pretty much the ’shy poster’s’ mantra right there…
an operative word that could be applied here would be “feart”, i should suppose.

tons of folk on the internet…lots of blogs as well. some more geared to social objectivity than others. totally depends on the individual and the type of blog they have, i think…what they want to do with it.
if you offer up a blog where you want the input of others, their thoughts and ideas…then i think one has to make the blog a welcoming place to get people to post. where objectivity truly comes into play… a lot of open mindedness and patience is involved in that. you mentioned several different ’styles’ of people: “…those that think in picture, those that think in words, those that are shy and those that are loud…”. how cool to have all those different folk come together to discuss something. the neat things that might come to light and evolve out of that. like miss pipkin said up above, “…great ideas spring from great ideas.”
and maybe even great ideas spring from ‘not so great’ ideas, after they have been bounced around a wee bit.

oftentimes it can be difficult to respond to a blog…at least from the ’shy poster’s’ point of view…especially when one feels intimidated by the person. this one is smarter, that one writes down thoughts better, debates better, understands techno better, is a walking encyclopedia in music, etc. when someone responds…no matter how simplistic it might seem to the original blogger…how their input is received will either encourage or discourage them. i should think any poster would prefer not to get barked at, belittled, fired upon or ignored. their next thought is,”why bother…?” along with, “well, i won’t be doing *that* again anytime soon.”. once bitten, twice shy…so to speak.
many times i have wanted to ask a wee question or explanation of someone and backed off cos it sounded too silly…even to me. like, maybe i am the only one on the planet that does not know this thing…? (sometimes we try not to stamp that “eedjit heid” on the forehead too clearly) you can hunt on the net well enough for an answer, yes, but sometimes it’s not the same as having someone that *knows* explain it to you so that you can *see* it…if that makes sense. posting can be a tricky business…it can be really really fun, but it can also be a bit scary and off-putting: should i take this person’s time? what if they think it’s nonsense? can i even maneuver the thought into the post so that it makes sense to other readers?. and once it’s posted in a blog…? it is there…you cannot take it back. that is scary too.

i guess, at the end of the day, i can only give input from my wee point of view…what would get me to come in and post at a blog.
open arms, open mind…and patience, my young padawan.
seems to me, that would work for any person…no matter their “style”.

i agree with you and rb…chatting with someone face to face would probably be preferable, maybe more efficient, to get clear ideas and opinions across.
would i be brave enough for that? *shrugs* maybe not. *grins*

One thing, though…the internets have changes publishing, and it will be a sea change. Legal grey areas will be clarified. Let’s pray that a Disney-style lock-down on transformative works isn’t floating in that sea…

Because I firmly believe that great ideas spring from other great ideas. That’s why.

xx
me