Blogging has become one of the most potent forces in both the cyber and real community. There is no doubt that blogging empowers people. yes, normal people, rich and pool, you and me, high or low profile, Tony Blair or Tan Beng Kong. For the lonely hearts or the verbally unexpressive pple, blog presents a place for them to express their feeling and let their frenz know about their thinkings. For the socialites, it is a convenient place to keep in touch with friends and to socialise. Imagine that what you writes in a blog can save you the time, the energy and trouble to (e)mail and to keep in touch with every single fren, close or distant, that you've promised to remain in contact with. How convenient that is! Ray mentioned also she might set up a blog to keep her frenz updated abt her life if she goes overseas. For writers-wannabe, or those people who really have their own thoughts and would like to share with others, it is a convenient place too to write about political and social issues, or just to share some newly-composed poems.
Everything in life is a double-edged sword. Blogosphere is also an abyss of lies, slanders, derides, bitching, political rallying, and ignorant and insensitive remarks too. This is because blogging does not only empowers the intellectuals, the enlighteneds, the thinking and sensitive population, it gives ammunition to the vast field of idiots too. Idiots who never think and would always want to share their 2 cents worth to show that they are not idiots. (OK, i could be one of them..) There are blogs that talk entirely about their own lives, and i love to read those also if they happen to be my frens'. But it infuriates me when some pple are impatient to offer their shallow and insensitive views. Sometimes i never know the extent of folly and the measure of bigotry one possess until i read his/her blog. I would go like: how can (s)he say this way? Why would he feel this way..blablabla. For instance I was shocked and deeply hurt when i read a distant fren of mine talked bad of me (with skewed viewpoints). WHy would he have such a skewed view?
There is a big hoo-ha recently about blogging. 3 men are charged for "seditious remarks"as they post racist comments on their blogs. Several JC students face college internal punishment for deriding their teachers in blogs. Sometimes i wonder whether we, or the authority, have gone too far, especially when charging bloggers on the law of sedition(see the definition below). The government must be very imaginitive and innnovative to be able to see the possibility of a brainless racist remark transforming into a catalyst for racial riots or unrest in the country. the gov is only contradicting itself: it simply thinks that our society and our racial relationship are not mature enough to handle one apparently stupid comment, so much for the social cohesion and racial harmony in our country that the gov always boasts about.
se·di·tion 
( P ) Pronunciation Key (s
-d
sh
n)
n. - Conduct or language inciting rebellion against the authority of a state.
- Insurrection; rebellion.
I think we need to consider the motives b4 we take any actions against bloggers. Is it to cause deliberate harm and slander? Is it to cause social unrest? Is it a slip of pen? Or is it mere stupidity and ignorance? Is it a well-planned action? Or is it an act of impulse? On the issue of deriding teachers, RJ student once put a video online about a GP tcher tearing apart a student's script. Of cuz, the student was immediately stopped and punished (i think so...unless RJ is really that liberal). But how big a role did this saga play in influencing the name of RJ? the top students are still sqeezing through the gate of RJ. The only use of the video was probably to be a laughing stock for HC (lucky my horrendous papers are still intact, though flooded with red inks :S). The voice of the unhappy student can be repressed by inhibiting them to blog their complaints. But the sentiment would not die. Worse, the repression will deter the voice of the origins, the thinkers, the intellectuals. It would extinguish the fire of creativity and passion in life for the students. The much-lamented apathy of the younger generation is thus a reflection of the attitude of our society as a whole towards the unconventionals, the rebels, the innovative lots, those who can think and jump out of the box. Thus schools shdnt make a big fuss about students portraying schools in bad light in their blogs. This is not to sanction ignorant and stupid remarks, but to cultivate the culture of thinking, of reflection, of participation in the younger generation. Having a mixture of good and bad comments is better than having no comment at all.
We should allow the blogosphere to self-regulate. The stupid and ignorant remarks would be blasted, while judicious and critical views would be applauded. The intervention of the authority would only be necessary for really seditious comments by crazy people. Most imptly, the authority needs to trust the bloggers to have gd judgement. Only such endowment of, not the lack of, trust would make the blogosphere and forums to be more mature. Only then the society can grow. Imagine, if you can't even have your own say in a virtual world, how safe would you feel to voice out in the real world.
Yes, i acknowledge that there needed to have a firm grip in this society some years ago for it was a young and fragile nation. But i think it is time for the society to have a quantum leap in its openness. not juz bartop dancing and bungee jumpin. but real openness.
In case the authority would like to take actions against me, I am Xombile Fernandez Kadenza, from Papua New Guinea. 24, Queen Street, King City.
