Friday 28 August 2015

Blogging, Free Speech, and Reasons to keep your Blog Active



Has the world of blogging ever got you slightly frustrated as you try to encourage a few visitors to stop by and go Oooooooo I might read this from time to time and make the odd chirpy comment? As we all do our best to increase the profile of our blog among the 200 to 300 million other blogs around the world. Well I would be lying if I said that every now and again I do question the point of it all and what I am doing, Lets face it mine is a bit of a quirky blog and of acquired taste, much like myself really. And the world of blogging seems to be rather quiet at present (or it is for me).

I have to say I don’t think I am the only one who has these little moments when I question my reasoning for doing this after all I am not someone who is trying to make an honest crust out of my blog so the incentive of loads of money is not one I am pursuing (much). So should I give it all up and return to the real world full time to make more arty things and give up all this writing into the black voids of cyberspace. . . . . . . .Well NO.

YES the answer is NO and here is why, you see us folk in the decadent West who are moderately well off such as myself (OK it does not always feel like that but the truth is I have a fairly pleasant and chilled life) have the choice to have a blog. We also have the choice to blog about most issues we choose. Yes I think if I was telling you all to up rise and attack sheep with AK47’s and then tell you all how to make a nice bomb several chaps in suits would batter my door down and ask me questions.  You see one of the great paradoxes of free speech is that in order to maintain the values of free speech you need to act against those who are against free speech. They in turn then say they are being suppressed and that our society does not allow free speech because they are not allowed to put forward their views against free speech.  It is all very complex indeed.


In some countries bloggers have died because of their views and in many cases the views they are supporting and blogging about are moderate such as Women’s rights, Equality for all or the right to have a different religious or political views to that of the majority or the state. These bloggers are brave indeed and the minor concerns of some of us in the West that our blog is not as popular as we might have hoped may seem a little trivial to them.  So  I will do my bit for free speech even if its mainly gibberish that almost no one reads or cares about and carry on blogging and point two fingers up at all those who think that only their views are right.  Once you think that only your own views are right then you know for sure that you are wrong, . . . and I know that is right.         

11 comments:

  1. How very well put Rob.
    I have often had the same thoughts about carrying on with my little corner of the internet and your words have resonated with me.

    I don't write for money, I do it to stay out of trouble with the wife (even though she has just told me off for typing too loud...is that even possible???)
    anyway...

    Your words have spoken to me and I will join you quest to fly the flag of free speech, talking gibberish and maybe... just maybe.... solving all the worlds problems (the law of averages state that we will find the answers if we write enough words)...... now, where did I put that infinite amount of monkeys?

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    1. One day I will stop and I probably will slow up a great deal first, but while I can I will try and keep my blog active. As an ordinary if old and grumpy chap from a fairly ordinary working class background who has a quiet middle class lifestyle I need to do my bit and say to all those extremists who see folk like me as evil

      We are all the same and should be equal and treat each other with respect and dignity.

      If folk cant think like that because of their beliefs or their God then I know which one of us will be meeting God one day and asking him . . . . .Well what exactly was that all about then?

      Keep up the good work Mr H

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  2. Hear hear Mr Z. I too have been plagued by doubts as to whether to carry on boring the nation (okay, the 6 that read on a regular basis) or not, but your words have struck a chord. Not sure if it's a C minor or a D. Nonetheless, I shall continue on with my torture of the masses (6) and it will be all your fault.

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    1. Yes sorry about that Miss Lily but what is even worse is that I cant give up myself now for a few days at least until folk forget. Luckily we live in a world where a week in cyberspace is equal to at least three years in the real word.

      One of the problems of cyberspace is it can be hard to work out truth from fiction, when we all know the only real truth in cyberspace is me (AH DAMN that might be a lie)

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    1. If anyone can put a dent or a decade in decadent, it will be you.

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    2. You are very kind Mr ESB, Once I master typing spelling reading and writing I will hit cyberspace like a seagull chasing a bag of fresh chips from the chip shop.

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    3. I think it was Seattle at an outdoor restaurant in autumn of 2009 is where I fed seagulls. So that would be Seagulltle. My son was living near there at that time.

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    4. They are brave beasts when it comes to food,

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  4. So the voluminous series of fart jokes I make are contributing to free speech somehow? Sweet. Because, if I took in the rest of your post, I'd have to come away with the conclusion that what I'm blogging about should be first created with a typewriter then put into a pile to be burned then have a stray dog urinate on the ashes. That's how I feel about my writing, particularly when compared with those who are risking their lives to express themselves.

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    1. Me thinks you are doing yourself an injustice P Von P. You keep doing your bit. . . it is not so much about contributing to free speech. . . As embracing the values that free speech gives us and not taking it for granted.

      And anyway if your blog was just a lot of fart jokes then I would not have it on my little list of blogs I follow. . .

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