The Problem With Blogging. . .

Tumira na naman si Malu Fernandez! This time, "bloggers" ang pinapatutsadahan n'ya!

Let me back track a little. I wasn't really aware of the brouhaha this certain Malu had created last year over her article in People Asia. I remember seeing reports on TV about it before but I didn't pay much attention to it. I really don't know why. Busy-busihan 'ata ako n'un sa sarili kong mundo. (That was around June-Sept 2007.)

When I read her new article, I felt the need to read through the old controversial article. Aba! Sobrang nakakairita nga! If I was into the issue that time, baka isa rin ako sa mga sumumpa sa babaeng 'yun. (Eto na nga't ginagawa ko na ngayon.) Jusme, who does she think she is? Ni hindi ko nga alam kung Pinoy siya o anumang lahi. Dahil kung hindi siya Pinoy, ano ang karapatan niyang lait-laitin ang ating kapwa-Pinoy na nagpapakahirap sa ibang bansa upang kumita ng pera para sa kanilang pamilya rito sa Pinas? At kung Pinoy naman siya, wala pa rin siyang karapatang manglait ng ganun-ganun na lang!

I mean, faults and all, proud akong maging isang Pinoy! Ang panglalait sa kabuuan ng mga Pinoy ay maituturing na rin na panglalait sa aking sarili, hindi ba?

But that is not my point. We can go on and on about our own strengths and weaknesses as Pinoys yet won't resolve anything by it. Besides, ayoko rin naman buhayin pa ang isyung ito na halos mag-iisang taon na rin naman. I was just bringing it up because I feel that her latest article was the result (and sort of her way of retaliation) of the consequences of her previous article. Kahit pa itanggi niyang hindi siya "gumaganti."

"Before I go any further I must stress the point that this is not about my previous issue, but simply the point of view of someone who has been a victim of vicious blogging and blogging as a new communication medium. To those of you who are mass/volume or dense (that’s the physics formula for density to those who are clueless) again, I repeat this is not a reaction toward my past actions."

Her new article was dated March 10, entitled "The problem with blogging. . ." Mostly, she have talked about "anonymous blogging." Those who makes comments or write their opinion under false names or anonymity. With that point, gets ko siya. Sino nga ba naman ang matutuwa na makatanggap ng panglalait mula sa mga taong hindi man lang nagpapakilala or at least brave enough to stand up by their own convictions. I, too, have been a victim of nasty comments. Pero naman! After getting slightly hurt by them, carry na. Hindi naman nila ako kilala personally para personalin ko 'yung sinasabi nila and vice versa.

However, as you read along, you get the feeling na bloggers in general ang pinapasaringan n'ya.

"So let me continue, first of all I believe in the freedom of speech. By all means say what you need to say. Unfortunately for most of the bloggers without advertising you get paid nothing. If in fact you do get paid then hooray for you. But blogging, aside from Perez Hilton and the other big time bloggers (you know who you are) is for me a slacker job or a medium and pastime for lonely people to connect. Unless you’re in bloody Siberia or in a Gulag prison, try stepping outside your comfort zone and turn off the laptop or pc, you just might find some real live people to talk to instead of typing away in cyber space."

Ano ba talaga ang gusto mong sabihin? Maski ako naguguluhan sa tinatakbo ng article. Maski naman 'yung article mo about "From Boracay to Greece" ay malabo rin. Was it about your trip from Boracay to Greece? Your kakikayan? Your pagiging jetsetter? Or your pure hatred towards "simple" Pinoys? Ano pa nga ang ie-expect namin with this one? O siguro, sadyang hindi mo lang talaga alam ang mga pinagsasasabi mo kaya naman incoherent 'yung writing mo.

The problem with you is that you tend to make unnecessary generalizations. Akala mo may dalawang klase lang ng tao sa mundo: Ikaw at ang iba!

OK, I apologize. I don't think that I'm in any position to tell you what you are since I really don't know you. The fact is, hindi mo rin kilala ang mga bloggers for you to say that they are "slackers." Ilang blogs na ba ang mga nabasa mo para isiping walang kwenta ang kanilang mga sinusulat? Just because they are not "journalists" like yourself, doesn't mean that they are not entitled to write. Aminin mo na kasi, masyado kang nasaktan sa mga "anonymous" opinions re what you did before kaya naman nilalahat mo na kaming mga bloggers. (Actually, she did admit being hurt by the hurtful remarks.) Eh sino ba naman ang may kasalanan nu'n kung hindi ikaw rin, di ba?

"I simply detest people who place vicious comments and slanderous statements in blogs yet sign their messages as ‘anonymous.’ If you have something to say, don’t hide behind a false name. It’s just plain cowardice of you to do so. I have more of a deep sense of respect for those—however unpopular or vicious their statements are—who post their views with their real names and make no bones about it. At least they stand for something; I would rather take it from them than the cowards that hide behind false names."

To somehow enlighten you with what blogging is all about, yes, it another way of connecting to people. Masama ba 'yun? I have met a lot of people through my blogs and I can proudly say that they are good people and non-back stabbing ones like you say they are. Some even became my friends and constant text mates. Hindi lang ang pakikipagsosyalan sa mga mapera ang paraan para makipagkaibigan!

Saka isipin mo naman 'yung statement mo. Kung nasa Gulag prison ka, makakapag-blog ka pa ba? Pwede ba ang lap top at PC ru'n?! Baka gusto mo i-restate 'yung part na 'yun.

Suggestion ko sa 'yo, ikaw ang bumaba sa lupa at makisalamuha sa mga totoong tao. Baka magulat ka pa na ang mga amoy Axe ang siyang tutulong sa 'yo kapag lugmok ka na sa putikan.

So ayun! Linawin mo ang mga gusto mong sabihin. Eto't nga't kung anu-anong pambabatikos na naman sa Pinoy ang nilagay mo sa article mo when your topic is about bloggers. Ano ba talaga, ate? Sadya bang matindi ang pagkamuhi mo sa mga Pinoy at talagang nilalahat mo na sila?

"Just a thought to ponder on... Maybe I should start an anonymous blog and really let go... but then again I don’t want to be responsible for World War Three. . ."

O ayan ka naman! Your giving youself too much credit. Hinay-hinay lang. For sure marami na namang ookray sa 'yo. (Read: Bryanboy's post) Be proud kasi napapansin ka. Mas masakit naman kung deadma ang lahat sa mga pinagsasasabi mo, di ba? Come to think of it, siguro nga mas magandang deadmahin ka na lang para matigil ka na. Kakairita ka, eh. Tulad ng mga lamok na kinakamuhian mo sa Boracay, dapat siguro eh isprayan ka namin ng Baygon para matigil na ang pag-iingay mo.