I know of someone who blogs because not only he wants to express. He wants to influence others. Some political bloggers think this way. They blog because they want to convince people to think the bloggers’ way of thinking. The political blogger wants to influence the reader in making decisions.
Now, I wonder. The emerging influential blogs of 2007 were recently recognized. Looking at the list of awardees, there is no political blogger among them. What does that say about the state of political blogging in the Philippines? What does that say about the state of the Philippine blogosphere?
I want this post to be a marketplace of ideas regarding this issue. Let’s dissect the reason(s) political blogs fared poorly. Aren’t political blogs influential?
Some bloggers have already made their opinion on this issue (alphabetical order):
Benj: Emerging and Influential: Irrenconcilable?
Mam Janette: Leadership is influence
MLQ3: The forgotten front
Nick: Musa Dimasidsing, Technology, and Apathy
Shari: Some Thoughts About the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs
Yeah, exactly what I thought too. In fact, looking at the nominated blogs would give you an idea that bloggers are generally more into fun-reading blogs than niche blogs. Especially niche blogs that deal with politics and other serious stuff.
Nakalimutan ko na kung kanino ko sinabi na yun nga, it’s surprising that no political blog made it to the Top 10 list. But this is fast becoming a very touchy subject. Influence may vary from one person to another. It just so happens that those who participated in the project are “influenced” by the blogs they nominated.
Top lists. At some point you have to wonder if it has more to do with garnering popularity than influencing others. But as you said, we all blog for different reasons.
We all blog for different reasons, my friend. If you would browse some of the sites included in the Top 10, you will find that a number discusses political events in the Philippines.
Though not all of their posts focus on Philippine politics and various developments in the nation, those that could be classified as such are interesting reads. They may not entirely focus on the Philippine scene, but they do blog about it.
AnitoKid at http://www.anitokid.blogspot.com
I think I should discuss this extensively in my next entry. Personally, I do not blog to influence nor for fame. I blog because I’m advocate. I would like to share my views on certain issues as well as my experiences.
Maybe the blogsphere is not yet ready to accept our kind. Remember, the internet has a younger viewership. Blogs constantly evolve, what we should do is broaden the market of ideas. That way, we can touch all aspects of sociology.
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I’ve been trying my best to be silent on this issue. Even to the point of fellow bloggers and readers thinking that I’ve been the ‘isolationist’ of late since I didn’t blog about this contest or event, up to now.
I suppose it’s from that nature of the Philippine blogosphere that it’s really an open-space. It’s every man and woman for himself coupled with the old cliche “birds of the same feathers, flock together.”
Since there were no concrete and objective criteria used in ‘judging’ the nominees, it was pretty much based on popularity and how many or how much link love (read: nominations) a nominee recieved.
There were also no categories to classify and quantify the blogs. They’re influential in what? I think it was just a grand expression and celebration of ‘personal blogging.’
I’m not saying this as an offense to the whole event and to the winners and organizers, I’m just saying that this is the ‘real state of the philippine blogosphere’ and in agreement to schumey, it’s quite a young blogosphere in terms of audience.
Just like in real life, Pinoys really don’t give much about politics today. Sad really.
The audience just isn’t there yet. Give it another 3-4 generations. Settle for MLQ for now; he’s damn good. His more controversial stances I believe, are intentional. Pimping?
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I won 7th and $100 in the raffle. Honestly, I don’t think I’m either popular or influential.
I’ve accepted a long time ago that not everyone blogs for the same reasons. I was surprised with my win (and even more surprised at the people who nominated me because I didn’t even know that they read my blog).
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