When You Blog, the World Blogs With You

Being one of the unintentional perpetrators of the recent lynch-mob style postings on Steve McDermott's blog, I found myself in the unenviable situation of watching a mob tear apart an inflammatory post. I honestly did not know which was worse.

Hence, it was with some relief that I read Cowboy Caleb's wonderful article about the Singapore Blogosphere. The post is an important and timely reminder to Singapore Bloggers.

In particular, I feel for one of the Cowboy's thoughts:

"Our blogs are being taken seriously now. Our blogs are being watched. Bloggers, thy name is Legion. They would cast us out if they could because we cannot be contro[l]led. We can make or break a person, business or idea if we choose to do so. And most of the time we are doing this, even if we’re not aware of what we’re doing."

Further, Shion, a commentator on the Cowboy's post, wrote:

"The nature of the internet , and the beauty of it, is the ANARCHY."

Darned tootin'. I'll go out on a limb and say that the "free-speech" nature of blogging is especially appealing to Singaporeans, as is the "no-holds-barred" nature of the Internet. Blogging is a powerful tool, and indeed, Singaporean bloggers do have the freedom to blog in the manner they choose.

I write this post, however, as an appeal to the good sense of Singaporeans.

Recent events have reminded me of the preferred justice system in an anarchic environment - the lynch mob. Let's face it. CZ got lynch-mobbed. So did McDermott. I can't say they were entirely faultless, but some of the responses I've seen to their postings were really disproportionate to what they deserved. I saw racist comments directed at McDermott - far worse than what CZ wrote and got lynched for. I understand that there's a strong knee-jerk reaction to a particularly inflammatory post. I know because I felt that same knee-jerk reaction when attempting to frame a response to McDermott.

But that's the whole point about having enlightened free choice right? That we don't have to do unto others as they have done to us.

Cowboy Caleb is right. The world is indeed watching our actions, and what we post. However, the world is also watching our reactions, and how graciously we bloggers treat the ungracious.

We can be a gang. Or we can be a gentlemen's club.

It's our choice.

Technorati Tags: Singapore, Blogosphere