Blogging and the death of decent politics.

or; little brother, coming back for your souls.

from JoeUser Forums
People always worry about Big Brother. They have that image fixed in their minds - the thick, dark mustache, the heavy brow, and the growling visage, overlooking everything. But I'm more and more convinced that a "Big Brother"-style government is a concept that will never have credence in the US, simply because we've been weaned on the idea that a government like that is bad. (Never mind the long conversation we could have about how Huxley's dystopic vision is the frightening future of the US, and we're content to do nothing to stop it.)

But I've come to believe that it's not Big Brother who's the new oppressor - it's Little Brother. It's the viral media, it's the bloggers, it's the world of 24-hour news exposure. It's the fact that no one can say anything in confidence; the fact that there are no closed doors; the sad fact that there is no way to keep skeletons in the closet. And it's not the MSM's fault (even though so many of the blogosphere [I can't believe I just said that word] are content to blame the majority of our current difficulties on them). It's YOUR fault, people.

You wanted this. You demanded that the news come to you in pretty little packages on your damned RSS feeds. You declared your independence from the MSM, while simply becoming a (pointless) part of it yourselves. You uploaded every stupid thing you've ever seen on YouTube so that the world can see it, and ruined your neighbor's reputation in the process.

Rather than helping rein in the terror that is the modern media, you made yourselves willing participants. And then you sit back, typing from your gilded keyboards, declaring your moral superiority from the medias sources that surround you. You somehow think you're different. You somehow think you're special.

You're not.

You're f*ckin' Stone Phillips with an uglier haircut. You're Anne Curry, but not as (surprisingly) hot.

You are part of the machine. Enjoy the grave you've dug yourself, blogosphere (ugh). You are Little Brother - the new bastion of control of society.

You are Barbara Walters.

Aren't you proud?






PS I hate you.
politics
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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
Nice, but don't forget social networking sites as well. Nothing says 'security risk' like a profile where every tagged pic shows another alcoholic fun time.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top

Reply By: SanChoninoPosted: Wednesday, September 26, 2007

when is your birthday? I will be glad to not talk politics for that day. Can we discuss some live baby menus?

Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
SanChonino,

I usually disagree with you on politics but found your article hard to argue with. Very thought provoking and well written.

Good Job
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top

I'm of the opposite mind.  I think that blogs and email have made the world a better place.  The main stream media would never have covered the story of Jena 6 if a man hadn't made a youtube video about it that got emailed instead of stupid jokes for a while.  Why not talk about something that really matters, something substantial than just passing jokes around etc. 

I think big brother is the problem.  Big brother is the one that catches us on video every time we check out at Walmart, use the ATM machine, pass through a red light, pump gasoline etc.  Big brother tracks what DVD's we rent, which brand of tampon we buy, our internet usage.  It's not the bloggers that are following us around with camcorders every minute of the day.  It's not the bloggers watching over our shoulders as we type on the computer. 

And I am NOT baba wawa. 

Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top

PS I hate you.

Oh and you know you love me.  lol

Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top

Everyone (Disclaimer: That is a generalization) thinks that the Internet is magic, and that blogging is some kind of new invention of the wheel.

The reality is no, it is just a new public forum that has the potential to reach more people than standing on a soap box on the corner of a busy street.  The latter of which has been happening since recorded history.

Yes, I blog, so therefore I am might seem to be some novel new creation of a brave new world.  But in reality it is just a cyber soapbox that might (or might not) reach more people.  It is not a new idea, just a new method.  And the jerks that post are no different than the "walking comber" you see on the streets of your city.

YOu can hate all you want, and tilt at that windmill Don, but the truth is you are merely looking at an old razor in the mirror of your medicine cabinet.

Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
YOu can hate all you want, and tilt at that windmill Don,


Gladly. You'd be hard pressed to give me a greater compliment than to refer to me as Quijote.

As for the rest of your response: Thank you for singlehandedly showing us how culturally inept, certifiably obtuse, and amazingly haughty the blogosphere (really ugh) is. To equate the power of the internet with street preaching proves just how deluded you are.

