Seat at the Table

Today’s WSJ column by Joseph Rago on The Blog Mob defines irony and elitism (despite their claims against both).  The column makes some important points.  However, the misses show a lack of thought process and awareness of how people communicate.

The column’s sarcastic but self-defeating opening statemtn points out how blogs are so important that even Mahnoud Ahmadinejad has one.  That’s the point.  Not sarcasm but that the blogging (or just online) phenomenon forces even major leaders to consider directly communicating on an ongoing basis.  It may be propaganda, but for many that is preferable than silence. 

Joseph then goes from self-defeating statements to useless ones by blasting the blogosphere’s sense of self importance.  No doubt a small percentage of the many bloggers suffer that afflication.  No doubt some WSJ staffers suffer the same afflication.  Same goes for people I meet every day on the street.

The column describes bloggers as riding along with Main Stream Media (MSM), producing minimal reportage and instead picking at scraps like remora fish on sharks.  I would say they ride along acting as public ombudsman pointing out when journalists and professional editorialists don’t do their homework and engage in sloppy reporting and analysis (see my next post).

Speaking of MSM, he sees the name MSMs as being unfair and elitist.  Ummm, the first word in the acronym is mainstream.  Meaning it has the broadest appeal possible.  Not very elitist.  For all the ten cent words in this column Rago manages to thrown in (it’s a virtual SAT test) I would think that basic definitions would be noted.

As for bloggers producing minimal reportage, so what?  Some claim to but most claim to provide quick, informal commentary and initiate discussion.   And those that do report sometimes come up with a doozy.  Ask Dan Rather.  I’d think the WSJ editorial page would be happy about that reportage.

Speaking of discussion, Joseph doesn’t like the fact that many bloggers write like a poorly kept diary due to the need to write and publish instantly (much like myself on the road right now - I’m not even spellchecking).  I’m not sure where Joseph has been.  The main point of the blogosphere is to have an ongoing discussion somewhat like a giant, public dinner discussion.  What kind of dinner discussion would take place if, before anyone spoke, they had to properly think through, edit, outline and then formally publish what they would say?  Especially if they needed to use as many big words as Mr. Rago uses.  If that’s what goes on in the Rago household, I would love to see it (seriously, Joe, e-mail me).

I can go on but I feel I’ve made my instant opinion known to anyone (if anyone) cares.  Except I have to point out that it’s incredibly elitist to fill your column with ten cent SAT words just to show how smart you are (I stopped counting at two dozen).  Gee, isn’t that, um, elitist?