of your imagination.
Or I’m just a really smart bot. =)
I’ve been sad before because of something I read on xanga…
but I usually am emotionally unattached. that’s how I am in “real life” too though.
<3
There are some people whose xangas I’ve followed for years, and we’ve chatted here and there, and a few who I’ve even snail mailed with a few times… those people have made me cry both with joy and sadness, as would any friend.
I’ve been moved to tears by things on here. Sometimes I have that reaction to something positive, such as somebody just saying or doing a small thing that shows great compassion. I do tend to take people at face value, and to believe they are who they represent themselves to be, and that what they say is the truth, and that often gets me burned. Still, there are some people on here who I have grown to trust, and I am surprisingly fond of them. I’d be devastated if anything happened to them.
yes, a few. but we have been close online friends for years. so it’s easy to get attached and think of than more than just some “person” online who has an xanga.
xo
I haven’t cried. Sure, I’ve been moved. But I’m not the type to cry. The Robbie Williams’ song, Let Love Be Your Energy, has a line: “every tear that you cry will be shed when you die/” If that’s the case, my funeral’s gonna be the Sahara.
nope,I’m not really a cryer…
I’ve never cried, though I have been moved.
I tear up for really sad posts, but only when they’re well written. I don’t get emotional when I can’t figure out the words/grammar/structure.
Yep, I have.
Frequently.
Definitely. I know a few Xangans IRL, though, so I don’t know if that counts. But I have cried over stories I’ve read too.
I’ve felt very sad before, but never have I actually cried for someone on xanga.
i made this piece when one user i hold near posted that they would leave
http://mr-faust.xanga.com/701413963/i-sent-you-letters-you-sent-me-your-love/
There’s one girl on here who has been through unimaginable horrors in her life and it makes me really sad when she talks about it.
For a few people, I have been moved nearly to tears (I don’t cry easily, except at movies!) It depends on how close I feel to the person in question.
Yes, a few times
Never cried, but certainly felt for people.
Yes, I have. I am very empathetic type of person.
I don’t think so, but I’m not very emotional. I don’t even cry at funerals, or sad movies. I cried while watching one movie in my entire life.
I haven’t found anything particularly sad enough to cry about yett, but i’ve definitely been moved by things people have written,
x
i havent cried about them, but get very worried about fellow xangans sometimes. like once, a girl said she was going to kill herself and she had pills and everything. i freaked out.
shit no, son
not really
Yeah, My Xanga-friend JoAnn had a granddaughter born at 25 weeks in Sept.and the baby weighed 1 lb 9 oz. Her posts, updates and pictures have made us cry many times. Baby Ruby is a miracle of God and if you want to know more, go here.
@Kontzicles - You don’t cry? I mean, not that I’d want you to… but really?
oh my gosh. terribly cried for R.
=(
The thought of him dying…. it’s breaking my heart.
No, but I have been kinda moved.
Only if DMV dies.
Nope. Heart of ice and all that.
I’ve found that it’s possible to get as attached to someone on Xanga as in real life.
@logicalemu - heart icy but the other parts torrid, eh?
No, I assume half of the people here are trolls.
@darkoozeripple - haha, actually the “other parts torrid” is surprisingly rare. =D
yes
I don’t often cry, and I don’t admit it when I do. But I do empathize with a lot of Xangans. Others are just Jackasses.
Absolutely. Most of my subs are people I’ve been blogging with and reading for nearly 10 years now (long before it was called blogging). The relationship I have with some of them go beyond reading an update on their blog. I’ve met several in person, and even those that I haven’t, many are like family to me. We’re all a bunch of ‘nobodies’ in the land of blogs, but we’ve held each other up through the nastiest of times and and celebrated with each other through the best. I consider myself lucky to have them in my life. They go WAY BEYOND ‘Xanga Friends’.
I have, its the same affect as a sad movie or something. Its only really intense if its someone I am close to here.
i’m a pretty emotional and compassionate individual… when someone else is hurting, i naturally get upset :/
Thats a negative.
More than once.
Aww. I love yout too Dan.
I cried over a post by my sister…I don’t think that counts. I’ve definitely felt deep emotions for some people before.
No, but then again, I don’t read a lot of heartfelt posts. Usually I read posts by you, sam, paige and a few others… that are not the really heart wrenching types.
You know, it is strange to think about. I read things on Xanga that I really like all of the time, but I’ve never felt any sort of intense emotion towards the person. And now, Xanga is responsible for the most important relationship in my life.
Twice that I can remember. Both situations turned out to be frauds.
I never cry.
And yes, I have (but don’t tell anyone)
I cry easily, so yeah, I have..
