Simply put, I am doing this blog because I think writing is beneficial for me. If the writing serves to the readers in some ways, it is great.
Why do I think writing is beneficial for myself?
(a) To think. A business book author asserted, "You are thinking only when you are writing". Do you agree? I liked his assertion. Writing gives shape to fuzzy ideas, and forces me to clarify the idea. In the writing process I realize many aspects of the idea I am trying to write. Writing is choosing, too. I am forced to give reasons why I choose to write it in this way and not the other way.
You can actually quantify how much you are thinking (or not thinking) in your life if you follow this assertion.
(b) "Remember, kids, the only difference between screwing around and science is writing it down" (Adam, Myth Busters). I like the remark too.
In science it's for record keeping. In blog and other things, it's for capturing and keeping ideas. There are many piece of thoughts coming and going. Some of them are, once gone, gone forever. And they may grow some day, if not lost.
Last weekend I had a cold, and was staying in bed. I had many weird dreams. But I don't really remember what they were now. I did not write them down and they are gone.
(c) To know my thought habits. While I write the blog, I learned that my "thinking" is quite intuitive and can jump around to an extent that it may be impossible for others to follow. My ideas and thought process do not always go step-wise like 1-2-3. They can go 1-3-10, Q.E.D. Writing really has helped me to recognize the habit, and has helped me to be able to reorganize the jumping "logic" and write in a more communicative manner.
(d) Training/practicing. If you are involved in regular writing, then casual writing is like athletes lifting weights. There are many occasions for me to write as a scientist. Writing something casually can be good for practice purpose.
Besides, blog writing can be done while relaxing. I may be making grammatical errors here and there. But I have learned not to worry too much. When it is important professional writing, I usually ask an editor to weed out errors, anyway.
Practicing is good. Usually we are at the worst state at the first time or without practice. But if we do not act or practice because of our fear for failure, that will keep us at the worst state forever.
Orwell's thesis was more on his analysis on general writer's motive (or so it seems), then he applied them on himself and identified what kind of writer he was. My reasoning is more on the merit for self, and I am not even sure how broadly applicable my reasoning is. Orwell wins, and I don't mind.