Thanks again for proving my point. Why don't you go have yourself a great day ruining civil discourse elsewhere?
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
The convenience of blogging is what really makes it crap. Any idiot can do it. You can blog annonymously. You can be a horrible writer and still blog. You don't even have to be dressed when you blog. You can do it from the comfort of your own home.

Public speaking, you're out there. People know who you are now. You can be a horrible speaker and get on a soapbox, but a lot of people are afraid of public speaking. You have to get dressed, go out, find a spot that's public but that has people coming by often, you have to pick the right time and place, you have to put EFFORT into spreading your message.

I just post stuff on JoeUser and my message is on a search engine that a whole bunch of people use. It's there forever.

If I go out in public and speak, my message is only there as long as I am. Then, it's gone.

So, while it's a different method, it's also an easier, more permanent method.
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top

As for the rest of your response: Thank you for singlehandedly showing us how culturally inept, certifiably obtuse, and amazingly haughty the blogosphere (really ugh) is. To equate the power of the internet with street preaching proves just how deluded you are.

I am sure you are proficient in Spanish, but you appear to have a comprehension problem with English.  Perhaps you may want to re-read my response and see where I am equating power anywhere.  Or show me how the printed word is so much more radically new today than it was yesterday?

You proved your own point.  I guess you do not like mirrors after all.

Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
where I am equating


Good Lord, you're more obtuse than I previously thought.

But in reality it is just a cyber soapbox that might (or might not) reach more people. It is not a new idea, just a new method.


Meaning - it's the same thing. Meaning - you equated the two.

Meaning - you're stupid.

Please stay off my blog, if you're going to blatantly contradict yourself and say it's somehow my fault.

Consider your ass on the BL. Any more comments from you will be baleeted.
Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
Here, here, well said Braeden: Begin quote[it's Little Brother. It's the viral media, it's the bloggers, it's the world of 24-hour news exposure. It's the fact that no one can say anything in confidence; the fact that there are no closed doors; the sad fact that there is no way to keep skeletons in the closet. And it's not the MSM's fault (even though so many of the blogosphere [I can't believe I just said that word] are content to blame the majority of our current difficulties on them). It's YOUR fault, people.]end quote
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
Hey look now I can do it with a smiley!

Free Smiley Face Courtesy of www.FreeSmileys.org

Sniff, mom would be so proud!
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
The convenience of blogging is what really makes it crap. Any idiot can do it. You can blog annonymously. You can be a horrible writer and still blog. You don't even have to be dressed when you blog. You can do it from the comfort of your own home.


That's also it's strength and beauty. It makes the ideas, not the people, the thing.

Whether you are willing to admit it or not, yours is a very pouty, elitist, undemocratic, paternalistic point of view - suggesting that the ideas and opinions of ordinary citizens are below your contempt while alleging they are gaining the upper hand. I respect people more than that and welcome the chaos of ideas that what you call the blogosphere has fostered.
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
"That's also it's strength and beauty. It makes the ideas, not the people, the thing."

Agreed.

Too bad so many ideas are crap.
Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
Too bad so many ideas are crap.


  That's where your brain comes in. Engaging it is a good thing.  
Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top

I guess I just don't see bloggers as really being powerful at all.  Sure, there are those select few who may be noticed, but when I hear the MSM talking about the "blogosphere" (I had to throw that one in there for you) I just sort of shake my head and laugh.  They are just trying to jump on the bandwagon of popularity.

But as far as importance?  I guess I'm not seeing it.  I suppose it could be some powerful grass-roots sort of thing if there was enough of a concerted effort, but all I ever see (with some very rare exceptions) is the same old tripe spewed about the same old ideas from the same old political parties we have had for years now.

I don't see any new message, just more folks defecating the same shite.  And shite is shite.  It may just take a bit closer of a look for us to realize it.  Blogging ain't special, it ain't really all that powerful. 

Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top
The media would like us to believe they are the only flag-bearer for truth & justice, hence the demonization of the "blogosphere."