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Ghost blogging Revisited
Will scientific writing/blogging earn you a carte blanche (blank card) towards credibilty? This question raised in the midth of controversies specially in the case of ghost or anonymous blogger. In my opinion, it could be yes and/or no. It depends a lot on which subjects your writing are. There are many instances where scientific writings/bloggings will automatically earn you credibility and honour you deserve.
But a lot of examples in which writing scientifically is not enough. Readers and common sense need to know what position you stand for. Credibility more often than not is very much to do with whether there’s self-interest in it or not.
For example, when I made Jennie S. Bev and Maya Nasution as Blogger of the Week, I support their decision to keep staying abroad with several arguments. If my arguments considered valid and make sense, then my pieces on that matter could be regarded as “scientific.” Yet, it’s not automatically earn me credibilty. A commenter on those pieces asked me, whether I also intend to stay abroad after study, which is not. That will gain me credibilty, because I support a good cause not for my own self interest, but for the interest of all.
Likewise, when an Indonesian blogger talk noisily all the time about terrorism and ‘persecution’ of minority community in Indonesia, of course with many quotes from some online newspapers every now and then, the writings could be considered as “scientific” but not automatically credible. One still needs to see what the blogger stands for: if he/she’s a Muslim, he could be considered as a very credible blogger because he campaign for justice of others i.e. the minority community (non Muslims), and there’s no self-interest involved. Not the other way around. So, if the blogger concerned hiding his/her face under the sun, credibility is simply not there.
That’s why prominent figures like Gus Dur the fourth Indonesian President gains international acknowledgement for his unselfish support to justice for all in Indonesia just like the late Nurcholis Madjid and Azyumardi Azra now rector of UIN (state islamic university) Jakarta who support the spirit of pluralism, themselves drink, live and eat as pluralist.
So, credibility is very much to do with neutrality and objectivity plus scientificity in making argument. Being neutral or in order to make readers know that you’re in neutral position, one needs to know where your “by birth” position is, in the first place. Clarity of identity in this regards, at least in my opinion, is a must.
The latest example is in case of RUU APP (anti-porn bill). You can read many opinions for and against it in blogs and media. You can judge yourself which of them can be regarded as scientific and credible, or scientific only, or just a junky arguments you’d like to get it away quickly.
Further reading:
- Scientific and Credible Blogger
- Anonymity and Credibility
- Being Critical within and without
- Why They Blog Anonymously and We Do Not
- Why Ghost Blogger
- Why Ghost / Pseudonymous Blogger (2)
January 12, 2008 at 10:55 pm
[...] Scientific and Credible Blogger [...]
September 5, 2008 at 8:13 am
at the end, all of blogger have to show their face if they wanted credible. but, some bloggers are affraid for some reasons…
November 4, 2008 at 3:59 am
[...] kitchen., and be a good kid. I wrote several posts on the important of clear identity for any blogger to earn credibility of whatever one writes in his or her respective [...]
January 4, 2009 at 2:17 am
[...] Syuhud wrote on his blog : ” There are times when clear identity is not obligatorily required, and anonymity is forgiven and understood by the readers. But there are times where clear identity [...]
January 18, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Dear Mas Fatih,
Seems like I started to like your blog.
The topic you discussed above is very interesting to me.
You said, “Credibility more often than not is very much to do with whether there’s self-interest in it or not.” And you tried to make it clearer with your example about the Muslim campaign for minority (non-Muslim). You even said, “Not the other way around.”
My question is, do you think everyone has to be in the opposite position of the topic s/he is discussing to be considered “credible”?
Can I not be credible for speaking about, for ex: Islam, because I’m a Muslim?
So the minority are almost for sure not credible when talking about themselves?
I agree with your opinion that a blogger must show his/her face in order to be credible. But, I don’t think you have to be in the position against your topic to be credible. And I don’t think that even everybody who speaks NOT on behalf of whatever s/he belongs to is always credible.
And going back to your statement about the existence of self-interes, assessing one’s self-interest is way from easy. How can we know that when, let’s say I, as a Muslim speaks about human right of the minority (non-Muslim) in Indonesia, there is no self-interest in my voice?
Thanks for reading my long comment. I think you can offer a great discussion.
Salam,
Ian
#Hi Mas Ian, thank for the thoughtful comment. I may respond it later. Keep up the good writing. I’ve visited your blog.
March 2, 2009 at 6:58 am
Nice articel
July 28, 2009 at 2:51 am
[...] Scientific and Credible Blogger [...]
September 10, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
September 10, 2009 at 4:20 pm
I love your site.
Love design!!! I just came across your blog and wanted to say that I?ve really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. Sign: ndsam
September 10, 2009 at 4:21 pm
I love your site.
Love design!!! I just came across your blog and wanted to say that I?ve really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. Sign: ndsam
September 10, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Blogging now deys is needed for all, to make more closer to the reader and costomer (for business), it’s info regularly, so, the reader/ customer always remember to us.
November 9, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Okay good point.