"toysrevil", a commentator on Cowboy Caleb's post on the errant, allegedly-racist PSC scholar wrote briefly on the ideology of blogging.
He/she wrote:
"but the irony being, we bloggers (dare i claim association to that? :p) understand the “idealogy of blogging” (or i’d like to think so) - but say the average reader who doesn’t give two-hoots about blogging might think differently and mayhaps perverse said thoughts and content to their own contention? im not saying “them or us”, but in the end, a snitch/whistlebower is either oblivious to it all or just out for blood. IMHO"
No, toysrevil, I don't dare claim association to being a blogger either. If I get traffic spikes it is only because I stand on the shoulders of giants. Or powerhouses. Whatever.
However, I think I know where you are coming from, toysrevil. I believe I know where Cheng Zan is coming from too. I only started this blog fairly recently. My old blog was primarily a venting-ground for thoughts that needed to see light of day - no matter the cost. Like Cheng Zan, I thought no one would read it.
Boy was I wrong.
I didn't get into trouble because of it - not in the same way and extent Cheng Zan did. But I did piss people off. I learnt from that incident that the minute you put something online, you must be prepared for the consequences. At it's heart, I don't see a blog as any different a medium of communication than, say, an email or a conversation. In fact, I consider blogging to be less private than a conversation or an email. An article I read likened posting words on the Internet to casting ashes into an ocean: you may control the source, but you'll never know where it will end up.
On the Internet, anonymity is a double-edged sword. Would you trust the honour of someone anonymous to protect the secrecy of your innermost thoughts? I didn't think so. It doesn't matter if you're posting anonymously - someone will know who you are. You may not know who that someone is.
In short: blog, have fun, vent, but be prepared to be responsible for everything you write.
Everything.
Technorati Tags: Singapore, Blogging, Privacy
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
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5 comments:
hiyer there Anthony!
had wanted to email ya afters the comments on cowboy's blog but was too stupid to find it heh :p
just my 2cents' worth
a doubleedgedsword it is, for the reality of online blogging lends itself to no privacy whatsoever. i might have myownprivatesite or ya might be surfing or some joe might just put 2+2 together and your personal thoughts and opinions are readily available for the worldwidespiderweb to mindrape and harvest (to put it to an extreme + pls pardon my language) IMHO. and we/i choose it to. be it to purge or share, and yes, for the responsibility rests on our cybershoulders come what may and tho mediahwores we might not all be, in the end - putting words to; be it paper, email and/or online is but the only way we can, then face the music we should.
or ya can always go back and delete the darn post. heh :p
freedom of speech is in the eye of the reader anyways :)
good article btw :)
cheers
p/s: and i is a he. heh
Thanks toysrevil,
I know where you're coming from. It may be professional training but I try to treat everything I write or say as being carved in stone - cos you can remove the words, but you can't wipe people's memories.
"but you can't wipe people's memories." = true that, true that.
by the way, i removed the post prior to mine becoz i couldn't change my bad speelling. heh. just so you know - as long as we're all cool :)
cheers
toysrevil
Definitely cool. :D
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