BlogTV

Channel NewsAsia has come up with a new programme to capture the wave of blogging that has inundated Singapore's youth. BlogTV is a talkshow which will bring hot topics in the Internet to TV audiences. Much like hunting down blogs to comment on TV.

This follows the setting up of the P65 MPs' blog which was announced in the news 2 days ago. The government is finally starting to see the tsunami, it seems. Unlike traditional media like print and broadcast media, the Internet provides endless opinions in such massive quantities that it is almost impossible to censor. Herein lies the danger. Of course, we know that it's the popular blogs that are dangerous because the larger the audience, the greater the divergence from policy 'truth'.

I took a little tour in the BlogTV site, and found it rather refreshing. The first question they posted ever was whether blogging is a manifestation of our exhibitionistic condition. Unfortunately, I couldn't comment because I use a Mac (Such marginalisation!). Well well, luckily I have a blog to rant to!

In my opinion, yes - blogging is a form of exhibitionism. Why do we blog? Why do I rant and whine?

ONE: It has become easier for one to type on the laptop than to write in a diary.
TWO: We actually want someone out there to read our blog and comment on our lives.
THREE: We desire consensus to our ideas - we want them to be heard - and herein lies the exhibitionism.
FOUR: We want to become famous by bitching like Xiaxue (?)
FIVE: Vent our frustrations!! Like bite off the head of your boss in your blog and photoshop his face with lots of zits and humungous blackheads. (That's really what I do.. though I have no boss. Hmm..)

That is about all I can think of.

I disagree however, that this form of exhibitionism is bad. Personally, blogging is a healthy psychological outlet for stress. Countless rants of wanting to commit suicide actually prevents one from doing so because of the relief it brings. Self-reflection after crises or tragedies bring about greater clarity in life.

To be able to share a facet of your life with others online is a cool thing if nothing else. The fact that we can now write what we think of and have others agree or disagree is a boost to writing confidence. Of course, this is desired but hardly attained. My blog for one, has no one commenting much on what I write, perhaps because I write of nothing of importance. However, think Mr Brown. Blogging has more or less become his career with The Mr Brown Show and he has never looked back. I do many other bloggers injustice by the sheer ignorance of many more blogs out there. But I know so many more out there has blogging as a part of their lives.

What this is, is the coming of a new age of journalism - that of the civilian journalist. Anyone with a camera, with an opinion, with a computer and the Internet can write an article about any subject matter and have readers. The antithesis of established media; the balance for media is born! (-wahh!!!-)

Of course, blogs as a news source can never be fully reliable because of just this nature. Defamation without solid evidence is so easy in a virtual world consisting only of words and often malleable photographs. In this sense, we need to apply our common sense and judgement to sift out the truth from a whole myriad of junk. Conventional news sources would then be the authority and backing for such 'sense'. The more we learn, the less we know it seems. Opinions so often affect people emotionally, and we just have to learn to see things objectively. (Was talking to teckie about this today. Hm.)

It is absurd to fault others for their opinions. But that is what happens in intolerant societies. Are we moving toward tolerance to the extent that blogs will no longer be under close scrutiny for political correctness and absence of racial slurs? I believe the clamps are just coming closer to home. Exposing your biases on the tube? Already we are starting to lose the anonymity which the Internet offers and the diminished responsibility that follows.

Soon enough...