This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.
Blogs Are Useful to the Extent They Provide Information, Hope and Suggestions for Concrete Action
Yesterday, I asked - in light of the fact that the giant banks just keep getting bigger and sucking our economy deeper into the black hole, despite constant protest from the blogosphere - whether blogs are useful or a waste of time.
Perhaps blogs are useful to the extent that they:
(1) Convey information not available from the mainstream media;
(2) Give hope that things can improve;
and
(3) Suggest concrete ways to improve things.
Conveying Information Not Available from the MSM
This one is easy, since the MSM censors virtually all information critical of the powers-that-be.
Of course, a website is only as good as:
(1) It's information is scrupulously attempts fact-checked to maintain accuracy, and speculation is labeled as such;
and
(2) It conveys or aggregates hard-hitting or useful information in a timely manner.
Because
the MSM does a horrible job of "connecting the dots", blogs provide a
valuable service if they tie together seemingly disconnected facts to
show a pattern or put events in a historical context. Obviously, the
pattern and historical context have to be accurate; if they are just
Glenn Beck style free-association, they are worse than worthless.
Give Hope
While false hope - the kind peddled by Obama - is interfering with our ability to turn things around, real hope is a necessity.
People who are wholly cynical and don't think anything can change won't lift a finger to change things ... thus ensuring that nothing will change.
So
blogs have to point out the bleak facts, but then remind people that -
if enough of us get angry and demand change - things can change. See this and this.
Suggesting Concrete Actions
Disclosing truth and giving people some hope won't go very far if people aren't given concrete suggestions about
actions to take which might actually change things. Nothing will
change if people are informed and hopeful, but then don't actually do anything to change things.
A blog is most useful if it suggests specific actions. Whether it's moving our money from giant banks, promoting protests, sit-ins or strikes, refusing to pay debts incurred for unlawful purposes,
or some other concrete action which can actually change things for the
better if enough people do it, a blog should be more than just a
passive scribe documenting facts.
There
might be much more effective actions than the ones listed above. There
are hopefully much smarter strategists than me concerning how to affect
social change.
Of course, blogs which call for unlawful
acts which will be unsuccessful or just discredit all those who
question the actions of the powers-that-be are counterproductive.
As
usual, I am just trying to start the conversation ... not provide the
definitive answer. Hopefully, someone has a better framework or a
better idea, and this will get the ball rolling.
Obviously, some blogs will stress one of the three useful attributes
more than others. For example, a blog written by a whistleblower is
useful if it provides otherwise unknown information, and a site focused
on organizing protests is useful for helping to inspre people to take
action. Most people read several blogs or websites, and can get the 3
attributes from the various websites they read. But the 3-attribute
framework provides a useful model.
And websites which convey practical knowledge about investing in periods of financial chaos or producing our own energy and food
could be very valuable in the future ... if we can't turn things
around, we may need to learn how to provide for ourselves without the
benefit of our current institutions or organizations.
- advertisements -


always found it interesting that the 95 theses came within one lifetime of the last great evolutionary leap in information technology, the printing press.
speaking of printing presses, has anyone seen any newly minted dollars with timmy's john hancock? i have yet to see one.
You'll be seeing Timmy's sig on the 21st, the day that they release the new $100 FRN. (Timmy don't got time to sign anything smaller than a hondo, son. Anyhows, don't you worry: soon you won't EVER be needing anything smaller than a C-note.)
p.s. it would be fun to see turbo tax graffitied above his name.
it's all about the benjamins
The Internet may be creating a new reformation but its Achilles heal is the atomisation of its participants.
When that Martin Luther chap got angry and posted those 95 theses there was a real physical interaction with his audience and he could no longer bullshit once his actions went beyond mere rhetoric.
My gut feeling is that blogging will continue until the power is shut off.
Blogging is boutique news.
You have to be receptive and open minded to look at things in an unbiased way. To be able to read something then verify it by researching while knowing that this could change your ideology or view point. Otherwise you are wasting time and destined to ignorance.
Some blogs are useful (not all) because they educate people. There are so many things going on every day that's it's impossible to track it all. The hardest thing to explain to people is that blogging is a full time job. You need to have passion for your subject or else you won't survive long. There are days where I'm dead tired and the last thing I want to do is blog, but I read a lot, digest it quickly, and just do it. If I make mistakes, I correct them as soon as possible. Nobody is perfect, including bloggers, but if you are consistently offering interesting insights and educating your audience, and if people offer their own insightful comments, then I truly believe you're acting as a good citizen.
Hope is a relatively useless emotion since most people don't have any idea what it is that they should be hoping for. Should they be hoping for a return to the recent past, distant past, some idealistic and unachievable future or some form of relief in some form of Heaven. Hope is what Obama and the Govt. are selling; follow us and it will all get better...pure snake oil mixed liberally with BS.
Hope is not and never will be part of the answer. Research, study, thought, discussion, refusal to accept the easy way out, honor, integrity and good old hard work; those are parts of the answer.
