As in discriminated-against groups (women, minorities) blogger-journalists are going to have to work twice as hard and do it twice as well in order to get acceptance and respect. And perhaps you should look for that acceptance and respect not from the Ruling Class, but rather, from the grassroots. -- j.m. greysky

If I thought those were the real motives behind work like Glenn's, I would agree.

I think it has less to do with being liked by the MSM and more to do with being lied to by the MSM. They are not and have not been accountable to the American people for a long time.

If the MSM wants to pitch news as entertainment in order to increase advertising revenue, that's one thing. If the MSM wants to pitch entertainment as news for the same or similar reasons, that's another thing. But if the MSM wants to pitch entertainment as a pretext for an illegal war, well, that's not OK.

Guys like Alter and Broder are probably less concerned about ad revenue except as it relates to their salaries than they are about their place of position in the historical hallowed halls of journalistic reporting (and the occasional White House dinner with the Queen). If they had done their jobs and helped to report the facts instead of cheerleading the war and all the other insanities of this administration, maybe they would have a leg to stand on. As it is, they have little or nothing to complain about. They still have their jobs. In other occupations, they would have been fired for performance reasons.

They didn't do their homework. They deserve an "F" on their report cards under "Journalism."

Now I'm sure some wit will instantly tell me something incredibly fucking arch and brilliant about how I'm in 4th grade or something. Have at. Your Pulitzer awaits.

Don't be upset. It's just a blog.

Tell me, what reason would a blogger have to tell the truth, if telling a lie would make him more popular? --Poco

What could you possibly cite as evidence that lying makes a person more popular? The existence of politicians?

Lying doesn't always make a person more popular. Scientists don't get to lie. If they do, the other scientists won't play with them anymore. They become very unpopular.

That is because science (and engineering and medicine) are examples of fact-based occupations. Fact-based occupations do not require consensus formation. The consensus formation does not precede but follows the facts. It's true. Go ask Galileo.

Engineers, doctors, and participants in other kinds of fact-based occupations usually don't get to lie either, not for money or to be popular. When they do lie, very bad things tend to happen, first to others (e.g., a bridge collapses, a patient dies, etc.) and then to them (e.g., lawsuits, disgrace, loss of certification).

Now, people in leadership positions requiring consensus formation as a prerequisite to success usually do get to lie, at least for a while, and they may even be encouraged to do so and be handsomely rewarded for it. Our current administration and the MSM are good examples.

The question is, "Should journalists be considered participants in a fact-based occupation like scientists, or should they be considered participants in a leadership-driven, consensus formation occupation like government?"

The same question applies to political bloggers. In the case of journalists, whether in the MSM or the blogosphere, I think it's something a person has to choose for himself or herself.

I would suggest that Glenn is a participant in the fact-based group.

Sonofabastard,

I saw your post. Don't take umbrage. No offense was intended. (Great subject header, btw)

On another note - this caught my eye:

I believe the blogger decides which ones get posted.

Wow. Just like the President and the MSM. Now that is some helpful information.

That's why I like Glenn's blog so very much. People say what they think. Sometimes it's eloquent. Sometimes it's the opposite of eloquent. Occasionally, there's a mad rant from somebody or other. And the result looks a lot like democracy in action (at least to me.)

That was excellent. Thanks.

Sideswiped indeed.

Sincerely,

Jebediah Reed

PS—Thanks for the cup of black bean soup! (Actually, please thank General Electric.)

My own little spiel:

The Internet is the most important communications technology since the invention of movable type. Given the ubiquity of the Internet and the rapid global convergence of Internet and wireless technologies, the active participation of billions of the world's inhabitants in daily communication is now being realized.

Bottom line, the Internet, the greatest technological force for the democratization of planet earth, will rapidly evolve to encompass most of humanity in open and continuous dialogue (sounds a little like Bucky Fuller, no?)

The blogs are playing a critical role in that process. They are not a niche. They are representative of the future.

You ain't seen nothing yet.

You're being silly.