20 Years Ago on FITK

Full of Sap

I am sappy.

I’ll admit it. I cry at hokey movies. I smile at little children. I try not to write mean, scathing posts on my blog. There is plenty enough of that, especially in an election year.

In his recent (Sept 29, 2004) column, Blogged down in Web fantasy, Minneapolis Star-Tribune columnist Nick Coleman trashes bloggers.

Repeatedly.

Indiscriminately.

Now I know that Nick is writing about irresponsible political sites. (The old fashioned word for those people is LIARS). But Nick’s repeated use of the word “bloggers” in a derogatory fashion is mean. It is unfair. It shows how out of touch Nick is with what is a new, still changing phenomenon. Do you want to know what someone in Korea, Iceland, Kenya or Baghdad is thinking? You won’t find it in his newspaper. You won’t find it on television. You could find it in a blog. Sure, most blogs are dumb, mundane and silly. But most bloggers are sincere, and if you can put up with less-than-perfect English, you might actually learn something about other people in the world. The ability to receive the thoughts of ordinary people around the world, almost immediately and exchange ideas with these people is an absolute revolution in human consciousness.

Blogging is far from perfect, but has such potential that it should not be dismissed in such a cavalier fashion. So I will continue to write my hopeful, naive, sappy blog. If I am a fool for this - so be it. Tap me for syrup and serve me on pancakes. But if this world is to ever get any better, it won’t be because of a war of guns, or even a war of words. It will be because people can honestly communicate with each other.

By Professor Batty

2 Comments:

Blogger Comica said…

Hehe, I apologize for the frankness of my own blog, and you don't have to put me back up again if you don't want to, I just found it amusing that you took me off. I am very much a sap also.

P.S. Aren't blogs amazing? They remind me of the infamous Group Hug website, although they're not so anonymous as that. I try to be as bluntly honest as possible merely because I don't want to add fluff. My life isn't rated “G” anymore, so if anyone happens to stumble on my journal, I want them to know everything. Why? Because I’m insane, I suppose.

P.S.S. Your gift for words gives me a little “lift” each day. You’re a master of rhetoric, and I hope to read your journal long after I graduate from college! :)

Blogger Professor Batty said... I knew your innocence was past when you wrote about “needing more quarters” for the kiddie horsey ride. Perhaps your frankness is for the best - I’ll stand back and watch the fireworks. Not in a prurient way, just in awe of the fury of Goddess Unleashed. :-o