Of Pet Rocks And Anonymous Bloggers, Specifically The Remarkable Similarities Between The Two

So that's what Allahpundit looks like.

Back in my high school daze, I took a psychology class. Eminently appropriate, given that everyone in high school lives in various degrees of psychotic behavior. But I digress.

Anyway, one day our assignment was reading an article (no, this wasn’t so long ago it was written in cuneiform on papyrus, smart aleck) about high school. More specifically, life afterwards. It detailed the phenomenon of how for many, life after high school is devoted to either attempting to continue, or make up/get revenge for, those halcyon for some, hellish for others, and somewhere in-between for most, days.

At the time I thought the article was interesting. Now, some thirty-plus years later, through observing my life and the lives of others I know how correct it was in its assertions. The complaint is often aired “why is this place – why are these people – acting like they’re in high school? Enough with the drama!” Fact is, for said places and people it is still high school, at least in terms of their behavior and attitudes.

The Scriptures reference this more than once. Not high school, but leaving behind the attitudes, thought processes and practices of youth. While Christ instructed us to come to Him as a child, He did not mean we should act like one. Rather, we should approach Him with the love, faith and trust of a child not yet hardened and embittered by the world. When it comes to living our lives, it’s grown-up time. As Paul said, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” And in speaking to the church, he was characteristically blunt whenever he chided believers for not being more mature in their faith, particularly their understanding of deeper truths. In short, he was about people carrying themselves and thinking like adults, leaving the addlepated aspects of adolescence for the… well, adolescents — those marvelous creatures who haven’t a clue yet nonetheless have all the answers.

Rolling this notion around to the online world, specifically blogging, we’ve seen the genre grow considerably in numerous aspects over the years (I’d say recent years, but given the brevity of how long blogging has held any kind of public notice, this would be redundant). The ability to immediately set forth thoughts, opinions and information, then interact with others about same, has been thoroughly embraced by an ever-increasing quality level of writers, long since discrediting the dismissal of blogging being the realm of pajama-clad snarkers in their mother’s basements.

One aspect of this growth has been the steadily increasing abandonment of the anonymous blogger. Whereas kitschy screen names were once more popular than Pet Rocks in 1975, today bloggers wishing to be taken seriously understand the need to put themselves, via putting their names, behind their words. Anyone can take potshots hidden behind a pseudonym. It takes no courage of conviction to do so. To say “this is me; this is who I am; this is what I think, feel and believe; this is why” is impossible for the deliberately unknown. There is no reason to consider what they say. If they don’t believe in their own message enough to claim it as their own, or display the fortitude to stand behind their words should they arouse the ire of others, why should any of us care?

“But what about the Federalist Papers,” some will reply. Well, what about them? That Alexander Hamilton wrote the bulk of them, assisted by James Madison and John Jay, was hardly a secret even at the time they were first being printed. And while bloggers have been known to occasional delusions of grandeur, to date I have yet to run across one who believes their posts are the equal of asserting why the U.S. Constitution should be ratified. Other than maybe Charles Johnson. But again I digress.

Back to the present day. While pen names still exist, most all have stepped out from behind them to at the least declare the actual identity behind their nom de plumes of choice. This has furthered the cause. This has reinforced the legitimacy of the civilian commentator, or reporter. There is still a long way to go, but we are making progress.

On most fronts.

Taking this into the realm of political blogging, one of the primary shortcomings affecting so many members of the genre today is talking at people rather than to, or with, them. It’s easy, when discussing a topic prone to impassioned personalization, to either get carried away with zeal or yourself. The end result is a not an appeal to reason or logic, presenting facts in a manner that requires the reader to think about things, but instead flamethrowing and ego stroking. At which point any opportunity for progress is lost.

A blogger involved in both the political and spiritual, who seeks to build, to edify, to create consensus and work with others toward a common goal, must understand there are parameters within which they must work if they are to be effective. They cannot deny or so much as soft-peddle their faith, for if it has as profound an impact on their lives as affiliation with Christ demands, there is no option besides integrating it into a natural, open expression woven throughout the whole of their being. Including politics.

Also, said blogger must be aware that, as has oft been noted, the Prince of Peace trumps politics every time. Political, ideological, philosophical and policy differences can never be permitted to drive a wedge that renders unavailable for asking the question first asked by Jesus: “What think ye of the Christ?” We can never allow political, ideological, philosophical and policy differences to prevent the active implementation of Christ’s love for others through us. Politics isn’t another excuse for playing biblical gunslinger. We should view it in part as an opportunity to present a clear witness, not only of our faith in action as it relates to our political views, but even more as an opportunity to reach out to those on the other side of the aisle. “Come, let us reason together” cannot be limited to compromising on a bill in committee. It should be part of our heart, caring for others regardless of party affiliation. These are people we’re dealing with, people as valuable as we are, people as precious to God as we are, people made in His image as we are. People whom Jesus died for as He died for us. If we do not see these people as more important than politics, we have lost sight of what should be our priorities in Christ.

People matter. Person to person contact matters. Communication, person to person, matters.

Now you tell me how you can accomplish that behind a screen name, or sardonic screeds belittling those you’re trying to reach.

You can’t.

Whether anyone is getting rich off of blogging seems debatable at best. The suspicion is those who claim they are, more accurately categorized as those who claim that others are, apparently have mailing addresses adjacent to Ponce de Leon’s fresh water outlet. This notwithstanding, it is possible to make a living at it, or at the least supplement your income to a degree. There’s nothing wrong with either of the above. That said, when your paycheck is in part, or especially in whole, dependent on the whims of others stopping by your site often enough to click your ads or hit your tip jar, you are in a situation where the necessity of focusing on that which generates revenue outweighs, or obliterates altogether, the primary focus of your writing being what weighs most heavily on your heart, mind and soul. Cash register punditry is a minefield minus a map. Step lightly.

Better yet, don’t set foot in it at all.

There are those who write strictly for the bank account. Actually, what they do cannot be categorized as writing. It’s the generation of formulated product, engineered for greatest appeal of a target audience. It contains neither heart nor soul. Nor does it engage the mind, save to calculate which buttons are best pushed to generate the preferred result. Namely, site visits. Far too often, that which on the surface evokes a response, usually by generating heat, is as its core shadowboxing. There is nothing genuine in the article, or response to criticism of same, by its generator. It is vapid shtick, fan fodder and critic bait. Only its pursuit of the dollar is real.

There is no maturity in, or about, such exercises. They are the blogging equivalent of teeny-bop pop, faceless music fronted by this week’s face yet generated by a faceless, soulless machine churning out fluff to be adored today and ignored tomorrow in favor of the next batch of froth. The faces come and go, but the pre-fabricated material minus anything of genuine value remains. A new day, a new name. Lather, rinse and repeat. It’s real-life High School Musical, right down to the beauty contest aspects. Don’t we all wish we had gone to a school where everyone, including ourselves, were Tiger Beat and Sixteen cover worthy? Not to mention none of us being more than a size four, tops.

Well, we didn’t.

And high school is over.

Until such time as we, individually and collectively, who are part of the body political in our writing embrace this by no longer embracing those who have yet to understand Peter Pan is a terrible role model, we will continue to flounder. Political action is on a grassroots level. Find a candidate or two and actively support them. Invest yourself. Set forth your arguments; analyze and refute those of the opposition without personal rancor regardless of how they respond. Approach people as people, compromising neither this nor your principles. This is the genuine. This is what makes a difference.

Hiding behind a pseudonym, snarking and snapping and whining as all the while your actual message is “look at me — send me money,” doesn’t cut it. It is as bygone as Pet Rocks. It’s high school.

Grab your diploma and head out the door.