Beware the Power of Blog

Over the past few days, two events have erupted on the Right Blogosphere that have demonstrated, amply, the tremendous impact of blogs on and in the real world. Many people may dismiss blogs as part of the virtual world, but, as dedicated players of The World of Warcraft have demonstrated, the virtual and the real worlds intersect significantly.

The first issue had to do with some Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist using sock puppets to defend himself on his own blog as well as on other blogs. Whereas this may not seem to be significant to begin with, it becomes significant when one realizes that the journalist's alter egos, so to speak, appeared necessarily as entities other than the journalist to give the impression that there are people out there who like and support him. We find this deception to be completely untenable. A blogger, Patterico, busted the journalist's antics. The journalist's response was weak, to express it in polite terms. The newspaper put an end to the blog. Surely, this will impact his credibility in the future. Yet it amazes Us with what speed, thoroughness, and skill this was discovered.

The second issue is probably more significant, dealing with the CIA's firing of Mary McCarthy for revealing classified information to the Press. Mainstream media publications have not raised the hue and cry found on the Right Blogosphere, where various trends, associations, coincidences, and links have been found, explored, studied, and expounded upon. For every word the mainstream media publish, the Right Blogosphere has two scathing points to make against McCarthy and those around her. The mainstream media's almost amusing attempts to defend McCarthy have also been thoroughly blown to bits. The facts of this issue and the motives behind the issue are abundantly clear. Obviously the mainstream media will try all they can to mitigate this issue, for the Press has not been uninvolved. The fallout of public rage against McCarthy can easily lead to investigations against the Press. The Press proudly puffed itself up with pride and arrogance over "exposing" The Government's secret prisons. Called a whistleblower, some see her as a heroine. If it turns out that what McCarthy did was quite wrong indeed (and what she did was quite wrong indeed), the Press will be left looking foolish, if not downright despicable.

Beware the Power of the Blogosphere. It can easily bring down the mighty.

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inna naHnu-l-a'lam.