October 7, 2005

man. do not let me be that type of writer

Posted by dogpossum on October 7, 2005 7:32 PM in the category academia

I have recently read ths article and I have some issues with it.
Having read the blog entry to which the article referrs, and having read that bloggers' site for a while, I suspect the article's author has gotten hold of the wrong end of the stick.
Not one to pull my punches, I've no trouble with public scuffling. in fact, i quite like it. most of the time. the age article, however, seems misinformed. the blogger - who i don't actually know in person (though i think we've met), but who's blog i read and who i've 'spoken' to online in blog comments and other discussions, is one of the least confrontational and least stroppy bloggers i know. the article's author is kind of, well, wrong in the things she's read. down with her. up with everyone else.

to return to the age's article.
that piece is fairly sorry-arse in content and thought. i've only read through it once or twice (quickly) and am writing this entry quickly (i want to return to this topic, though), but i was struck by this bit: the article's author apparently sees the rise of blogging as part of the

democratisation of debate

i sigh.
i shake my head.
really: are we still buying that old line? i mean, really, who's believed that the internet and blogging is in any way a demonstration of democracy?
sheesh.
the 'internet' ... wait, ... the Internet ... is hardly a democratic place, with all voices of all citizens present in any type of equitable discourse. it's the territory of white middle class kids. and most of those are blokes.

i want to mention that i read that age article online.
i want to talk about journalism and blogging and blogging as 'journalism'.
i want to talk about public and private talk (and the bullshit myth that the two were ever different animals).
i have so much more to say about this article, but i have to go to a party and i don't want to go cranky. plus i have a new dress to go try on. priorities.

but if the slandered blogger is reading this, please: ignore that rubbishy article. it's a bundle of crap. and the clearest case of bullying i've read in a while.

Posted by dogpossum on October 7, 2005 7:32 PM in the category academia