Question: Are you in blog debt?
Today’s question is very important, as it can define and affect your relations with other people. Do you feel obligated to other people because of what you do on your or other blogs? Are you in blog debt?
Ronald asked me this question recently: is it possible to be in blogging debt the same as in the offline world? I think it is a very important question that many of us think about regularly, in one form or another. You may owe someone online something because of you asking them favors. Sometimes, people may do things for you and may expect you to do something in return, thus forcing you to be in blog debt. To be in a blog debt, your blog can be on its own domain, or you can have your blog through networks like MySpace or Mixi.
5 examples of Blog Debt
Following are a 5 examples of blog debts that you may end up owing others:
- Someone asks you to comment on their blog because they comment on your blog
- Someone asks you to help them with their blog because they helped you with yours
- Someone asks you to guest blog for them because they guest blogged for you
- Someone asks you to look at their content, like proofreading or video editing, because you asked them in the past to help you too
- Someone asks you to promote their blog because they helped you promote yours
So, do you think you are in blog debt? Do you owe someone online something because of asking them favors or for their help?
Please let me know. Thank you for reading. 
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( June 17th, 2007 at 12:49 am )
I owe plugins, designs, comments, posts, and more. I need to declare blog bankruptcy
With Peeve Week 2, I feel like I called in a lot of favors to help the PW2 post get dugg. Maybe I just made myself in more debt?
( June 17th, 2007 at 3:04 am )
I don’t see it like this. If I decide to do something for another blogger, I don’t expect anything in exchange for that. I do it because I choose so. The debt is paid in the moment when you hear a “thank you”.
( June 17th, 2007 at 1:16 pm )
Ronalfy, thanks for the comment. Hmmm, you do owe a lot of things: you owe me money, blog posts, comments, movie tickets, and a lot of others things too, thanks for reminding me.
About digg, well, some people help in order to get help later, confirmed. Other people help in order to hopefully get help later, not confirmed. It also depends on whether or not a person wants help from someone who will ask for help later because of obligation, or who may ask for help later because of the relationship like friendship.
And yes, you are in a lot of more debt, it seems. :p
Simonne, thanks for the comment too. That is a good thing; helping and doing things without expecting something in return. And also, having debts paid with appreciation through words is a good reason for many people to owe people like you something, or in other words, ask you for help.
( June 17th, 2007 at 11:15 pm )
I also wasn’t looking at it - if you did smth for me, I’ll owe you the same back. But I am in a blog debt, slowly paying it off - I owe several guest posts on different blogs, including yours, Bes
I don’t really owe, but I’d like to comment more often on my favourite blogs. I just wish I had more time to do so.
And you, Bes, owe me a big time too - you haven’t showed up on my blog since the last century…
Ronald, don’t even dare filing for blog bankruptcy until you pay off your debts to me
( June 18th, 2007 at 4:07 am )
[...] few days ago, Bes asked on his personal site whether it’s possible to get into blog debt. I’m of the belief that blog debt is self-imposed, but there can be some obligations that [...]
( June 20th, 2007 at 1:38 pm )
Vivien-inspirationbit, you’re funny.
Thanks for the comment.
I also like commenting on favorite blogs. I personally do it voluntarily, so I like to think that no one owes me anything, and that I don’t owe anyone anything, since I want to do it out of interest and genuine care. Of course, if I tell someone I’ll do something for them, then it is kind of an obligation. Commenting wise, I try not to comment on someone’s blog just because they comment on mine, unless I have time and I see a topic where I can add something useful. Some times, I’ll wait a long time before commenting a lot on a blog. I think commenting should be like other things in life; I can break away from it, and I can come back to it.
lol @ Ronald declaring bankruptcy. You can sue him for blog debt, I think.
Also, don’t worry, you don’t owe me anything. 
( June 20th, 2007 at 1:55 pm )
Bes, it’s nice of you to say that I don’t owe you anything, when I actually owe you a post (simply because I did make that promise).
You on the other hand, practically don’t owe me anything… now, theoretically - that’s a different questions
( June 20th, 2007 at 9:33 pm )
I don’t think I’m in debt nor a debtor.
No one has specifically asked me to do those things because of past favors or whatever - as far as I know. When I’m asked to do any one of those things, it’s from a friend, usually, and in friendship - well, none of that back and forth stuff matters. No one’s legalistic about, “well, I did this for you, so you do this for me and we’re even.” We just help one another.
On the other hand, I have asked for a few of those things before, mostly again, of close friends. If I really need an opinion, for example, I may send them a post link and ask for their input. If they chose not to, though, no big deal, we all move on. So, once again, if I ask something of someone, it’s not because I did something for them, but because I value them and their opinion.
( June 20th, 2007 at 9:41 pm )
Hey, I just spent, like, a lot of time on your site. You owe me! LOL
( June 21st, 2007 at 2:25 pm )
Inspirationbit, heh.
Valerie, thanks for the comment. I like that idea: helping each other voluntarily, or as a way to show appreciation. Asking for input or asking someone is all right, as long as it’s not something that is “Expected” just because someone did something unrelated and random.
Yes, you spent a lot of time! I do owe you, even if you don’t spend a lot of time on the site.
( June 29th, 2007 at 10:26 am )
I do certainly owe some people, blog posts, websites, content, articles, and a sleuth of other things.
But overall I don’t feel any weight of “blog debt”.
( June 29th, 2007 at 6:34 pm )
Card Service Sales, thanks for the comment, and thanks for sharing. Can I ask why you think you owe people those things? Is it because they did the same for you? Do you owe people money, or posts and comments?
When you say you “don’t feel any weight“, do you mean you do not feel obligated to give back things that you think you may owe others?
( July 13th, 2007 at 7:05 am )
[...] believe there truly is something called blog debt around the blogosphere. Some of the debt is self-imposed, but some of it is what others [...]
( August 11th, 2008 at 5:03 pm )
i think im in blog debt.. im always asking people for help
-Jessica
( September 16th, 2008 at 12:17 am )
I think that this is something that we all can relate too and thanks for the post.
Well enough of the grandeur, I have been in blog debts all my life. But there are ways that one can come out of it and I think all that one needs is patient and determination.
As it is the virtual world you wont get hit!