An Anchoress For Stormy Blogging Seas

Public Eye is fortunate enough to count among our audience a number of thoughtful and well-regarded bloggers who engage us in discussion from time to time, none more so than The Anchoress, who has taken to weighing in frequently in response to our "Outside Voices" (she was one of our first contributors, after all).

Last week, she took issue with Sam Freedman's warnings on the value of citizen journalism. Today, it's Jim Geraghty's turn to hear from The Anchoress on his assertion that the blogosphere has taken a couple of steps backwards since Memogate:

I think this does in some way go back to what Sam Freedman was discussing is his column (and my response) - the ongoing question seems to be, are blogs and new media bringing us "new" journalism, or do they simply contribute to an unjoyful noise?

In the "blogosphere" there resides serious people capable of patient and serious investigative work (think Ed Morrissey, Powerline, Brian Maloney, The Radio Equalizer, Michelle Malkin and many others). In my response to Freedman I suggested that bloggers such as these may be the "guardians of the guardians and gatekeepers of the gatekeepers." They bring their formidable skills to bear on news stories and the manner in which those stories are reported, and they may well wear the mantle, "citizen journalist" - although in some cases, they are actually journalists simply working in a disdained medium.

Within that same sphere there also resides - in much more plentiful numbers - the "Relentless Opinionistas" - the sub-set to the more investigative bloggers, who read some news and who sometimes do a little "second string" sort of work discovering a small, tasty morsel from some less-immediate sources, which gets added to the mix. Their speciality, though is highlighting media double-standards and the sly games the press plays with our perceptions, and in banging out their real-time thoughts and suspicions while linking to whatever supports them and (if they are a little fair) also linking to a few differing views.

If the blogs are a reflection of the people writing them - and they are more plentiful and coarser every day - should they be considered a worrisome, reflection of the state of mind of America? Gosh, I hope not. I tremble to think that America is descending into over-caffeinated barking hoards who reactrather than respond to any given situation, and in my heart of hearts, I don't believe they accurately reflect the nation.

The problem with the internet - for many - is that it reduces your part of your world to the forums and blogs in which you hang out - it can create the illusion that the whole world thinks the way you do, except - of course - for the "thems" over on the other side. This is true whether you're fixated on politics or porn or pig-latin - the cyber-congregating of like-minded individuals stirs the imagination and foments a perception of "strength in numbers" which can ultimately delude many. Hence, some right-wingers may well believe there is "no way America will be stupid enough to elect Democrats in '06″ while some left wingers are convinced that there are millions of people who wish to storm the White House and establish a new government, if only someone would lead them.

Jim Geraghty seems to be calling for a bit of blogger-introspection. It's not a bad idea. With power, after all, comes responsibility, and our keyboards and hard-drives are becoming powerful, indeed. Power corrupts, of course. And power used recklessly - well, we don't need any more images of flames and limbs and chard bits of bent or broken metal.