Diversity and Responsibility

Here is a post from the past.

One story in the bible is about Demon encountered by Jesus. Also called the Gerasene Demon. The funny thing is the Demon is not actually a Demon but a group a multitude of Demons.

Jesus: What is thy name?
Demon: My name is Legion: for we are many.

We are many. We are many. We are many.

There has been a lot of talk lately of blogs, bloggers and blogging. There has also been a very intense discussion between bloggers about what a blogger should or should not do: From doing this or doing that or even using blogs for a specific purpose or agenda. Ah if only the power of blogging would be used for this and that.

But those who say this seem to fail to grasp the complexity of the blogging community. If they looked around they might just see that this issue has been: addressed or soon will be – given the nature of the medium and the bloggers.

And this is because – Like the biblical demon Legion we are many but we are not all demons. We are human.

We are many and we are different.

There are bloggers who are diarists.
There are bloggers who are tech writers.
There are bloggers who are travel writers.
There are bloggers who are food and beverage writers.
There are bloggers who are chroniclers.
There are bloggers who write about entertainment and pop culture.
There are bloggers who write about Art and Culture.
There are bloggers who make videos and/or podcasts.
There are bloggers who post pictures and sketches.
There are bloggers who are opinion writers.
There are bloggers who write about certain topics and interests.
There are bloggers who get paid to blog.
There are bloggers who do not get paid at all.

We are a very diverse lot. Not only in what we write but how we feel about things about blogging and the world in general.

Some of us believe we are new media.
Some of us believe we are not.
Some of us believe we are a new force to reckon with
Some of us believe we are not.

We are mixed lot. And even the reason for blogging can be diverse:

Some of us do it for the money.
Some of us do it for what we believe is right.
Some of us do it to record or report things that happen.
Some of us do it to point out things.
Some of us do it to fiscalize.
Some of us do it to talk with others.
Some of us do it to please our egos.
Some of us do it for fun.

We are an odd mix of individuals and persons.

Old
Young
Stout
Thin
Choleric
Melancholic
Phlegmatic
Sanguine
Alpha
Beta
Omega

I guess this happened because of this medium – Blogging. A blog or blogging is one of the most simplest form of self publishing available today. In five minutes you can set-up a blog and start publishing.

We are the writers, editors, photographers and publishers of these online publications. And this makes us responsible for the what is contained in our blogs. The degree may differ depending who is allowed to read one’s blog. But for blogs open to the public the legal and ethical responsibility is similar to any publication.

We may disagree on the length and breadth of responsibility and its consequences. It is an individual stand. But a blogger cannot hide nor avoid from this responsibility and its consequences.