The Ontology of the Blog

by J. Nantz

I have been greatly amused at all the furor surrounding the Sun Sentinel article discussing this blog.  In particular, several professional journalists have taken great umbrage to how much attention this blog and other blogs are garnering.  It would seem that these journalists have been engaging in a group pout, since precious attention is being diverted from their professional scribbling.

It has been said that nature abhors a vacuum.  A vacuum exists within the main stream news venues, a vacuum of credibility and veracity.  The increasing incidence of journalistic bias and political pandering has risen to grotesque proportions during this election season.  For many, the notion of credible journalism in the main stream media is dead.  Therefore, Americans seek new sources of information.   From the successes of the Fox News Network and Rush Limbaugh, to the increasing popularity of internet based blogs, Americans are deserting traditional media outlets, leaving them to rot in solitude. People are listening to individuals outside of the main stream media, people not associated with the traditional and monolithic media establishment.  Since the substance and intellectual verve of honest journalism has been cast aside for staid liberal dogmatism, is it surprising that people are turning to bloggers with something authentic to say?