One of the Founding Fathers said: "We will give you a Republic; lets see if you can keep it." Needless to say, we didn't. We fell back into the morass of Democracy; a system that they rightly felt was doomed to corruption. Now we wallow in the results of our own stupidity, cupidity and general laziness.
We have got exactly what we deserve and wishing it wasn't so and hoping for change won't do anything at all!
There was quote yesterday:
'As long as they can speak of liberty, they will not act'. I believe it was by the frenchman.
If anyone knows the exact quote, 'preciate if they would post it.
RM
Good post.
The problem with the media is that they are paid, and are journalists.
Most are generalists and do not have the background in depth to make
meaningful commentary.
Same problem with politicians. They do not have the background, but are
making policies that have huge economic effects if done properly or improperly.
All one has to do is to check the bio on wiki of their fellow
political representatives.
There is nothing worse than having non-qualified personel in highly
responsible positions.
Check the wiki bio for yourself regarding any politician.
Thus the solution is really simpler than it seems.
In effect the non-qualifieds are allowed to create public information
and politicos are elected regardless of proven qualifications.
Buy gold, silver, pgms, and others and take delivery
GW,
Let me set the tone by saying there's a big difference between being realistic and being negative or just unwarrantably cynical. I've been posting and contributing here on ZH for nearly a year and my theme has been consistently one of awareness and understanding. We are hopelessly stuck in the mud and will remain there until we get out and conduct an honest assessment of the situation. To do anything less results in nothing but spinning wheels and flying mud.
Every time I think about the current state of affairs, it boils down to the chicken or egg dilemma. Or more aptly, we can bring a horse to water but we can't make it drink. I no longer believe the principal problem is a lack of information by the general public, though it appears that's precisely what the problem is. On the surface, the logical response to the deafening silence is that they must not understand what is going on. For surly if the did, they would act. But this is not so.
Over the years, both in the public at large and in front of my clients, when offered small crumbs of knowledge and understanding, nearly always it's refused, pushed away for any number of reasons. The proffered excuses are meaningless and immaterial because it's the knowledge that is perceived as dangerous to the public, not the lack of it. I slowly began to understand that knowledge is rightfully perceived as responsibility and for any number of reasons, the public doesn't want the responsibility to do anything other than what it has been programmed to do for the last 50 years.
Consume.
We aren't trying to wake a sleeping citizen, we're trying to convert a single minded and impotent consumer into an engaged and responsible citizen. This conversion can only be accomplished with the person's consent, otherwise the conversion isn't complete and the backsliding begins immediately. Not only has the public been trained only to consume but they've been broken like a horse in the most violent manner, with repeated applications of government sponsored fear mongering to frighten them into compliance. Once they are pacified, repeated and obvious examples of their subservience and powerlessness is thrust into their faces in the same manner an abusive spouse terrorizes the wife into submission. After awhile, just an ugly look or a raised voice is all that is needed to ensure she stays in line.
We need a horse whisperer, not raw information. We need inspiration and healing, a gentle hand and a kind voice. When a dog has been beaten for years, it knows what its condition is. But this understanding is not enough and in most cases, is counter productive and demoralizing. Faced with your own impotence, can you blame anyone for slipping back into the sweet embrace of denial and distraction. We can't start the healing process until either we or the tormentor is removed from the environment. Create a blog where people feel safe and they will come.
Our population is suffering from PTSD and the treatment for this affliction requires more than just (self) awareness of the symptoms and triggers. We are suffering from low self esteem and poor morale. A safe zone, a violence free environment, will re-energize people. Notice I didn't say a free speech zone. I'm talking about a place of refuge, for healing and growing which can also be a place to organize. But to allow shouting or rude behaviour will only drive people away. This is the primary reason many don't comment on ZH. They don't wish to be attacked.
But also understand that anything that accomplishes this will be considered subversive by the powers that be and will be immediately attacked.
"But also understand that anything that accomplishes this will be considered subversive by the powers that be and will be immediately attacked."
all the reason to go roberta flack on them & kill 'em softly:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B1wdau8uHU
(ask our comrade president)
...and maybe also the time to follow the "law". not necessarily the law, but the Law. for whether you agree it's the "Law" or not, sooner or later, the State lives or dies by it.
p.s. your best comment ever CD. mad kudos for breaking it down so clearly & gently.
I saw a special a long time ago about child prostitution, and watched them being taken away by the social workers. They didn't want to leave and were crying to stay because that is the life they were used to, and only after several months out of that environment did they realize a different world. Although I could not comprehend at first how they could want to stay in that environment being subjected to such horrendous behavior at the hands of so called adults, I came to the conclusion that they were brainwashed and didn't know any better. They were not open to change at first too.
Starving the Beast that is sucking us dry will require danger, not only responsibility. People will need to be able to heal for the long fight ahead. Great insights, CD!!!!
CD,
Hear, hear! +10
Good post.
