How Blogs Reflect Society

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Mon May 07, 2007 at 09:38:51 AM EST
Tags: (all tags)

Share This: Digg!

Chris Bowers writes a couple of posts that seem to argue against striving for diversity in the progressive blogosphere. Chris writes:

[T]he famous and thoughtful Kid Oakland . . . wrote the following:
Of course we want diversity in the blogosphere. We want the blogs to reflect the party and the nation...not perfectly...but as much as possible.
I have to seriously ask--why? Since when is blogging such an incredibly important public institution, ala our education system, government or business world, that the entire public needs to be represented in it? I'd like to think blogging is that important, but it just isn't.

As Chris himself notes, he has not always been so dismissive of the importance of the progressive blogs, but let's leave that aside. For Chris goes further. Chris argues that striving for diversity in the progressive blogosphere would actually be harmful:

I could not more strongly disagree with Kid Oakland's statement that this is something we would even want. If every individual subset of the larger institution were equally diverse as the institution as a whole, then all of the niches and different functions that each subset fills would be entirely erased. . . .

Come again? Diversity in the progressive blogosphere would erase its function? Wow!

Why in heavens would it do that? Is it Chris' surmise that a non-white male blogger will not focus on the issues the progressive blogosphere focuses on? Because if it is, then I agree with him on that. What I do not agree with is the notion that this would erase the function of the progressive blogosphere. Rather it would enhance it. Chris simply misunderstands one of the purposes for striving for diversity. He writes:

[S]triving for any of the following frankly does not seem either moral or useful to me:
. . . Making certain that the progressive, political blogosphere as a whole looks like America, or even all progressives. . . .
With that said, here is what I believe is important when it comes to diversity in the progressive blogosphere, and in the progressive movement:

. . . Making certain that all groups within the progressive movement--and all American citizens--have equal access to "new media." . . .

Chris seems not to realize that the former helps achieve the latter. This is the central idea behind the diversity ethic. To inspire unrepresented groups and drive to insure access at ALL levels and all areas. Chris would exclude the progressive blogs from the progressive diversity imperative. This strikes me as bizarre. And in many ways, Chris seems not to really believe it. He writes:

Does MyDD need to be diverse in that we reach out to all people who are writing on the same topics on which we focus? Absolutely--we need to include a much more diverse set of progressive voices who also focus on our topic areas. Do blogs like MyDD need to do a better job of reaching out to make certain that happens? Almost certainly--and expect more on this over the next two months. . . .

Why would MYDD do that if it believes striving for diversity is unimportant, even harmful? I do not get it.

I really cannot understand what Chris is trying to do in this post. But I do not like it. In the end it comes down to this succinct thought from a MYDD commenter:

Is diversity a progressive value?

I think it is. And it seems to me that if you accept that, you would strive to see diversity in all areas, including, maybe even especially, the progressive blogosphere.

< Waiting For The Godot Republicans: Boehner Edition | ACLU Files Objections to Real I.D. Regulations >

Legal

Nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice. TalkLeft does not give legal advice.

TalkLeft is not responsible for and often disagrees with material posted in the comments section. Read at your own risk.

How Blogs Reflect Society | 13 comments (13 topical)

Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

They should both wake up (5.00 / 1) (#2)
by Che's Lounge on Mon May 07, 2007 at 10:28:43 AM EST

It's not about diversity. That is so puppies and kittens.

It's about control, and the power that comes with it.

I think you're over-interpreting here (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by cvllelaw on Mon May 07, 2007 at 01:45:11 PM EST

I had some very different reactions to Chris Bowers' statements.

First, it is important for significant social or political organizations to be "diverse," particularly in their memberships. It is not important for insignificant social or political organizations to be "diverse." I interpret Bowers' first comment as saying, "It's not that big a deal, guys. Let's not lose a lot of sleep over whether we need to do something different."

My second reaction is similar. I have a blog. It's one blog. I get a few hundred hits a day, and some people in my part of the world rely on it for news and analysis on Democratic politics and law. I am happy if someone posts on it. I am happy if someone with a different perspective from mine posts on it. But I don't think that there is a social need for me to go asking people who are African-American, or female, or any other demographic group, to please post on my blog. If they do, that's great. If they don't, I'm not going to lose sleep over it and you shouldn't either.

My third reaction is to the sentence:

If every individual subset of the larger institution were equally diverse as the institution as a whole, then all of the niches and different functions that each subset fills would be entirely erased. . . .

