I’ve been watching the news on TV, the articles on newspaper and dozens of blogs writing about the Delfin dela Paz vs. Department of Agrarian Reforms Secretary Nasser Pangandaman, and his son Nasser, Jr. , mayor of Masui, Lanao Del Sur.
I am reserving judgment until this has been settled in the proper forum. One does not just go into conclusions without getting the side of both parties. Otherwise, I will be just one of the mobs on the Intarwebs.
Most of the stories are condemning the Major and the DAR Secretary and bloggers and media flock to the rescue of their fellow blogger, Bambee dela Paz. The elder dela Paz and his 14-year old boy were beaten up — a few bruises and drops of blood — and people are clamoring for justice.
Here’s a clear proof why blogging is for the elite and the middle class:
- Every day, people get beaten up, robbed, raped and murdered. Do they get the same media attention as the de la Paz?
- Thousands of farmers lost their land from the elite, the greedy land owners and the powerful politicians (even the old ones like the Aquinos and their Hacienda Luisita) and where is the clamor from the middle class and the elite?
- Students on poor urban area don’t have a classroom to stay and most are forced to leave school because greedy politicians shave off and pocket millions from their pork barrel instead of benefiting thousands of students. Where is the clamor from the middle class and the elite?
- Every day, children die of hunger and malnourishment because the government is too busy doing other things other than taking care of the indigent. Where is the clamor?
But then, the middle class starts to act up and rally in support of an altercation in (and here’s the irony) an exclusive Golf Club.
The media is ever present in golf clubs and watching elite-swarmed areas for newsworthy story. This is NOT newsworthy — it happens every day. Again. EVERYDAY, EVERYWHERE. The media focused on this one because the people involved are the elite, are politicians and the story will have a better spin. There are hundreds of atrocities far worse than getting bruised because someone didn’t get their fair share of the greens.
And why do the middle class are in uproar and blogging to sky high? Well, the victims are one of them. It could be them getting beaten up in a posh mall, or a gulf course one day.
Yet, they are oblivious and blind of more hideous crimes that happen in their surroundings. Wake up people and don’t be naive — this fist fight is nothing. Why waste time and effort that someone’s ego and face got bruised when there are worse crimes happening all around us? There’s the Mindanao Crisis, the poor farmers wanting extension of the Land Reform Act, the syndicates int he streets using street children to beg for money and the thousands of people dying senseless of crimes against society. I don’t see you people blogging crazy about those.
8 Responses for "Proof that Blogging is for the Middle Class and Elite?"
So…what is your point? Is this some attempt to undermine the outrage that people feel over the incident?
Anong sinasabi mo? Na “but nga sa inyong mayayaman, nakatikim din kayo ng buhay mahirap?”
Hey it happens to everyone, so let’s ignore it!
You are either a total moron, or in the pockets of a trapo who don’t want people with blogs to have power to affect the power that politikos hold over the people.
Or maybe both.
it’s really not about social classes but it’s about a “respected” public official acting like a gangster infront of everyone.
it would be nice if this post clears up who or what the target is. is it the middle class or blogging per se? i have a blog too, but i’m not part of the middle class, because i only blog from an internet cafe. does that make me elite or culpable because i don’t help the poor of mindanao? attack one issue at a time so we can all be on the same page. if you are pro-pangandaman, then it would be good for you to just come out and say so.
I understand what you’re saying. but well, blogging always has been, not really strictly FOR the middle and elite, but more often that’s the case. hierarchy of needs, solve getting food on the table first before blogging about stuff that happens to you.
sad to say though that that’s what’s happening. however, not all blog entries get swooshed into mainstream media. there are only very few cases.
the sad thing, i noticed, is that clamor only comes when it is relevant or they can sympathize for it. its understandably difficult to sympathize with the poor kids who have poor classroom facilities, but its easier to someone who gets beat up in a golf club.
i guess you have to understand that the nature of blogs is not to solve problems of great magnitude. its about getting your personal story across. and that’s what makes blogs very entertaining and interesting, that its written with a personal overtone to it.
Blogging for justice has never been for the poor. It’s always about the middle class because majority of people who blog are from the middle class. If enough poor people are actively blogging, then maybe we will hear them clamor about their own plight. For now, let’s leave blogging to the middle class.
As for the mainstream media, you are right — news reports must be newsworthy and this incident only became newsworthy because one of the people involve is a Mayor and his father a DAR secretary. Had it been a mauling between two unknown people playing in the golf course, I don’t think it will reach this level.
b,
It’s on the title stupid… The point IS blogging is for the middle class… and the middle class only clamour when their kind is harrased, but doesn’t give a damn about more important issues…
The dela paz issue is exagerated, bias, overblown and goddamn magnified into a goobledygook uproar of the vacous middle classes.
Read the papers, pare. Check out PCIJ online, GMANews.tv, Newsbreak, Bulatlat. Watch the evening news. Andun yung mga hinahanap mo.
Hindi naman puro lifestyle at sensationalism lang ang inire-report ng mainstream media. Been there, at nakakalungkot na lagi na lang binibira (lalo ng ng ilang bloggers) ang mainstream media despite our efforts. Napaka-convenient lang kasi para sa iba na laging sisihin ang mainstream media.
Oo, karamihan, yung elite at ang middle class ang nakakapag-blog — and it’s because sila yung ma access. But it doesn’t mean naman na they don’t carry issues of the poor. Siguro, maglamyerda ka pa ng konti online, at nang makita mo ang hinahanap mo.
At bakit nanggigigil ang mga blogger sa isyung ito? Mahirap bang intindihin kung bakit? Kailangan pa bang i-memorize yan, sabi nga ng isang blogger.
It’s a huge generalization. There are bloggers who hardly care about this issue you know. You don’t hear about them because they’re quiet.
http://www.bloggerskapihan.com/2008/10/14/oct-15-is-blog-action-day-bloggers-to-change-conversation-to-poverty/
The uproar is huge not because the bloggers identify with them – hell no — I don’t know any blogger who plays golf aside from myself (and mind you, I don’t even blog about this issue). There is knee-jerk response anytime a minor is involved – especially if a public official is allegedly on the opposing side. I think this is pretty clear.
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