Are we getting out of hand?

Almost everyday, I read something about SPG posting her nude photo online. I'm not even gonna link it because if you can just close your eyes and click any of the links on the left, you'll find some blog that linked to 'that post'. It's irritating the shit out of me. Surely there are more important news on the papers? Surely life has moved on in the blogosphere?

I think the press has gone too far with this 'blog thing' that's been going on for the past few weeks. It makes this country seem sooo... 'infantile', for want of a better word. It's great that blogs are getting a bit of the publicity that it needs in this country, but it has been bad publicity. And bad publicity means very bad news here in SG. Just try to recall why the lights are being shone on blogs in the first place. Not a very good debut, is it? Soon, not only are we supposed to censor what we can think/say/feel online, we have to resist 'decorating' our blog.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I suppose most bloggers feel a bit of pride in their site, afterall, it's akin to having your own slice of land in the world wide web. If they want it to be an online diary, so be it. If they want to use it as a political platform, so be it. If they want it to be an outlet for their alter ego, so be it. If they want it to be a famous blog with high readership, so be it. If they want to put their nude photos up, SO BE IT. Unless, they're somehow breaking the law? Someone enlighten me please.

I could be patronising and say SPG's still young, and one day she might regret her 'actions'. Would you discourage a child from learning to ride a bicycle because you're afraid the child would hurt herself? I was a reader of her blog, and I dare say she didn't mean to sensationalise it like that. It's not surprising that she has put them up. She has always been vocal about her art and the most I would do is gasp at her courage and confidence, and then move on. As an afterthought, I think her content is more sensational than the picture itself.

Having said that, I feel that the blog world and the print world should stay at arms length from each other. What kind of image has the papers been protraying of the blog world? It's almost as if they are trying to lobby against the act of blogging. Blogs are BAD. When I read the papers, I want to see decent world news. When I read gossip columns, I want to see juicy titbits and candid pictures. When I read blogs, I want to see lifestyles and experience emotions. Sometimes, I even feel like I'm friends with the authors of the blogs I read and those who leave comments on my blog.

I think the focus is all wrong (again). Blogs are part of an online, private world. Some may chose to be open about their identity like xiaxue and mr brown, and some like me choose not to. I think as long as it isn't against the law, bloggers should be able to be free to express themselves. What may shock newspaper readers may not even raise many eyebrows in the blogosphere. Sensational blogs may just get a few posts of publicity and that's about it. And that should be the way it is.

Have we forgotten what blogging is all about?