What he is saying, in essence, is that there is a world of difference between chunky gazpacho and blended V-8 juice. There can and should be places to go to get a unique viewpoint. When I come to TalkLeft, or to TalkingPointsMemo, I have an expectation about what I am getting. When I go to a blog that is run by a woman whom I know to be African-American, I have an expectation that it may well be different from the views expressed by a suburban yuppie. To use another metaphor (you can tell it's lunch time), the progressive blogosphere is modeled more on a series of stands in a farmer's market than on the "one-stop shopping" of Kroger. If I go to the stand of the guy who sells goat cheese, I don't expect to find tomatoes. But I do expect that tomatoes will be available at the next stand over. And that's OK.

In essence (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by Deconstructionist on Mon May 07, 2007 at 01:58:31 PM EST

The fundamental point is: The other people need to be open to diverse viewpoints and perspectives, but I need only be open to a diverse array of agreement with me.

people who have (none / 0) (#1)
by Miss Devore on Mon May 07, 2007 at 10:28:34 AM EST

higher profile blogs tend to overestimate how much content they can offer on a day to day basis, and end up talking out of thier nether orifices, a lot.

Wow (none / 0) (#11)
by taylormattd on Mon May 07, 2007 at 10:30:53 PM EST

I didn't know you were posting here.


don't be too (none / 0) (#12)
by Miss Devore on Mon May 07, 2007 at 11:05:02 PM EST

crestfallen.


: I just (none / 0) (#13)
by taylormattd on Wed May 09, 2007 at 01:44:12 AM EST

thought you hated BTD, that's all.

"their" (none / 0) (#3)
by Miss Devore on Mon May 07, 2007 at 10:28:57 AM EST

I don't get it either (none / 0) (#4)
by Militarytracy on Mon May 07, 2007 at 10:58:56 AM EST

Ya got me.

consider (none / 0) (#5)
by profmarcus on Mon May 07, 2007 at 01:12:07 PM EST

chris bowers, matt stoller (and very likely others) have given me distinct shudders of elitism on more than one occasion... perhaps i have a thin skin or perhaps i am merely deluded, but, as a blog publisher on a very small scale, i have worked for over two years on a daily basis to keep my blog current and relevant... i have derived miniscule revenue and attract a relatively small population of readers... revenue and readership have never been my primary motivations, but, of course, both would be nice... i went to check out "advertising liberally" to see if i could sign up and was greeted with this statement in the information about requirements to become a member of the liberal blog advertising network...

If you think your website meets these criteria, email me at chris@mydd.com (I'm done sending out invitations--too much of a hassle). If I think your blog meets these criteria, I'll let you in. If I think your blog does not, I will not let you in. If I am unsure, I'll send my thoughts to Markos and Anna, and we will talk it over. If you disagree with my decision, you are welcome to start your own advertising network on Blogads. Anyone can do that. The netroots have generally been defined by do-it-yourself operations, and the Liberal Blog Advertising Network is no different.

chris certainly has every right to define a network that he was a principal force in setting up as he sees fit, but i went away with a clear picture in my head of a nose in the air... that is much the same feeling i have gotten from both his and matt stoller's posts... just sayin'...

And, yes, I DO take it personally

Not on-topic, but very interesting, is (none / 0) (#6)
by oculus on Mon May 07, 2007 at 01:20:25 PM EST

the final column on Sunday of the departing New York Times Public Editor. Amazing efforts by the newspaper to make sure its web product is current with broad coverage, even if at the expense of the regular newspaper.

Sometimes diversity is stupidity. (none / 0) (#7)
by walt on Mon May 07, 2007 at 01:34:58 PM EST

There are hundreds of occasions when a thread seems to be developing a progressive line of thought, with excellent links & reasonable comments, then one of the "diverse" elements hi-jacks the conversation with some off-the-wall line of discussion.

There's nothing interesting about the opinions of conservative trolls at a website titled TalkLeft. If the nature of the site is to seek & encourage such diversity, it's unsuitable to me.

Perhaps a better example: if I'm at a Ford owner's website, I want the comments of a Dodge owner deleted--they are, by definition, stupid, off-topic, useless & disruptive. And they are! Deleted. And blocked.

Diversity is not inherently desirable if it takes a website out of the established context. From the post--"a much more diverse set of progressive voices who also focus on our topic areas." But if not in the topic areas . . . ? That's not diversity, it's just hosting trolls.

How to blogs reflect society? I don't really (none / 0) (#10)
by oculus on Mon May 07, 2007 at 02:30:09 PM EST

think they do, if the question is how broad is the readership, commenting, diary posting, etc. None of my real world friends or acquaintances ever read a blog, much less post to one. A generational thing, I suspect.