Three things about blog readers that might scare you
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Over the past few days, three very distinct things happened that have very little to do with one another, but have everything to do with you, the blog reader.
First, Brian Kirwin wrote a post about a Planned Parenthood advertisement that appeared in the local paper. Second, a Harris Poll was conducted on the influence of political blogging. And, third, I wrote a post asking you, the readers, what motivates you to actually participate in government beyond petty partisanship.
When taken singularly, each item can and did generate its own discussion; however, this is not a post about the issues themselves, but rather how each post, and the ensuing reactions, painted a very dark picture of blog readers.
When Brian wrote the Planned Parenthood piece, it didn’t really surprise me. We had been talking about the organization and its association with abortion since state Senator Chuck Colgan broke with Democrats and voted for the Cuccinelli amendment on eliminating state funding for PP. For nearly two weeks we, perhaps unfairly, associated Planned Parenthood’s primary function to be an abortion provider and facilitator. Therefore, when Brian said “Never thought I’d see the day when abortions are treated like ‘double coupon’ day at the grocery store” I chuckled and thought it was a good zinger.
Oh, how wrong I was to think it was so innocent.
On this blog, another local blog, and a national blog, arguments were made in favor of the good things Planned Parenthood provides (such as exams for women’s health, contraception, education, etc.), in addition to the small number - 7% - of actual abortions performed (hmm, seven in one-hundred women that come through their door kill a child…interesting to call that number insignificant, but I digress). When actually discussing the issue, the comments were welcome and even instructive. However, it didn’t take long for the comments to turn ugly.
“Neanderthals”, “idiots”, “stupid”, etc. became the words to describe this blog, the post, and the writers here. Sure, I may make blogging look so easy a caveman could do it, but to compare Brian and me to being affiliated with Pat Robertson? You obviously have not read us consistently.
The point is that it got needlessly personal.
A lot of value could have come from a discussion about Planned Parenthood and the need for there to be low-cost, government-funded clinics available in communities that deal with women’s health issues; instead, insults were hurled because the “choice” was made to get angry and attack the person as opposed to discussing the issue.
However, all too often this is the rule, not the exception.
Therefore, who in the world would want to do this? What is the point of day after day writing and sharing information that relates to policy and politics?
According to Harris, there isn’t much point to it at all. Only 4% of their respondents visit a blog daily and only 22% will several times a month. And, most likely you can assume, those folks are going to well-known web sites.
This means that if this information is true, those of you that are actually reading this are WAY in the minority.
So what motivates you to participate in the political process…or even read this blog? Well, I asked you and the response was pretty sad. Of the 400 plus unique users that come here every day, only four people could muster something to say?
This is a political blog, so something has to motivate you besides partisanship, right? Or have we become so jaded that we all really do have a fortress mentality? Has it really become “us” v. “them” (regardless of whether it’s a primary fight or general election) – all the time? Is it really all about what team you’re on – all the time?
One commenter wrote that they were motivated by “the war,” which, I suppose, is fine. But why and what do you do with that motivation? Is it so motivating to you that you speak on it? Do you advocate for or against it? Do you study war and its effects? Do you read books on the policy behind it? In other words, is it your passion to become an expert on it and do something about it?
It was my hope when I asked this question that there would be signs of life out there and that our blogging really wasn’t all about a scorecard between Republicans and Democrats. It was my hope some people out there actually cared about something. But from the barren response, I have to wonder.
Seriously, before you joined “the team”, wasn’t there at least one issue that inspired you?
So, how do all these things relate? Well, it ain’t a pretty picture because of what it says about blog readers: it says that they are willing to get wicked in a heartbeat, are way out of the mainstream of society, and that they care about nothing besides partisanship.
Yikes!
What do you think? Is this the truth? If so, why do you think it’s this bad? Or, is this anecdotal and, for the most part, blog readers really are news and opinion consumers and it’s the “squeaky wheels” that give y’all a bad name?
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Well I think bloggers are just willing to say publically what other statistical groups (whatever they may be) are thinking privately. Of course groups being groups they always fall into the US vs THEM argument at some point and as with any group you are cursed with the perception of your loudest and most often not correct voice.
Most people are so dumbed down by watching TV instead of reading, they lack the basic analytical tools needed to conduct a thoughtful discussion on political issues.