I think you've identified the macro version of the micro-issue as it relates to most individuals. Being an irresponsible consumer is the norm in this era. As a reformed spender, I have tried and tried and tried to help my friends, family, and current girlfriend to "see the light" and become more budget-conscious in their personal finances. I've given them my Budget excel spreadsheets, given Dave Ramsey books, tried to explain basic concepts like the real power of compounding (yes, even 2% compounded beats zero compounded :-) etc.
For the most part, zippo. Big fat cow eyes looking back at me. More spending ensues, followed by whining that they never have any money, followed by obvious envy of my wealth-building activities. I've made some progress with the gf, but not enough -- it's an ongoing effort.
People WILL NOT change their patterns of behavior until they decide that something needs to change -- whether it's dieting to lose weight, quitting drugs, whatever. Apply your favorite cliche (Horse, water, etc....), but it's true. Sometimes they might simply decide to change, other times it may take an event to force their eyes open. But until they take the first step in their own mind that SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT AND I HAVE TO MAKE A CHANGE, nothing else follows.
In my case it was my older brother who saw the trap I was building for myself, and he bugged me for years with books and questions about my attitudes on money, the future, etc. I didn't listen, kept digging myself deeper, and then one day I was looking at 3 past-due credit card bills and it all clicked. But until that moment I wasn't ready or even deserving of what he was trying to show me, and I deserved the pit I had put myself in.
Good personal finance decisions lead naturally outward to the world and the more that is encouraged, the better our chances of changing the way things are done. In my opinion, getting people to understand money and getting some basic financial education is critical to the beginning of any movement toward a more normal and rational business/market environment.
Sorry for the long-windedness of this, but you are correct in that we need a horse whisperer, inspiration, and healing. But it's all for naught until the receiver is prepared to hear the sender.
Blogs for information are important in this regard. The call to action needs to be internal, and that comes from education and self-awareness of one's financial position and possibilities. People are at their best when they've motivated themselves, and their effectiveness is exponentially higher.
"Sorry for the long-windedness of this, but you are correct in that we need a horse whisperer, inspiration, and healing. But it's all for naught until the receiver is prepared to hear the sender."
I fully agree with your last sentence. I always consider how the teacher will appear when the student is ready. I can attest to the truthfulness of that statement and it's the reason I structure my articles in the way I do, not as lectures full of footnotes and references but as guide stones and paths that can be followed when ready.
I learned this first hand while dealing with a stubborn and self destructive adult son who would not accept advice or guidance. One day I realized that the only way to help him change was to offer him the courage and permission to change. I did this by looking inward and changing myself, by doing rather than showing. Only when he saw that I was no longer forcing the tools into his hands, that I was willing to use them on myself, did he sulowly gain the courage and desire to use them as well.
When my son saw that I was willing to change things within myself that I had been in denial about for decades, without conditions or the expectation of reciprocal behaviour, he was no longer frightened. My behaviour while he was a child had (silently) taught him that there are places within that you just don't visit. By changing my behavior I was now saying that it was OK to tread on formerly forbidden ground. My demonstration of personal courage emboldened him to do likewise. My son became my teacher and I the student. Then the roles reversed when he indicated the desire to learn, thou there was no verbal communication at all. Our biggest problems are always opportunities for learning. They're always available as life's teacher. The real question is whether we wish to be the student. When we decide to become the student, life's issues present as teacher and become so much more than just "problems". It remains the single most important life lesson I have learned to date.
The supposition of GW's post was that he's looking for ways to activate, energize and organize people. That assumes those people are already looking for answers, that they've had an epiphany and are looking for alternatives to the status quo, the conditions that got them to where they are now. My answer assumed the same conditions. No one will look for solutions to problems they remain convinced they do not posses. I constantly talk about denial as the mother of invention of ways to avoid dealing with problems you don't have but strangely are constantly dealing with.
+ 10^10
CD, I typically do not comment much outside the gold-related threads. But, I give you a big tip-o-the-hat for your excellent post. You have a take on things that I do not run into anywhere else. Whenever I see your comments, I try to slow down and READ them.
You too GW for a thought provoking piece!
CD,
Yes, I understand 100%. I was partially thinking of that in the "hope" category. But the truth is, your point is a profound one ...
GW and CD: I for one am very, very happy to have access to your posts. This type of posting is an agency of a free society. And my earliest post on ZH was something to the effect that I was relieved to see that the Republic is still in good hands. One of my favorite "Old Saws" is "Only your friends tell you when you have BO."
But what to do?
Is citizen group for reform of the financial system possible? I am retired, almost 75 with education and experience as a Chemical Engineer.
The real world situation is that we have an elected assembly of Senators and Representatives to make our laws. Then we have to get the laws enforced. The issue of Federal Reserve irregularities is a very large one. I can write to the Congressmen and Woman from my state of Michigan, but none of them are on banking committees. And I am sure that my letters only become part of a issue count.
Thanks for your effort, and rest assured, you responsible comment matters. The blogs are needed because these are "Interesting Times".