Not All Blogs Are Created Equal
Over the past year, there had been lots of arguments over at the blogosphere. Arguments made by and against bloggers and commenters. Bloggers against bloggers. From issues as lame as a grammatical error to as grand as cleaning up the entire blogosphere.
Personally, I always believe in the constructive nature of arguments. It’s like adding salt and pepper to get that bland flavor a little more taste. It’s a simple science experiment where you let your thesis clash with an anti-thesis to get your synthesis. After all, at the end of an argument lies a more solid foundation for a new and better idea.
At least that was the supposed initial output.
We all blog for very different reasons.
Some bloggers have very simple reasons for doing it. They are just here to kill time and boredom. They expect a psychological release of whatever is bothering their life, their job, or probably the lack of those. They probably just wanted to learn new things, and don’t mind making friends along the way.
Some bloggers are here to make some money.
But then again, what’s wrong with making a living? I don’t see anything wrong with a blogger writing a paid post. It’s the same way as a broadsheet printing a paid ad or posting an article produced from a press release. Making money through blogging is a lot more decent than raiding the public coffers.
Some people blog because of their inner sense to propagate their own political agenda. Some are merely opinionated airheads, pretending to know issues with utter disregard for proven facts, and some are real experts trying to disprove a common myth that had over the years been accepted as fact.
Mark Twain is often misquoted as saying… “The trouble with most folks isn’t their ignorance. It’s knowing so many things that ain’t so.” This is very funny because, the quote itself wasn’t Twain’s. It was from a humorist who tried to show the irony of it.
We all have our own biases. As I have argued a lot over the years, however way we try to be balanced on our writing, we can always be swayed by our own political inclination based on our place on the social spectrum. Our own personal experiences make us more vulnerable to these.
And in the absence of a set of blogging standards or governing rules to implement such, we will all rant about stuff that we personally found offensive and rave about those things that we truly like.
Still, even when I was still writing for a national broadsheet, I always mock the Code of Ethics of Journalism. Not because it is wrong, but because it is not being followed. And I puke at those people who pledge at it and do otherwise. It is like doing the Panatang Makabayan and then spit at the Philippine flag afterwards.
I cringe at the hypocrisy of it all.
At the end of the day, blogging is all about freedom. It is about our freedom to say what we want to say without fear of persecution. It is our inherent right. But like most political rights, the exercise of it comes with a price. Responsibility.
We cannot fabricate things and slander just anybody we personally didn’t like. Yes, we could always call Bush an ass, but we cannot say that your neighbor Mr. Grumpy killed somebody unless you personally witnessed it or he was convicted of it.
While we have the right to say anything we want, some people beside ourselves have their own right too. You have to remember that the world is not always about you.
Arguments and debates are essentially good. But when it had been dragged on for too long that it had become a pissing contest and a contest of who has the bigger dick, it is just an exercise in futility. A total waste of energy.
We all are different. We blog for very different reasons. We can look at the very same picture and analyze it quite differently. In this sense, we as bloggers, and all our blogs, are not created equal.
We are all brought here not by intent, nor by common political ground. But by one thing alone…. our desire to connect.
Otherwise, why the hell publish it?
Tagged as blogging, blogosphere, hypocrisy + Categorized as politics of thought, web development
“This emerging habit of tweet and hide, or hit and delete (without clear disclosure in the blog post itself), erodes blogging credibility.”
Link: http://manuelviloria.blogspot.com/2009/01/credibility-in-blogging.html
“Writers – bloggers included – most especially those who count as shapers of opinion, should be held to higher standards.”
Link: http://smoketalk.wordpress.com/2009/01/12/its-your-blog/
We’re not there yet. And as time goes, standards kept changing. Don’t blink; you got to keep up with the pace because it could be more like “whose standards?”
But the big question to me is – where is journalism headed?
reyna elena’s last blog post..Life in the big city called Manila
brother: pakiayos nang link na nilagay ko dun sa statement. di ko makita. na-engkanto. hahaha! (na-mamartsa! with the music!) hahaha!
reyna elena’s last blog post..Life in the big city called Manila
na engkanto nga. eto at di rin makita yung link pala. itim din pala kulay ng link. heheheh. teka muna, ayusin ko pa ulit.
where is journalism headed? medyo mahirap sagutin yan reynz. depende yan kung saan patungo yung mass consciousness as a whole.
sa ngayon, the media is still the shaper of public opinion. kaya nitong i-sway ang public policy, ganun to katindi.
but we have to remember, the big media is still, first and foremost, a business enterprise.
to answer your question, i had to write an article about it sa haba. heheheh.
