Blogs Are About Passion, But Where Is the Line Between Passion and Pathology?

 

Dear Herculodge,

 

First of all, let me thank you for your thorough, passionate radio reviews, news, updates, etc. Secondly, let me praise your blog’s ability to step back and engage in some self-deprecatory humor. Even you seem to be aware of the absurdity of you and your readers’ radio obsession and I really appreciate your blog’s balance between earnest obsession and irony. 

But more importantly, reading your blog over the last couple of months has raised some questions, not just about your blog specifically, but about blogs in general. 

My first question: Since your blog largely focuses on radio obsession, is it essential that a blog be obsessive? I mean, most blogs seem to have some obsessive focus, be it religion, politics, gadgets, sports, etc. 

My second question: I notice you will give readers “eBay Sightings” in which you recommend a radio and then you turn around and the buy the radio for yourself. Does this not suggest you are simply using your blog to indulge your compulsive radio buying? And if this is the case, is your blog really addressing the facets of the radio world or is it merely a thin veil for you to indulge your compulsions? 

The previous question leads me to my last question: What is the line between a passion for something and an irrational compulsion? In other words, is your blog an authentic exploration of radios or a smokescreen for you to succumb to your radio shopping pathology? 

 

Dear Reader, 

First let me thank you for reading my blog. As someone overcome with the delusion of “finding a voice” through writing but not having the stamina and patience to write book-length manuscripts for the delectation of the publishing world I prefer to use my wind-sprinter’s writing bursts in the blog form. 

Regarding your first question about obsession, unless the blogger has some fire in his belly for his subject his mealy-mouthed blog will forever be lost in the shuffle, so obsession is essential. 

Regarding the Panasonic RF-1600 radio, which I bought after I convinced myself of its value to my radio collection, yes, sometimes in the process of trying to persuade readers to buy a certain radio, I end up persuading myself. I stand guilty as charged. 

Regarding the compulsion to buy radios, yes I do suffer from such a compulsion, which brings me both joy and anxiety. The joy is in the “discovery” of testing a new radio, a geekish hobby of mine. The anxiety is constantly fretting over which part of the house will host which radio. This constant shuffle and decision-making depletes more time and energy than is necessary and seems to be a part of my OCD personality. As I suffer from an anti-social personality, I tend to withdrawal from others and this retreat often causes me to be more obsessive over absurd things. Again, I stand guilty as charged. 

Now regarding your last question about the fine line between passion and irrational compulsion. That line is not an absolute one, but one that wavers back and forth. All an obsessive person can do is workout, get some fresh air, engage in something that gets him “outside himself,” and other such activities that will temper his obsession and perhaps give him a better sense of proportion. 

Reader, while I navigate fine line between passion and compulsive obsession, I wish to report my radio findings to you. That is my mission. Again, thanks for reading.

 

Comments

[Ed]

Reader, I can vouch for Jeff. Having met him several times f-2-f, I can assure you he exaggerates his various self-ascribed neurotic quirks. He is unfailingly sociable and gregarious, so I don't know where he's coming from with the "antisocial" stuff. Maybe he expects that someone with his passion for radios MUST exhibit creepy loner behavior in order to be credible. (Ah, you don't have to live down to the stereotype, Jeff!)
Like Earth in the "Hitch-Hiker's Guide," I would describe Jeff's behavior, and radiophiles in general, as "Mostly harmless."

[jeffrey McMahon]

That reminds me: I need to read the Hitch-Hiker's Guide. I keep forgetting.

[Mike W]

You're a little too hard on yourself, Jeff. After all, they're just radios, not crystal meth or something.

It's the some of the people in your classroom and gym environment that you've written about who could use a little more self-effacing introspection, not you.

[jeffrey McMahon]

Fair point. Compulsive radio shopping probably isn't on any top ten pathology lists like gambling.

[KR]

Jeff, can you please provide a list of your current radio inventory and their locations in your house? I think I need a few more radios and I need some ideas on where to locate them. Of course, my wife would answer that question for me as well.

Thanks.

[jeffrey McMahon]

That's always changing, but here's a few:

Bedroom: BA Horizon Solo
Kitchen: BA Horizon Solo and Sangean PR-D5
Workout Room: Sangean WR-2
Office: BA Horizon Duo and Panasonic RF-888
Living Room: Panasonic RF-3000

This will be changing soon as more radios for review are on the way.

[kr]

where do you keep the redsun 2100? i personally like that radio as far as shortwave reception goes. hey, one of these days i owe you a grundig 960 review as well. need to do it soon, because i'm going to get rid of it...

[jeffrey McMahon]

I put my CSW (based on Redsun 2100) for sale on Amazon. I have too many radios and constantly need to sell old ones to make room for new ones.

[Ed]

I don't think I'd sell anything right now. With the economy crashing, tangible assets will go up in value as the value of the dollar goes down. ( I write this as the Dow is down more than 700 points, the biggest drop in history.)

[jeffrey McMahon]

Thus far no one has bought my for sale radios.

[Tom Welch]

I read yezsterday that imports from Japan were down 50% last month compared to a year ago, the economy is tanking.