Their most perceptive observers paint a picture of journalists working at the Parliamentary Press Galleries as a pack of docile Faust, who make a pact with political masters in order to fulfill professional ambitions. Hollywood suffers, as does parliamentary journalism, from a belief that people are far more interested in the inner workings and machinations of the business than they are. It's common for Hollywood writers to write books that they think will be colossal, and often they're not. Web is in uncharted waters in terms of what the potential political coverage might be. Web, like samizdat literature, is built on rational Absurdity ... Irony of being irrelevant one moment and most relevant the next. Read by media monitoring units, ignored by friends and coworkers. Yet bloggers link stories which even Prime Ministers and Premiers are not in a position to ignore...
Puzzle: It's not exactly true that Bloggers Don't Think For Themselves
Are bloggers barometers of opinions? Are tough talking politicians afraid of real bloggers? Why are bloggers seen by some politicians as tormentors?
Web is becoming a weapon of mass communication and even a place for a colourful political labelling. Like most labels, terms like "left" or "center" are problematic and inaccurate. The problem with words begins with the blogger.
I'm very supportive of people expressing dissenting views. We need bloggers who can generate ideas and links from as many angles as possible. Being out of touch with humanity, however, is another thing.
Whether one leans towards left, right or hangs around the center meaningful linking requires a blogger with time to invest, and also a certain personality. What kind of personality? Well, I suggest a sort of Imrich test: Bloggers who think the childhood story of Stone Soup is silly (or cynical) should probably not start blogs. Bloggers who believe it’s a heartwarming story with worthwhile insights into human nature are probably more likely to be constructive and deliver fruits worth digesting.
Most of us know who those bloggers who fail to be moved by this story really are. They are those who email you off the group discussion list and make fun of others behind their back. They are those who attack the powerless in our society such as single mothers, unemployed people, and always accuse those on the opposite side of the political pendulum of being irrational. They tend to play the blogger not the ball. We also know too well bloggers who grovel to those in the position of real power and who know no shame when it comes to spreading lies about any issue or anyone in the name of the next promotion within their political parties. If you blog in order to impress your Chanel Nine boss, Premier, or Prime Minister, you get find out on the web. We can read you like a book.
· People's Empire Strikes Back [WebAdvantage]
