There was something about the PostSecret website that I really loved, and I just couldn’t quit looking through the content. There is something so intriguing about seeing these little artifacts, the way they are written, what they are written on, and what they say that reveals so much about somebody, and yet at the same time we have no idea who that person is. It could be your next door neighbor, or someone on the other side of the world. I was boggled by the content because in one way it feels very honest and raw, and in another way it feels almost dishonest. What I mean is, here we are seeing some of people’s deepest and most personal secrets, and yet they are only sharing them with total strangers and in a totally anonymous way. It is such an interesting dynamic to me. Some of the cards I feel like I really identify with, so it makes me want to know more about the person who sent it, and some of them are so personal that I feel better not knowing who actually sent it, as if that would make me a witness and I would be obligated to feel guilt or something. I also really enjoyed listening to the Ted Talk with Frank Warren, the creator of PostSecret. It was interesting to me how quickly his idea spread. In terms of spreadability I think it demonstrates how an idea that really engages people and is meaningful to them can be spread without relying on distribution or other traditional methods.
I had many of the same thoughts about PostSecret. By using the postal service these secrets are completely anonymous and essentially untraceable, unlike any other content on the web. If it wasn’t anonymous and untraceable, I would have deeper ethical concerns about this site.
Thanks for sharing Summer! I thought the same way too. It’s Ironic to see that we identify with some of the secrets but neither one of us wants to share it publicly because we fear the other person might judge us even though they might have done similar staff. Do you think the “Post Secrets” blog should stay the way it is or it could be changed to make it even more spreadable?
Anonymous participation creates a boldness that we too often see in mean and ignorant rants online. Postsecret made the format a creative outlet for expression which in some way forces more thought to go into the piece that is shared. I agree that it was hard to stop scrolling through to see every postcard. I was impressed with the creativity of some of these postcards.