Anonymity: bad for bloggers, good for blogger-smearers
But one key state Democratic strategist, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of concern for riling the netroots crowd, warns that such efforts are potentially positive and negative.
Netroots commentary can frequently be intensely personal, even "totally mean and irrational," the strategist said, with some bloggers finding power in their ability "to assassinate political characters online."
"It's amplified by the anonymity, and it can be scary that it's so irresponsible," the insider said. "And it's pulling the mainstream media in that direction."
There you have it: Anonymity supposedly amplifies the "totally mean and irrational" parts of the blogosphere. But this reporter (one Carla Marinucci) is willing to grant this "key state Democratic strategist" anonymity so that this strategist can...launch a "mean and irrational" smear against bloggers in general.
This has been a general refrain of the mainstream media and political pundits: Demanding that bloggers be held to standards that they themselves do not adhere to. We are not impressed.
Comments
And Singapore had admitted to using anonymous pro-government surfers to "balance out the views on the blogosphere" a little recently.
Hilarity ensues.
I think in this age of communication, all "information priesthoods" are in big trouble. In this category I include pundits, real estate agents, stock brokers, and anyone else who bases their living on having access to "special" information.
The dichotomy between MSM and blogging is a lot worse in Singapore where the press is controlled and the equivalent of the 1st amendment being virtually non-existant.