Blogging has become a phenomenon all over the world and rightly so. Everyone wants to feel like they can talk and be heard by any and everyone who would just stop and listen. Blogs give individuals the avenue to vent their opinions, thoughts, concerns and questions. They are able to not only reach, but connect to persons across the country and across the seas. Blogging gives each creator of a blog a space to call their own and a space to relay themselves to the public. As long as someone is willing to listen then bloggers will continue to reach out and relate whatever it is that concerns them.
We can refer to bloggers as citizen journalist, which is someone who does not have professional training in the area of journalism yet their writings are in a sense "published" for the whole world to view, read and comment on. So even though bloggers may not have a degree hanging on their walls saying that they graduated from so and so with a major in so and so, they are still able to write and have others take their work seriously. One such citizen journalist is Yoani Sanchez, a native Cuban who vents about the ills and misgivings of living in a country with unfair government practices and the way she decides to contend with them. Without being disrespectful, though she is considered controversial, Sanchez takes advantage of the "blogosphere" as her avenue to speak to the world of her very own experience living in Cuba on her blog entitled Generacion Y (http://www.desdecuba.com/generaciony). Sanchez has become so popular based on her opinions and experiences alone. Her blog is viewed worldwide and can be read in a slew of different languages. Many persons all over the world are able to get a view of Cuba through the eyes of Sanchez on her terms.
Although these citizen journalist speak the truth, it is always their form of the truth, their slanted view on particular topics. Relying on blogs as a substitute for journalism can have its pitfalls and liabilities. Instead of receiving an objective view on a particular matter (which is very hard to find even in the news) the information is totally subjective, shaped to fit the stance of the blogger. Someone may only get one side to the story and therefore may have a view that is askew on a certain topic. Walking around without the complete truth can be a disadvantage to the follower of the blog. For someone to follow Sanchez exclusively without referencing any other news source for information about Cuba would not be a smart idea. One person's thoughts and ideas on a country's dealings on a whole doesnot fully relate the true sense of being in that country and dealing with every aspect of the country. That experience that would be published on Sanchez' blog is unique to her and her alone. Someone else dealing with similar situations may have different opinions on the matter and so narrowing your view of information be a disadvantage to the reader.
Blogging has been a way for persons living every sort of lifestyle to communicate their lives with the world. It has been the life line for some and a daily job for others. And for some others it may be the only thing that gives them a sense of purpose. With blogging, anything is possible. And though bloggers write to be taken seriously, which they should be, taking into consideration the thoughts and ideas and reports of others always helps to round out one's thoughts on a particular situation.
Until next time,
MM
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