Hi, Buraot!
I actually read the entire article (which I rarely do because too many bloggers write their stuff thinking everyone and anyone has the time and appetite to read through an entry stuffed with too many inanities — endless, in fact). While reading it, I thought I should say that at least, with the mushrooming of blogs — and some are indeed blessed with incredible popularity — we now have a potent force that gives people an opportunity to look at issues from myriad viewpoints. We no longer have to depend on mainstream media to quench our thirst for news, information and opinion on matters that we deem relevant to our lives.
You’ve got really cool place here, Buraot. Even the soundtrack is awesome.
Cheers
PinoyXfat’s last blog post..Someone withdrew money from my account
hey pinoyxpat,
true. bloggers are increasingly becoming a force. i think we still haven’t seen its maximum potential.
it’s like giving the power back to the people.
but sempre, lahat ng bagay naman me downside. one of it is that too many bloggers are in a way not familiar with the responsibility of becoming citezen journalists of sort.
agree.each blog/blogger has a different perspective and reasons for blogging. i guess respect and accountability are keys here.
P.S. so this is your english blog, buraot? cool!:)
edelweiza’s last blog post..The Town of Peñaranda | A Day Trip to my Native Town
true. many in the blogosphere need to disabuse themselves of the notion that having space on the Net is as simple as grabbing the microphone and playing Mike Enriquez on the Net without the benefit of knowledge on the principles of journalism. of course, mainstream media in the philippine cannot claim total adherence to these principles, either, but if citizen journalism is to be the answer to what mainstream media fails to maintain, then at least citizen journalists better show a more reputable record. thing is, lahat tira lang ng tira.
PinoyXfat’s last blog post..Someone withdrew money from my account
“But like most political rights, the exercise of it comes with a price. Responsibility.”
very well said. Ilang beses ko binasa ito and I was actually chewing every sentence of it kasi yung iba tama talaga sa akin sapol. LOL (Im speaking of my own experience in blogging and the things that I learned from it over the years).
simply put it, no matter how we try to become journalist, let’s face the fact that we are not. Yun ang totoo.
Yet the auto-responsibility is the same for each and everyone of us. Not all movements are worth joining and not all controversial issues are worth meddling with because people involved most of the time are not celebrities. They are humans too. nagkataon lang issue sya, pero at the end of the day, the people who are involved also sleeps and pee in the same way as we do.
Sometimes bloggers should have a heart. Peaking on the other side of the story and putting their feet at the concerned shoes’ before jumping on the gun then later recant. The damage has been done already. Kahit burahin pa eh nabasa na ng marami.
always, Responsibility
bluepanjeet’s last blog post..I dont understand youtube users
@ edelweiza: yep. but even before this, i already have 2 english blogs pero operating on a free domain. ngayon lang me kumuha ulit ng sariling domain at hosting aside from kulapo.
@pinoyxpat: true. kaya lang nga, sa dami ng mga nagsulputang mga sites that offer free place to blog, di maiiwasang lahat magbigay ng kanya kanyang opinyon. yun nga, sakto, tira lang ng tira.
@bluepanjeet: honga tol. tingin ko sa ganun ko lang ilalagay. responsibility. sa ating sinasabi, sa ating actions.
mukhang masarap ang usapan dito a. pasingit pa ulit.
@bluepanjeet:
“the damage has been done already.” ang problema pa sa iresponsibleng pag-arteng citizen journalist, e marami kinakalimutan ang prinsipyo na di dapat i-subject to public trial ang isang nagkasala liban na lamang kung ang “may sala” e siguro presidente o di kaya sobrang dokumentado ang isang krimen.
tama ka. citizen bloggers need to look at the other side of the coin. that’s among basic of things being taught in journalism schools. kung tutuusin di natin kelangan mag-journalism school to be aware of this principle of fairness.
@buraot:
i don’t think some bloggers mean to express their opinion on hot topics of the day, lalo na pag me kinalaman sa pilipinas — politics, most particularly. gusto lang nila sumikat. tipong the more reckless they write, the more likely they are to drive traffic to their sites.
and i can name a number of pinoy bloggers who do this. BUT i don’t want to be reckless and drive traffic to my space by doing so.
paabot nga ng mani. hik
We all have different issues and reasons in blogging and i have to agree with Bluep. Blogging is not all about writing dapat responsible writing.
