Well, my last diary obviously didn't go over well, but after sleeping on it, I’ve decided to revisit and expand on my thoughts, re the status of political discourse and maneuvering through media, and the role that blogs like this play in shaping the conversation.
So yesterday, I posted a snarky diary about getting a weird Obama game for Christmas. The point of the diary (and the image included) was to point out the ridiculous labels that have been thrown at PBO- some politically specific and some more general, but just as degrading- and how that hyperbole has moved from extremist circles to the mainstream media and on over to the left side of the political spectrum. Now I admit it’s not the best drawing in the world; it doesn’t have the succinct quality that makes a good editorial cartoon effective. There are ‘game pieces’ that I could have included or taken out that could have made my intent much clearer. And even though it is satirical in nature, as a person who actually respects the man and the office, even I was unsure of how far to push it.
The original image on which mine was based
In retrospect, I see that the setup for the "punch line" was not very sharp in its framing, and therefore, the few people who bothered to click on the diary took one glance at it and dismissed me as some Tea Party sympathizer. A bizarre accusation to make for anyone who is familiar with my two-year history of commenting at this site. Then again, when a community continues to be fooled by people posing as something that they are not for the purpose of infiltrating the discourse, I’m not surprised that some are defensive about anything that could be considered controversial.
That being said, the board game theme is also a reflection of the fact that when it comes to media, politics, and money, it is all a game to many people. Ask Beck or Limbaugh about the hate they spew, and they will openly admit that they do it for ratings, for "entertainment" sake. (Too bad their audience isn’t in on the game.) They don’t want to claim responsibility for their lies and distortions, and for what will happen when some nut takes their words to heart and act out against other people. That is where we are today; chaos is embraced and responsibility is ignored. Any time a high profile figure says or does something crazy, they immediately go into "don’t blame me, I’m not a role model" mode. It’s as if everyone has taken the Shakespearean outlook that all the world is a stage, and has mutated it into ‘all the world’s a loud and obnoxious game.' The person who shouts the loudest and says the most outrageous thing is the winner.
And this mentality is now taking over the "netroots," that wing of social and political activism and commentary that was created to be an independent voice emerging from the pack of MSM ditto heads. Have you ever stopped to wonder why after years of being ridiculed, ignored, and completely shut out of the national conversation, that the media is all of a sudden concerned about what bloggers are saying? Here’s a hint: the internet is a great place to find disarray and uncertainty. On the internet, bloggers can cherry-pick the present, reshape the past, and protect themselves inside a virtual world where everything in the world is happening based on what they imagine the world to be, not what it actually is. More often than not, the words and actions placed on the internet ultimately don’t have consequences in their own worlds.
But in the meantime:
Real people are going broke and dying because of lack of health care. Real people are struggling to make ends meet. Real people are working for progress.
To them, this is not a game.
They don’t care about political posturing or TV ratings or web site hits or how many recs a blogger can collect. And yet, the people driving the conversations in the country are most concerned with just that.
Currently, our cable news and online media exist to create and drive narratives. They know that loud, fiery, heavy-handed approach is the best way to grab attention. They know that destruction is much more interesting than construction. Putting fear and anger into the hearts of people who may already be unsure about their future by attempting to turn all who don't agree into dangerous monsters. And now, the formerly independent thinkers and internet entrepreneurs seem to be following suit. After all, there is money and fame to be had, and money and fame can most easily be acquired by playing the game.
That is what is happening right here. The reason why so many people have left Daily Kos, for example, is because they see members (and even some of the site's leaders) gaming the system. More people are skewing their own mission statements in favor of joining the bigger media noise machine. Now, the same types of baseless attacks and dishonest presentations are happening in "our" own ranks and against "our' own allies. We expect it to come from political enemies, in this case, from the "right." But now it is happening everywhere, even on the "left" and in the "center." Everyone is getting loud, but very few are saying anything.
So when I see so-called progressives championing the same all-or-nothing, burn down the village rhetoric that the MSM has picked up from the (formerly) obscure extremists and come to legitimize, then I start to worry. Has everyone lost perspective? Or are they simply giving the public what sells the easiest? When I see the conspiracy-laden insinuations about Manchurian candidates, Trojan horses, and outright political and emotional fraud being repeated on a so-called democratic website, and about a democratic president, then yes, it gives me pause and makes me wonder whether the idea of independent thought on the internet is dying just as it is in the traditional media. It also makes me wonder what kinds of agendas are being set here.
That is why, in the New Year, I probably won’t be contributing to this blog. Nothing personal against DK, but I know that I have to remove myself from places that are ultimately aren't giving me something new and enriching. Despite the excellent commentary that can still be found here, it is now outweighed by the empty accusations and tired rhetoric that seems to dominate the largest conversations here on a daily basis. It isn’t about disagreements or "defenders" versus "critics." It’s about being honest and being serious about what you claim to stand for. I understand that in order to become visible, you sometimes have to play the game. But it looks like some don’t know when to stop playing. And no new graphics scheme or increased social network capabilities is going to change that.
But I think that people here and elsewhere in the independent media have a choice: How will you use your power? Are you going to be a grassroots action-oriented organization that innovatively utilizes the internet, or are you going to take the easy route and let astroturfing corporations or bigger blogs buy you out? Are you really driven by progress, or simply by ego and popularity? Will you do what is easy or what is necessary? Will you yell or will you move?...
There is my $0.02. Take it or leave it. Happy New Year.