If You're Ok, I'm Ok
You'd better believe it, my dear little Politikus. Don't let anyone pressure you into revealing your identity as a blogger.
It is your decision. Only yours. Just weigh the pros and cons.
For those who don't know what I am rambling about, our blogger friend, Politikus, is in a dilemma.
To unveil or not to unveil -- her/his identity, that is.
Rocky of Rocky's Bru, in a recent posting spoke of the rise of bloggers. Actually I am exaggerating.
Rocky spoke about zorro.unmasked who started to blog on January 30, the day Jeff Ooi's case was heard at the High Court.
He had been zorro for so long and finally decided there was no shame or harm in exposing or rather, unmasking himself in blogosphere.
Bernard Khoo, ex-teacher etc etc, as Zorro, has been a regular "poster" in Rocky's Bru, Screenshots, KMU, Sheih Kickdefella, MarinaM's Rantings, here at Jalan Sudin and others.
He decided to "come clean" and reveal himself. Hurray!
Rocky also spoke of retired military man, the Ranger who has been blogging for quite some time now and ex-teacher Rajahram who is quite new.
So, back to Politikus.
Now, now, sweetie, don't go "makan tak kenyang, tidur tak nyenyak and mandi tak basah" over this, okay?
I know Rocky's final upshot was a reference to you still being anonymous. That's really ok.
I don't think he was pressuring you. Niggling or needling, maybe. Pressure? Heck, no. No way.
What's good for the goose may not be good for the gander, you know.
So, stay on course here. I'd like to say follow your heart but that would not be so appropriate.
Think about it. Whatever your decision, no regrets.
It's what you say that matters. But, many would sure as hell want to know who that smart blogger is behind those smart words.
Then again -- to each his/her own., I always say.
So, Politikus, blog on and blog away.
11 comments:
Undressing politikus? If he/she like the state of nakedness that is.
While on the related subject of Pulau Tikus, many years ago, in my salad days when I was still green about Penang, I actually asked Penangites, where to catch the ferry to Pulau Tikus. Oh well, I’m dribbling and salivating for mee goreng Bangkok Lane and mee edgecumbe. Anyone coming this way?
thanks again for the kind words :)
i think i meant 'pressure' in jest and it's great to know all bloggers want what's best for each other.
it doesn't matter whether i reveal myself or not anymore, i'm just glad this has sparked discussions and discursion on what's responsible or not. the feedback and debate has been very very informative :)
in a nutshell, i am ok. and i'd like to think bloggers are ok too - anonymous or not.
indeedy, we are alllll ok :)
I agree. Politikus, you can blog with your nick or your name, that's for you to decide.
But you can also have the best of both worlds.
Look at me. I use scores of nicknames when I post my comments here, or in the Bru, or Kickdefella, or Screenshots. I am Polikucing here, Polirimau there, and Politakut everywhere.
But I also have a blog that carries my own name.
I don't have to let people know Polikucing and I are the same person. Nevertheless, what is stopping me from claiming that little corner in cyberspace using my own name, so that my kids know who I am, and my friends know what I am about.
I may not make it big like Jalan Sudin or Bru or Screenshots, Kickdefella or the other major league bloggers, but I want my name there. I insist.
We can all insisit. You too, err, Politikus.
Yours roaringly,
Polipolis
ena, i dont hide behind a nick as well. Kak teh is my name and people know me by that name. Lagi pun gambarpun ada - apa nak hidenya, (walaupun ada blur sikit.) but then i write mundane things...so tak kisah sangat.
tumpang lalu, malaysian in riyadh, that was what my husband asked when he was in penang. he was wondering where to get the ferry to Pulau Tikus. And pls dont ever mention mee greong penang again.
Good advice Nuraina!
The question is - is it really necessary to say who you are before people read what you write? Will people take you more seriously if they know you are a teacher, a general, a Dato' so n so now or in the past?
I'm not sure. Sometimes it matters and sometimes it doesn't. If you were commenting on something general that doesn't require expert knowledge it shouldn't matter. But if you were giving specific information it would matter that you have had experience and exposure in the area. Then readers would take your views more seriously I suppose.
But then it depends on whether you yourself want to be known for whatever reason. So the choice is yours whether to reveal your identity, to remain pseudonymed or completely anonymous.
To me it doesn't matter as long as what you write makes good, credible sense and you stand by your views. Bloggers may or may not know the faces behind the people who post comments and it shouldn't matter. However should things go out of hand I'm sure there is a sophisticated blogger mechanism to check things out.
I for one do not believe I'm completely anonymous. Just as there is CIA and Special Branch in the real world, there would be some mechanism that can trace the source of communication in cyberworld.
BON NINI
Sorry mencelah, Kak Teh you have the knack of elevating a mundane thing to something so inspiring and memorable. Sorry for whetting your apetite with the unmentionable mee goreng Penang.
adik nuraina,
dalam keadaan bloggers di malaysia sedang tertekan, saya kira panggilan brother rocky untuk kawan2 blogger mengenalkan diri dan nama masing2 bertujuan untuk bilang dengan mereka di pihak sana yang para blogger di malaysia tak gentar dan tak goyah.
malah, dengan tekanan yang ada para blogger semakin bersemangat untuk menentang penindasan keatas mereka.
gitu pun, saya rasa bukanlah brother rocky mau memberi tekanan keatas blogger lain supaya menampilkan diri. kalau dibaca postingnya dengan rapi, dia bilang dengan kita yang dia pasti ada bloggers yang lebih berkesan jika berblog secara "anonymous".
dan memang banyak blog2 dan para blogger yang sedemikian, termasuk, mungkin, sdri politikus (contoh lain ialah cuit sikit, aisehman, the voice, pulau duyung, mat rempit, bandit, pasquale).
tapi se-elok2nya, jika lebih ramai yang tampil dengan identiti mereka sendiri, tanpa ragu dan takut, maka akan lebih berkesan dan lebih dihormati dunia blog.
itu pendapat saya.
adik nuraina harus lebih berhati-hati. kalau adik nuraina berblog secara anonymous, saya takkan berkata begitu. seperti saya, boleh menulis apa saja dan tidak perlu takut disaman atau disamun.
Politikus, dont let anyone make choices for you. I endorse Nurainah's "follow your heart"...no better advice you can get. Just be happy doing what you are doing now...say it from the heart.
Malaysian in riyadh....Bangkok Lane mee goreng is in KL now....son has opened up a branch here.
Nuraina, since there is no email address, I am posting this here.. I am indeed glad that you blog. Your generation should use this tool with wisdom and I have no doubt that as an experience journalist you would surely do. We all must contribute in making this country of ours a better place to live and enjoy life, for us and the future generation. take care.
To each his/her own. As long as bloggers write responsibly and provide healthy debates on current issues.
aunt nuraina, are you going to be at the pwtc tomorrow (sunday)? i hope to get a glimpse of you! i will be there for the conference, volunteering with some friends. we are students from local varsity. we respect tun so much that we want to do this to repay him for what he has done for the nation and malaysians.
bloggers rule ok!
-- part-timer
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