In recent days, so many questions
have been raised concerning blogging in general and bloggers or the blogging
community in particular; its place in effecting the basic tenets of peoples'
interaction, information sharing and communication; whether government intervention is
needed to regulate it and whether the State must hunt, uproot – and punish -
the bad guys hiding under its wings.
This debate deserves
attention. It has come at a time when Internet connectivity is making inroads
and more and more people are finding refuge in it to vent their thoughts and to
share and make their contributions towards national development (and/or
destruction).
However, the case is not
uniform across the board. There are those who feel the blogging community has
gone too far, 'trespassing into individual freedoms', propagating hatred and
animosity, arrogating to itself the role of a care-free citizen who goes around
shouting and poking his fingers into people’s eyes.
For this group, blogging
is a dangerous tool and hence the calls for the State to deploy - as a matter
of urgency - all its machinery to contain it before it runs amok and cause more
harm than good.
On the other hand, there
are those who believe there is more to lose if wholesale condemnation of the
blogging community will take root and be the modus operandi of
authorities and government functionaries.
Looking at both ends,
one may not fail to note some mind-piercing observations which, unfortunately,
have taken center-stage and continue shaping the trajectory of this debate.
One; there is a clear
misunderstanding of the true meaning of blogging, its genesis, development,
evolution and why it is part and parcel of us – first, as human beings and
secondly, as members of the much hyped international democratic community.
Two; if blogging is part
of mainstream journalism or the other way round. Or, if they are one and the
same. And if journalists have their regulatory mechanisms, should the same
apply to bloggers?
Three; if regulation is
key to stemming the 'waywardness of blogging' and how this will be
effected.
Let’s delve into these
myths in order to understand where we came from and where we are headed to.
Blogging simply means
speaking. It is no different from village talks, kamukunjis, street gossips,
matatu debates, after-church meditations et al. It has been with us since
time immemorial. The only deviation - and which I think is the cause of
the confusion we witness - is that it is no longer propagated by word of mouth.
Its reach is beyond the village, street or church. It goes far and wide.
In fact, it has assumed
a different look. It is faceless in that the 'only' link between 'speakers' is
not their physical looks or closeness but the shared interests they have. The
line in between is the Internet. Nothing else.
The problem, for
those calling for an all-out-war against blogging is nothing else other than
the fear of numbers that characterises the blogging community. This invisible
power is a threat to their influence, control and manipulation.
Another blackspot:
blogging is not journalism and journalism is not blogging. They are never - and
will never - be the same. A blogger is a free-thinker. He is a member of an
‘invisible’ crowd.
A blogger is inseparable
from the 'debater' on the street. He is just a street debater with a gadget in
the pocket. A blogger does not essentially need journalistic skills to operate.
All one needs is the power to think and to express his mind.
A journalist has no mind
of his own. He is a link between 1) the source of the information he is sent to
look for and gather and 2) his employer. He must undergo some formal training
to be regarded as such.
Journalism is premised
on imparting verifiable facts to the general audience through mass medium.
Blogging on the other hand, focuses on narrow subject matter of interest to a
select but circumscribed niche.
This, clearly, puts them
in two different worlds. So to subject the two to the same regulations
smacks of total ignorance.
Blogging has obviously
broadened the marketplace of ideas by making it possible for more peoples'
voices to enter the (public) discourse. Politically speaking, blogging is a
step along the road to becoming a true democracy. To employ some heavy-handed
approach to it is to negate democracy and the centrality of peoples'
participation. It runs deep to the roots of a just and open society. It is not
only a threat to the blogging community, but to the cheering squad too. It must
be condemned and stopped by all.
This brings us to the
heart of our discussion. The soundest foundation of peace and prosperity for
any nation is not the calmness and silence of its citizens. It is the ability
of the masses to share their thoughts, feelings and experiences without fear of
victimization or government heavy-handedness (that word again!).
The shortest route to
kill the soul of a nation is to police the thoughts of its citizens. And
blogging is an antithesis of this. It is a platform for citizen to citizen
dialogue and/or citizen to government exchanges.
For the spoilt apples
masquerading as bloggers, it is time they ought to learn to police themselves.
Look, there is no absolute freedom. Remember there are bad guys on the other
side too. They are just looking for that small crack to justify their slaps and
boots.
Be careful. Blogging is
here to stay – and progress.
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