Current trends show that many write about a broad range of public issues to express their dissent. Whenever major events or crises occur such as in the Teoh Beng Hock inquest, readers can invariably turn to blogs and online news portals for the latest information and more importantly, critical commentaries which are virtually absent in MSM.
Fully aware of the expectations of their audience, activist-bloggers have to keep abreast with their critical comments and observations. Blogosphere culture requires bloggers to write for their audience with specific objectives in mind. Online activism hardly happens out of the blue, but has found a social basis, especially in Malaysia, because of the structural flaws in society. Furthermore, online activism has succeeded in sustaining its power because it fills the void that has been created by the failure of mass media to play its role in society.
After blogging for 17 months, I realize that in democratic societies, despite whatever rights we may pretend we have, many people do not have an opinion about major issues such as the "non-attitudes" problem - as addressed in my earlier posts on political ambivalence. Judging from the messages in both mainstream and online websites, the different styles of framing of questions can solicit and mould public opinion.
Such a situation certainly raises questions about the ability and competence of ordinary citizens to play the expected roles in a democratic society. Recently, if not for Tweeter and global cable networks, protests in Iran would not have become so widely known and influential. In the same vein, online protests about the “Green Dam” software in China gained momentum when even some official media stories questioned the policy. All this goes to show that we cannot underestimate the pervasive power of the Internet.
Conversely, we can also argue that the constant updates of news feeds from tweets, blogs and facebook have fuelled news reporting in online mass media. The fact is, web power has become an integral part of mainstream media power. From my observations, it appears that the “old” and “new” media are converging and, whether we like it or not, the variety of media channels has vital connections, each of which enhances and strengthens the links in the chain.
From my observation and experience, internet activists depend on two factors that exist in a symbiotic relationship - size and rhetoric. When we want to gain attention from the masses, we gather in large crowds for demonstrations. Well, we don't really have to do so as much as in the past now because through the internet, if one can generate large volumes of traffic, one would be able to wield and to show web power such as seen in Malaysia Today, Malaysiakini and the more popular socio-political blogs! For instance, during election campaigns, we see candidates trying their best to attract and to sway crowds in ceramahs (gatherings). Similarly, when a blogger like me rants passionately in cyberspace, we can engage readers and expand participation via comments or forums and in this simple but effective way, raise awareness and mobilize people power in the right direction. And that is exactly what I am trying to do in my blog.
Regular blog readers would know that I stopped blogging on SoPo issues on a regular basis from January 2009 (for reasons that I wish to leave in the past), with only sporadic posts on issues close to my heart. Since then, I have been blogging on a variety of issues such as on music, literature, movies, self-help stuff and of course on humor. At one point, I was so frustrated that I did not visit many news portals and chose to live in ignorance but I woke up to the reality that if every one did the same thing, who will step forward to help steer the country in the right direction? For that reason, I started blogging on certain issues not for self-glorification or the sheer love for writing but more so because I know that cyberspace has the potential and the power to mobilize vox populi and to change and mould public opinion. So here I am,writing on SoPo issues again. I seek your patience with me as I venture on this journey to help, in my small way, make a difference in the country that I love so much. I will still be blogging on the usual areas for what is life without inspiration, motivation and humor? :-)
Some of you might feel that this post is a tad academic. Well, in a way it is because I am hitting the books again soon and have been reading a lot for my research proposal and allowing my brain to go into overdrive but that is because I want to attain my dream before I die :-). Whatever the case, for the moment, this is my calling - to be part of cyberspace and to spread the message about the power of the web, people power, and how more than ever in this Internet age, web power is indeed people power - exactly what we need for the much needed change in this country. I seek your comments and hope to engage you in lively discussions via the comments section and hope that you, dear reader, will accept my humble offerings and share with me your input as I open a window into my thoughts with you via this space.
Thanks! Have a lovely evening!
nick "I think therefore I am"... Rene Descartes pretty much sums up what it means to be human, I think. But sadly not many Malaysian use their god given gift " the large thing between their ears" to much use lately. Or perhaps they tended to discard what they think and meekly accepted the version told by the ruling elite out of sheer complacency or uncaring or maybe even stupidity. It puzzles me to no end why large segment of our society still can't see that there is something very very wrong with our government and country. They have brain don't they? Can't they think and deduce it from what they hear, see and experience? ( specifically to those UMNO and BN loyal supporter in mind).
Vox populi... Right now I'm truly afraid... afraid that a large segment of our society are indeed voicing out but they are voicing out without thought... without thinking, without being human ( according to my interpretation of Rene Descartes famous word). They are voicing out through apathy and "why bother?" and "it doesn't concern me" and "tak kisahlah"... Yes, there maybe a substantial vox populi in cyberspace but what if there is a louder vox populi out there? Not loud in voices but rather in silence, meekly accepting things as they are, uncaring, apathy and being detached from the society, an island of oneself, the very thing the evil doer wants from their citizen? Sis, it will be a nightmare, a deadly one if this is true and it will mean our society is in a far worse condition than we realize. Sorry for being so gloomy but the case of Teoh, Tian Chua, the Auditor-General's report of year after year corruption ( as usual no action just talk only) and the sheer arrogance of UMNO and the ruling elite is truly depressing. The only consolation is that tomorrow is a new day and maybe, maybe there some good news waiting to sprang out and bring some cheer into our life. Hope spring eternal and may GOD BLESS US ALL. ( apologies if I seem to be somewhat erratic... my mind is all over the place today... being depressed and hopeful and depress again and finally finding hope in THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD).
Hamba.