I have just discovered that I am a fool.
Goodness.
This is the stated opinion of one Joseph Rago, who writes a column for the Wall Street Journal.
Bloggers and Blog World were the topic of today’s column, and young Joey apparently holds blogs — and their readers — somewhat in contempt.
I believe the actual quote is:
“The Blog Mob
Written by fools to be read by imbeciles”
I would link to the actual article, but I have come to the conclusion that — since I blog and therefore am a fool — that maybe the Wall Street Journal is a little too high-falutin’ for this poor fool. Thus, no more links and no more subscription.
I find it somewhat incongruous for a professed journalist to be throwing around the title of ‘fool’ so carelessly. There are an estimated fifty million blogs throughout the World Wide Web.
50,000,000 individual sites showing prose, pieces, sonnets, exposes, poetry, string-of-consciousness rants, stories and even some fairly respectable journalism.
Are some blogs foolish? Some people may find certain subjects foolish, while others find the same subject endlessly fascinating — who is to define what exactly a ‘fool’ is?
Yet, here is a journalist, happily tarring all fifty million blogs as the work of ‘fools’.
It must be nice to be so certain of a thing, to be so convinced that fifty million things you’ve not read yet — and shall never read — are ‘foolish’.
All fifty million, hmm?
Goodness.
Now, I don’t claim to be an expert — indeed, according to Mr. Rago I am naught but a fool — but as I read the piece authored by Joey Rago, I am struck by a mental image of the Main Stream Media playing the part of Rome, while the Visigoth bloggers happily scale the city walls.
Like Rome, Joseph Rago and the rest of the Main Stream Media are convinced that non-journalist Visigoth types should remember the glory days of years past — and ignore the current incarnation, which, more often than not, involves partisanship, irrelevance, lies, scandal and corruption.
We should, they pontificate, Trust The Media — because everyone knows that the media back in the Golden Age was noble, pure of heart and had only our Best Interests At Heart.
Mr. Rabo reminds me of a Roman noble, standing in the middle of a sacked and flaming Rome, shouting that the Visigoths are fools and imbeciles for even daring to challenge Rome — while those very same Visigoth bloggers run past him carrying off the household silver and his daughters.
*sigh*
Oh, well. It’s fun to watch.
LawDog
I have just discovered that I am a fool.
And a problem this is?
Mr. Rago needs to be revisiting his classic literature, I think. Then maybe he’d understand that was a compliment he paid you. For like Johnny Pye, I wouldn’t give much for a man that some folks hadn’t thought was a fool in his time.
And so now I’m an embecile for reading this blog. I don’t know whether to be insulted or amused.
mustanger98 on THR
I am sofa king we todd it.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
It is true that this is the Age of the Common Man.
It’s true that we no longer have the gatekeepers of editors and publishers to vet out the lesser writers. Now we all can, if we can figure out how, post our most foolish comments for all to read, even if it’s crap.
But here’s the thing– it’s a free market of ideas. If the writing is appealing, the word gets out. Like a good product on the capitalistic free market, a good blog will succeed widely, if we define success by popular appeal.
But then again, Jerry Springer made the cut of producers and broadcasters, and then has appealed to many of the masses for many years.
Before you cancel your sub… Remember that some of the stuff that ends up in the back page is written by “guest” authors, and in no way may represent the views of the WSJ. Hell, that’s where they put the “Exxon you will obey us” letter by Snowe two weeks ago.
Yep..it does get the goat of some of MSM who now realize that when they lie some blogger is gonna expose them..
And you can bet that if a blogger tries to lie the blogger will be exposed..usually on the same day..
Your analogy is perfect!
But…wait…it can’t be…we’re just fools
Personally, Dawg, I think that a public (and televised) debate is in order here.
Hell, I’d fork out the fee to Pay Per View to get a look at that one. Me and a bunch of beer-soaked blogging fools gathered around the TeeVee like it’s the Super Bowl.
Get ’em, Dawg!
“…I am struck by a mental image of the Main Stream Media playing the part of Rome, while the Visigoth bloggers happily scale the city walls…”
They aren’t aware their empire has fallen, but they are dressed well for the occasion.
Personally, I think that the media is feeling threatened. No more will we hang on to every word, believe every article, hold them in the highest of esteem.
New things are created because someone becomes unhappy with the old. The Media is no different. Blogging is the future.
No more will we need to choose which form of yellow press to be assaulted by, because the internet is a wide open forum of information and ideas for anyone bright enough to do the necessary sifting.
Well said, ‘Dog, as usual. And if you read my Wednesday blog where I say you stole my topic, I will apologise in today’s blog. It was “foolish” to speak so rashly.
Clearly, sir, you are a fool.
You are in good company.
Years ago, I read the observaion (by a famed writer) that the way you become a writer is . . . by writing. You can take all the classes you want. Writers are made by writing, and good writers write what they see.
Your writings are those of someone who writes what he sees.
I would hope that some day I, too, could be as big a fool as you.
It would be an honor.
~~ ArfinGreebly on THR
I wonder how the WSJ bloggers feal about being called fools?
I wonder if Mr. Rago feels the same about his fellow jouralists who blog for the same newspapers they write for?
Personally, I couldn’t care less what he thinks. The day he starts paying my bills, then I’ll actually care. 😉
BTW, Lawdog, you’re one of the best fools out there in blog world, and I say that with utmost respect. 🙂
To blog or not to blog, that is the question. Whether it is nobler to write what fits and suffer the slings & arrows of outraged journalists … or perchance to sleep? Aye, there’s the rub.
;^p
I have said for years that jouranlists, as a breed, are best used as doorstops and moving targets. One of my best friends from college used to say, and I love to quote her, “I find it difficult to place a lot of faith in someone who went to college for four or more years to learn to write at a sixth grade level.”
LawDog, may I {cringe} ask a favor? I’m going to be opening a blog in the next couple of days, and I’d like to “link” you as one of my favorites …………… I’ve NO idea how much traffic I’ll have, so have no idea how much further traffic you may receive …………….. Holly the Goddess made me ask you ……………. 😉
Semper Fi’
Diamond Mair
Diamondmair — of course you may. Matter-of-fact, I’d be honoured if you’d link to my little blog.
http://www.daybydaycartoon.com/2006/12/20/#a003931
Lawdog… the media forgets where they came from… I am sure the Roman Catholic church had the same view when the printing press was developed and the masses began to become literate. This is almost the same thing happening as in those far off medieval days when only the Church and the King had a clue what was going on in the world.
Today’s media is now feeling threatened and will throw any insult to discourage the wave of free speech that threatens to engulf them.
LawDog I haven’t been reading your blog long but I can’t agree with you more a majority of the time. Of course we are from the same state and do the same job…. but I’ve never had to chase a thug in a Santa suit:) Have a good one and keep up the good work.
Gman
South Texas Deputy
LawDog, {eyes cast downward, hands behind back, toe scuffing floor} the link is THERE …………….I don’t know fer-certain-sure how this works now, but if you can’t click-to-it, eMail me & I’ll give you the link ……………
diamond_mair@nctv.com
Semper Fi’
Diamond Mair