Most Democrats I meet can only parrot what they heard on CNN, while most Republicans say whatever was on the most recent talk radio broadcast.
We who are well informed enough to hold reasonable discussions rarely have time to devote to such endeavors on blogs. We are too engaged in trying to scratch-out a living in this house of cards that we call the American economy, to take valuable time away from trying to make enough money to pay for what will soon be, five dollar a gallon, gasoline.
The tragedy in all of this is that many see their lives as too busy, too much of a hopeless economic struggle, to take time away from the quest for dollars, to invest in discussions about self government.
If things do not change among our citizens, we are assured to be lorded over by multinational corporate controlled puppets, like Bush, from now on. Take a look at our choices for the next President; none advocate Liberty and Justice for all, and none of them will do anything to restore America’s strategic manufacturing base.
As for blogs in general, they have never been anything more than glorified AOL chat rooms, with, for the most part, the same low level of discourse.
I applaud your recent attempts to elevate the discussion, but unfortunately those who should be reading never took the time, while most others who could make helpful contributions, have abandoned these forums in part due to the rancor and lack of substance, while others have simply had to devote more time at work in order to pay the petroleum extortionists, formerly known as petroleum refiners.
JR wrote: One commenter wrote that they were motivated by “the war,” which, I suppose, is fine. But why and what do you do with that motivation? Is it so motivating to you that you speak on it? Do you advocate for or against it? Do you study war and its effects? Do you read books on the policy behind it? In other words, is it your passion to become an expert on it and do something about it?
FYI: those were not your original questions… Readers Digest answer: I’ve been left in the dessert many years ago wondering “why on earth anyone would fight over this dust bowl.” So I work politically and thru donations nationally and locally to get folks elected who may have a bigger impact and ability to change the outcome overseas before one of my young sons have to pound the dunes in some arab country. I have never had a problem killing the right people and I’d do it again…but the problem is finding the bad guy in the sand…
And I believe the internet has become a home for attacks, misrepresentations and most folks are over putting up with it no matter what their views might be. I only come around when I have a few minutes to kill and I get to poke Brian every once in a while.
And that is why blogging is losing its impact in the world…
William,
I am glad that you come here and I am glad you felt strongly enough to comment; however, I think you need to read the original post again…I was pretty specific:
JR: Thanks for clearing that up as I guess I missed your specific points. I believe the war is the #1 issue in or country. But specifically, I try to save lives. I work at every level and attend meetings nearly everyday (national, state and local in VB) to help save the lives of those who call 911. I’ve spoken to hostile and supportive groups, organizations and state and local officials to try to get more ambulances staffed in VB. Frankly, I’m caught a world of crap and been treated as negatively as possible (including death threats and being sued by some groups) for trying to bring change to the EMS system in Virginia Beach. I feel successful even if has taken (and will take) years to accomplish this change. I have to do it no matter what as I can’t stand by as the needs of the injured, sick or scared go unheard. I couldn’t sleep at night or look myself in the mirror if I did nothing and looked the other way.
I don’t care who staffs an ambulance be it career or volunteer but we don’t have enough and somebody has to force the issue. Pressure, facts and professionalism is what brings change to any system. With my military background, I felt I was capable of being successful if I was willing to stand up for what was right. I have and will continue to do what needs to be done on this issue as the citizens deserve it. It is hard but I sleep well at night knowing I’ve done my duty. Passion, focus and determination in every effort leads to success. I work at it everyday…
So how about that for a response? BTW: politics aside, you all have a good range of issues on the site but Brian is somewhat unbalanced in his posts. Brian- I put that in just for you.
You can figure out for yourself what I mean by unbalanced! I’ve got to go… Take care.
I am not sure how I feel about the line, “..blog readers really are news and opinion consumers and it’s the “squeaky wheels” that give y’all a bad name?”
But I digress… I think a lot of people read this and other blogs and do not comment… even when asked to. They are still reading and that is what they like to do. It is not like a lot newspaper readers or TV Viewers write letters or respond (ok, 21 Million do call in tp vote for American Idol… Maybe Jim should be more like Ryan Seacrest).
