How Blogging is changing the World.
October 10th 2006 07:48
Lott the pillar of salt
In December 2002 the Senate Majority Leader of the United States of America fell. No one was sure why. Lott had praised Storm Thurmond, a 100 year old American politician who once said, “"All the laws of Washington and all the bayonets of the Army cannot force the Negro into our homes, our schools, our churches." The mainstream media hardly noticed this and let the comments pass. Not the Bloggers.
The mainstream media was initially blind to his [Lott’s] remarks perhaps because it is used to such comments. But the “blogosphere” – websites of opinion and news, first
known as weblogs – denounced the remarks vigorously, and would not let up, finally
forcing others to take notice.
All this did not make much sense. American’s did not seem to be using blogs in any great numbers, only 4% reported using them regularly. The subscription to individual blogs was not only disproportionately small but still paled into insignificance compared to regular subscriptions to large newspapers. Web blogs seemed to be punching well above their weight. When this occurred before 2002 the number of people earning their living from blogs in America was less than twenty, yes 20. Hasn’t this changed.
The academic literature is unkind to blogging (See Drezner “The Power and Politics of Blogging” Aug 2004) and dyer predictions have been made about certain characteristics of blogging and what they mean for the future of Western Politics. Readers at this site may even notice some of these characteristics. It is worthwhile focusing on one and others of you may venture more. You can say what you like in your blog, you don’t have to back it up but you may be influencing some of your readers more than you think. We know now that the one group who is reading them and being influenced by them is young journalists. In other words you may have more power than you think. Are you using it wisely?
What happened to Lott was the result of blogging on the left of American Politics. What was to happen on the right was even more frightening. When the Dixie Chicks band said they were ashamed that George Bush came from Texas, the comments were spread through blogs like fire through sage brush. Because of blogs and not the mainstream media, people were turning up to heckle their concerts from all over America. Because of bloggers disk jockeys were being fired just for playing their music. The bloggers that attacked the Dixie Chicks frightened the day lights out of America. What happened after this is a salutary lesson we will speak of elsewhere.
In the meantime be careful what you blog. You may have more power than you imagine.
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Comment by Homer Joyce
What's the point of me responding when you've said everything that needed to be said?
Comment by spain01
Juan Carlos
spain again
While your'e about it
Viva l'difference
Fire News Blog
Cities dying of thirst.
Comment by Homer Joyce
(1) academic literature is unkind to blogging
Academics, and post-adademics in the journalistic world are unkind to bloggers, or anyone for that matter who hasn't passed through the academia system, yet has more innate talent than they'll ever acquire from what they call industry. full stop. Academics think that wisdom comes from learning, not from above, wheras there is a huge chasm between knowledge and wisdom. (Too many references to list. Thomas a Kempis comes to mind). Ex ore infantium ...
(2) be careful what you blog. You may have more power than you imagine.
Wise advice. I'm well aware of the power of words. That's why I'm quite flippant and facetious on my blog. Christ was crucified for stating the truth. Doesn't Pontius Pilate respesent all government officals throughout the ages when he asks, 'What is truth?' yet isn't interested in the answer he is given?
Comment by spain01
Juan Carlos
spain again
While your'e about it
Viva l'difference
Fire News Blog
Cities dying of thirst.
Comment by Homer Joyce