Not actually cried, no. It’s fairly hard to make me cry, save for one very specific thing. But I’ve been moved by people’s writing, definitely.
No.
no
Never cried, but I’ve had my moments when I’ve been moved
I’ve been sad for some things that I’ve read on Xanga, but I’ve never cried for someone.
I’m a real softie that cries easily over the misfortune of others, even more so if it’s a movie or book.
yeah
yes a lot but evidentally i’m gullible and niave and very sencitive and emotional. and yes even crazy.
@MyxlDove - it has to be REALLY bad for me to cry… I grew up being told. “crying is a last resort.. because it solves nothing”
No, but I’m sure I would if I got close enough to someone.
Xanga specifically? I’m not sure. I can’t remember a specific instance. But I do follow a few other blogs elsewhere of other mommies who have lost children, and I can’t even hardly click on their page without being overwhelmed at how much my heart hurts for them.
Yes. I don’t remember who wrote the story because it was so long ago. But it was about a girl who was giving up her child for adoption, it was so sad.
yes…we are all connected here like distant family or freinds that we are…smile
I’ve never cried, but I am easily disturbed by stories of people who have been sexually assaulted or who’ve mutilated themselves. My heart goes out to those people and it kills me that I can’t help them. Sometimes I get distracted from lectures or everyday activities because I start thinking about their stories. It got to the point where I just forced myself to stop reading posts by anyone like that. If I see the words “rape” or “cutting” I usually hit the “back” button.
Most of my subs on Xanga are my friends in real life, so yes, I definitely have. (Especially over one of the books my friend is writing- check her out, her site is http://hermione-rose.xanga.com/ . I don’t cry real tears over books much anymore, but, man…)
The majority of the time, if I get emotionally involved with a random blog, it’s because I’m angry at something on ReveLife- if I’m being perfectly honest (: I don’t think I’ve ever cried over a stranger’s blog, but I’ve read quite a few that have made me think.
Yes, recently. The girl who described her friend threatening to commit suicide.
Never. I haven’t once been emotionally attached to anything anyone on this blogging site has said.
Yes, I did.
no, I think everyone has the dignity to suffer with their own problems and I’m sad if one of my xanga friends finds out they have a deadly disease but I try to treat them normal -same way I would want to be treated.
Haven’t yet. But I’ve been so sad.
Well not really for the person, more like something in their emotions echoes something that happened in my life. But depends on the person, really. Like if I just stumbled on their blog or haven’t been reading for very long, and I cry, it probably is just for that reason. When it is about a friend that I have been reading for years, and they are having problems their post may move me or I will feel sad/ happy when they are doing good.I once cried a lot when my friend deleted her site and disappeared for days. But then she sent me an email
I cry every time I visit this page. It’s cathartic. Ha!
@DrugInducedDuck - What no tears for bots? How cold hearted can you be? Even bots deserve a tear now and then…..
Yes, I have wept for the pain of others here on xanga from time to time. Some who I know in real life and others who I have never met.
No, I haven’t, but I haven’t been given a reason to.
Tons of times…over losing parents, them having a disease, losing a baby. I make things and send them out too…quilts, shawls…little things to lift people up.
Yes, but only once. I have felt sad over many posts though, just not to the point of crying.
Many times!!
I don’t know if I ever have but I have heard a lot of sad stories on Xanga. But they nearly always end happily.
I’m not sure about crying, but I’ve been moved to care deeply about a few situations and a few people.
yes
Not quite all-out cried, but I have teared up slightly on occasion at very moving posts.
I think once or twice. Nothing too serious though yet.
I have been moved a lot and that’s my nature! I can read something and care about how the person feels! Most of the time I care more about others then my own feelings because i’m happiest helping others!
I have never cried for someone on Xanga, but I have had surges of emotion…
*hugs*
Yes.. a few I’ve met in person though.. or talked on the phone.
Absolutely.
I’ve teared up and pretty good but never full on cried.. I’m not heartless
No, the people who I have gotten close to on Xanga are more like me, with lighthearted general posts. Many of the devastating stories I have read about on Xanga turn out to be from attention grabbers who are no more sick than you or I.
Yes.
cried, perhaps not….
but i do sense some emotional thingy when someone on Xanga that i “know” is facing something…
ehh… im starting to question if the whole holly situation was real or not. it seems a little fake now..
I was mortified when I read the xanga page of the teenager who was murdered. It made me really, really sad. The entry was written about an hour before the killing, police would later use it to find who did it.
I just can’t imagine what was going through that kid’s head. It gets to me every time I think about it…even now.
I believe the post is still up.