The point is blogs have never been about being a huge source of information, but strangely they are sometimes the only voice to a story others ignore… and then because of that lone voice, no one can ignore the story.
In years gone by there was normally one Newspaper in each town, the three networks and two cable news networks (Ok, 3 if you count MSNBC, but seriously… can you?) These outlets decided what would be a story and what wouldn’t. Sometime based on agenda but mostly based on time and what is a ratings/subscription grabber.
That has all changed. Now instead of silence or an absence of light being shown on a story because NBC did not want to send a blow-dried reporter and camera crew out, ‘Average Joe/Jane’ shoots it and puts it on You Tube. Instead of a story being ignored because it was too small to report, people write about it on their blog. Instead of people putting pen to ink in order to write a letter to the editor only to find it ignored or edited for space, opinions and responses to stories are posted online by ANY ONE who wants to instantly.
Blogs are not about being read by the masses. They never were. They are about being read by those who are attracted to that particular site by either agreement or feverish debate.
To put it in traditional media terms, think of your TV. Before cable and Satellite TV there were a few choices of where to tune into. Ratings would refer to viewer market shares that equated to a division of viewers in terms of thirds and quarters. That is to say that at any given time, 1/3 or even half of all viewers were tuned into one particular broadcast. Now your TV has hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of channel choices… Sprinkle in On Demand, DVDs and internet browsing and the distribution of viewers is spread thin and wide.
In the case of the blogosphere it is not about hundreds of “channels”, it is about HUNDREDS of thousands, if not millions of channels or blogs. The good news is I’ll bet more people read blogs than watch, for instance, The Hallmark Channel and yet that piece of crap remains in the channel line-up.
The difference is that every once in awhile there a story that would otherwise be ignored. While growing up we were told that one person can make a difference… That when something is wrong, speaking up would help fix it, but for generations this was rarely true because no one would listen, even if they were loud enough to be heard. There was no place to express your self. Today, through the blogosphere and social media (Web 2.0 and the like) not only are peoples’ voiced loud, but they are heard and at the speed of light.
While it may be true that blogs are not read by the masses, more often than not anymore the biggest stories are those that were written or read by those few, but then seen by the masses later. Blogs talk about what is on peoples’ minds NOW. Traditional media reports what WAS being thought.
And every once in awhile a congressional candidate’s violent past is uncovered by a blog, a veteran network reporter is busted for fabricating a story by a blog, a Congressman is exposed by a blog for acting inappropriately with pages and Senators are shown online calling someone ‘Macacca’. These and so many other stories like them were written, filmed, recorded and reported, not by those in the traditional media, but by those who spoke up through New Media, or as I like to call it, the Kitchen Table Newsroom.
In those cases and SO MANY others, the widely read and ‘revered’ traditional media reporter spends the following days reporting on a story that broke on a blog.
Blogging gives me a loud voice to be heard if anyone wants to listen. I will take that over absolutely no voice any day.
THAT is what inspires me to blog. It is fellow bloggers, whether they be of a similar ilk or not, and the readers who look on in mass or in pairs, that remind me that someone is listening… someone is interested in what I think and someone else gives a damn enough to read it.. And although the world of online conversations may occasionally turn nasty, fueled by a sense of protected strength and an invulnerability brought on by the shield of a keyboard far from those whom they attack, it is still free expression. No one said this first amendment stuff was always going to be friendly. The right to speak your mind is at the very heart of freedom and democracy. Free speech is not a principle that only applies to positive, uplifting and cordial conversations. No, the very test of free speech is not when we agree and are smiling, but when we argue both civilly and venomously. What separates us from the under-developed societies is when we do not allow simple words that may offend bring us to blows, to beheadings and to riots. Words are never empowered by those who speak them. They are empowered by those who hear them and chose how it affects them.
Capitulate agreement in spite of ones’ true beliefs or out of a fear that expressing your dissent of an idea might hurt another’s feelings, or even worse, feat that it may result in intimidation, serves only to dig an appropriate, if not ironic, shallow grave for a potentially worthwhile character that never lived a full life.
In the end the blogosphere is indeed the wild west of ideas and you better come prepared to be passionate. If not, I suggest you find a good movie on the Hallmark Channel
THAT is what motivates me.
Sorry for the long comment. It may have been better to be a post that could have a READ MORE break