there may, perhaps, be explanations for all the blank profiles on social networking sites, other than the obvious ones of laziness, lack of imagination, and dishonesty.

it's not always easy to express oneself. there's a cost, and not just in terms of time and effort, or the struggle that it can be for some of us to find the right words. there's an emotional investment. we hang a piece of our souls out there for everyone to see. if it is mocked, rejected, or just ignored, we hurt.

and yet some of us are driven to do it. probably for the same reason we carved our names in our desks at school. probably for the same reason our ancestors drew pictures on the walls of caves. we are driven to tell someone: "i, too, am here. this is what i think. this is what i feel. this is who i am."

fortunately not all of us insist that you agree with us.