Yes
I can’t say i’ve cried but I’ve certainly been filled with emotions by the things I read here. Xanga has a taste of the bitter sweet realism at times. We’d love to be able to help.. but i don’t think that is the job of anyone. The job of everyone is to listen and to be that quiet soul who is there at the last moment.
I find myself reflecting back over the years, wondering what its all for… giving reasons to it. I was many things and will be many things…. that doesn’t make sense.
When I read that someone is in trouble or going through something I’ve gone through. I used to take a minute to say something. The truth is, sometimes we can’t be on for that person… and having a community like xanga means that someone, somewhere is on.. I think its a wonderful thing what you did for that lady. Whether it was a test of you or not.. that shouldn’t matter. We all hope we can be there for someone when it matters.
I notice you around more, or perhaps its that I’m around more. There was a storm of bloggers, a new age, new wave of them recently. I took a back seat and watched them fight it out… little do they know that the important part is the long haul.. I’ve been off… had little time for anything really.. Ticking over.. nice entry.
Oen
I cry everytime I think about you, Dan.
@Kontzicles - Wow… I think that’s terrible. Crying is healthy and is not supposed to solve a problem, but rather express an emotion. So they basically told you to suppress your feelings. Strange. You strike me as someone who embraces their emotions rather than avoids them.
@mrsprosa - I think Dan makes a lot of people cry. Whether it’s deliberate is debatable. lol
@MyxlDove - Hahahahaa =)
yes. and for people on tv.
i cry a lot. haha
I’ve only been on xanga for about a couple weeks now, maybe a month. And I’ve read some sad things and yes it did get me down for a bit but mostly because I was missing my friend. He passed away from a rare type of cancer a year ago and yes I still miss him dearly because he helped me and I helped him.
I have been moved and touched and even been very sad and at times felt to the point of tears. But I am not the cry person.
@MyxlDove - i don’t really know what to say to that…
….
love’s decomposition
life’s organic production
creates even greater heights
of love
no but there are some touching stories I read on here
No actually, but I’ve read posts that moved me and subscribed just because I was worried about new people.
Rarely but yes.
Haven’t cried but some people can write to the extent that it can cause emotion whereas it’s normally hard for me to feel much. Lots of people can make my laugh even if they don’t know it (even you).
The closest thing I’ve ever come to actually feeling for someone on Xanga came when I was trying to talk to this suicidal girl on Aim. It was heartbreaking to see it, but i never really cried for her just felt bad.
Not over someone, but over something they’ve said or that happened to them.
I have made some good friends on xanga but we also communicate outside of xanga as well. Still, I haven’t cried for anyone.
Yes, I have cried for someone on Xanga before.
Yes. Every time I visit Steph and Paige and realize I’m way too old for them!
Yeah, I’ve been upset because of people on Xanga. I find it very easy to become emotionally involved on the internet anyway. I always have this fear that I know who people are, but nobody knows me.
No. I am a robot.
if i knew how to like read other peopoles blogs i might lols
several times
I have. Even sometimes for people I don’t really interact with, just reading one of their blog entries.
Well, I never cried but I am affected by everyone on Xanga. It feels like I know them even though I truly don’t so when something happens to them I am truly concerned.
I freaked out somewhat when I read that reckless_eagle ODed on painkillers, but he’s doing just fine now.
Yes. :/
No. Never. I keep my emotions tightly in check.
I havent cried yet as I havent found a story thats overly emotional. Ive found someone I can relate to. But not cry worthy. If yo get me :S
BUT apparently someone cried when they found out im now on physcotics >.<
i’ve laughed myself to tears chatting with a few people ive met here. if anything bad happened to those same crazy fuckers i would for sure be upset.
Not on Xanga, but I do remember a chatroom I used to attend daily. It was always the same group of people for years and we all got to know one another. There were two deaths among our group…it was heartbreaking.
I have become close to people and gotten very ‘into” their stories, but not sure I cried.
I am personal friends with a few.
I’ve felt really bad for people here, yeah.
I’ve been upset before. Usually they ask me an impossible question. I can be an insensitive bitch sometimes (I’m a scorpio). But i do feel some emotion. But then I remember that I can’t be next to the and haven’t created a real live connection with them. So what am I supposed to do? Cry because I feel for them? Or cry because I can’t?
I was very touched by a story and felt emotionally involved with someone who i’d swapped a few comments with, and when they asked people to pray for a family member who’d been in an accident, i did. I don’t believe in God.
I once felt emotional reading a Facebook status.
I’ve been misty eyed. I’m touched that so many people are so caring.
I got into a very deep long (4 year) friendship with a guy I met through xanga.. eventually we met in person. But there certainly were a lot of tears with him.