Ambo’s last blog post..Twitter : A Powerful Social Networking Tool
kunsabagay pinoyxpat, yung iba, hard hitting kuno. nagpapasikat lang nga. you could always read between the lines yung mga tira lang ng tira ng wala namang sense. madalas pa nga, puro “high-polluting” words ang ipupuno sa mga articles kaya di agad napapansin na wala namang point yung mga pinagsasasabi.
kumbaga para lang nakiki-attend ng rally na puro motherhood statements lang ang sinasabi.
srap ng beer.
tama ka ambo: dapat laging kahit papano, at least me intent to be responsible sa pagsusulat.
hik!
ang gara talaga ng design tol. at salamat sa pag-introduce ng entrecard na yan. feeling ko marunong na akong sa mga hinayupak na widgets na yan.
pero kainggit naman, dami mong readers. ako ni nanay ko ayaw yata basahin blog ko. Lol! sabagay, enjoy at malaman ang usapan dito sa beerhouse mo.
oks tol. pasasaan bat dadami din ang traffic sa site mo. konti pa nga bisita ko compare sa mga sikat na bloggers na anjan.
yan si ambo, lakas ng raket nyan. hehehehe.
Do you outsource your graphic work for your website? I like them and would be interested in knowing who did yours!
I totally agree with you, I think too that
the essence of the blogging is our desire to connect. Consequently, as a saying goes, comments are the blood of the blogging – and the blood sustains the life.
We all blog for different reasons, yet while blogging , all we are learning the same lesson – we are learning to listen to other and so to hear ourselves by recognizing oneself in other.
I am happy to share with you all I have the best and welcome you to my blog. I hope you will browse my archives and have a good time with my pictures. I too will enjoy your comments and the joy will be the mutual.
Tomas’s last blog post..what next
thanks Tomas, you do have a nice blog with a nice niche to go along with. more than current events and personal opinions, blogging is full of artists like you. and i thank people like you for continuing to blog about your passions.
i welcome you to y blog as well.
wow
az in ganito pala naman talaga sa blogosperyo eh… kaya kahit walang laman ang utak ko bukod sa dugong dumadaloy dito eh ngba blog din ako 
hahaha
zoan´s last blog ..I Am Buraot – The Review
marami din kasi ang nag-aaway away. hehehe.
ahahaha may awayan talaga napansin ko nga
kagabi lang.. kasi may new post yung kakilala ko, about mo and barrio siete.. so, ano na nangyari? di ako updated.. LOLZ
weheheh. saan? link naman. marami lang kasi naaasar kay reynz. pero sa totoo lang, prangka lang naman si reynz. wankuba bat sila nagagalit.
sige send ko yung link.. mahanap nga.. hahaha
zoan´s last blog ..Home Buddies Review
ito yun : http://pinoyteens.net/taking-on-alexa-stats/4625/ – - kaso mukhang nawla
zoan´s last blog ..Home Buddies Review
http://me.pinoyteens.net/2010/02/alexa-stats-clarification/ –> here
check it out.. but please don’t get mad.. he’s my friend… eheheh
zoan´s last blog ..Home Buddies Review
hi zoan. i’m not mad. there’s nothing wrong with the article. except of course that he’s trying to make sali in an issue he does not really know kung saan nag-umpisa. it’s a bad habit of taking sides simply bec. you the other person and you don’t know the other.
the best thing to do id keep quiet, or if you really wanted to say your piece, have it researched first.
the issue here is about Barrio Siete expressing displeasure on the blog forum Dona Victorina which used to be a good blog, I was a fan myself. but now the site had become a PR (public relations) arm of Mike Defensor.
We didn’t know why nakisawsaw si Mo Twister eh wala naman sya sa eksena, tapos binanatan agad ang Barrio. knowing Mo for being trying to be himself, that is annoying and mahilig mag start ng controversy, it’s not a surprise.
ngayon yung friend mo is somehow ganun din. wahahahh! pero oks lang. sana alam nya pinag-umpisahan. by the way, yung graph nya dun? mali. baka ibang site ang ginamit nya for the graph. we can check alexa again.
hahaha sige masabihan nga.. kaya nga ako eh nagtanong talaga kasi wala naman akong kaalam-alam
bago lang kasi ako sa blogging 
tsaka hindi ako makikisawsaw kasi wala ngang page rank blog site ko.. ahahaha 
but then again atleast klaro na 