Blogging: Cathartic or Egotistical

What's behind this revolution of online diary keeping and publishing our musings?

The point of a traditional diary was for it's cathartic value. I had one in my teenage years. It consisted of the most personal of thoughts, and given a choice between death and having someone read my diary, I would have chosen death every time.

Blogging on the other hand seems to be more about image than it is about catharsis. Bloggers want their blogs to be read by as many people as possible. Through their writings they want to be appreciated and thought of as witty, intelligent, articulate, deep thinking, etc. Blogs tap into people's desire to be recognised and famous.

Ok so it may be essentially an egotistical pastime but any revolution that encourages people to write and think can't be all bad.