Archive for December, 2006

One of today’s most popular PC buzzwords is “inclusion,” this residing alongside “diversity” and “multi-culturalism” in the white guilt-blessed reverse racism file.  Such is the state of things in this land of the freeze-dried brains and home of the brazen.  However, said discussion is for another time; back to Topic A.

One of the blogosphere’s stock defenses against accusations of it lacking the MSM’s inherent oversight mechanisms is how ultimately readership serves the same purpose, that which rises to the top having been separated from the unwashed masses through mass viewership’s unfailing discernment skills.  Should this be the case, Daily Kos is the best of the best.  Or Instapundit.  The latter’s primary function is to promote all things Glenn Reynolds, secondary purpose being the bestowment of link love upon those receiving his cyberblessing.  As to the prior…

What Markos Moulitsas Zúniga hath wrought is, regardless of his penchant for political beliefs located just to the left of ‘lay off the chemicals, brother,’ something rather remarkable.  He has effectively created an illusion of inclusion.

Reference another piece of the blogosphere’s stock self-defense dogma: its lack of elitism.  Yeahright.  The conservative political blogosphere is a cyberspace caste system, where the upper crust (i.e. most popular) sites link to only each other, feeding off of and praising each other while feverishly ignoring everyone else.  Isn’t one of the main complaints it lodges with the MSM how the latter is an elitist system answerable only to itself?  Ah well.  Never become what you profess to oppose applies only to your enemies, so it seems.  Instead, what we are offered is a chorus of solo voices, many of which do not allow so much as moderated comments on their site.  There is the occasional group blog, however even these are on a strict invitation only basis.  But hey, everyone is welcome, albeit solely to worship at the altar of the high flyers.

Mr. Zúniga, at least on the surface, dismisses this mindset in favor of groupspeak.  By allowing a multitude of individual writers to post their thoughts, he gives the impression of Daily Kos being of the people, by the people, and for the people.  At least that’s the impression.  The reality is all writers had full well better be marching in lockstep with Mr. Zúniga’s view of things, lest his faithful followers tear them to pieces and one suspects be swiftly sent packing by Mr. Zúniga.  Hey, it’s his site and he can do with it as he pleases.  That duly noted, embrace reality.  Inclusion is inclusion only when there is genuine acceptance of different viewpoints, agreeing to disagree where called for yet allowing all to speak freely.  That’s not the Daily Kos, no matter how many ‘diaries’ it hosts at any given moment.

Mr. Zúniga deserves due credit for being proactive, aggressively supporting candidates and courting/demanding acknowledgment from the Democrats he both fervently supports and chides should they dare differ from his take on things.  Where is the conservative blogosphere’s response?  Where is the answer to the Yearly Kos convention?

Mr. Zúniga is oft depicted as ego-drenched, petty, and vindictive.  Perhaps.  He does, though, know how to put up a good front.  Too bad the conservatives can’t say the same… or actually be inclusive.