Frankly speaking, I dislike anonymous blogger or ghost blogger as I prefer to call it, particularly those who blog/write on such sensitive issues as politics and religion. Speaking of the latter topic without giving a clear name and identity, to me, does not represent a good intention, and thus credibility. A writer or a blogger who rigorously writes on those issues while hiding one’s true identity and name –such as the one behind indonesiamatters.com deserves our suspicion of having a hidden agenda. Specially when one is critical to certain religion while generously flattering or defending another most of the time.
I also notice that many foreign expatriates who blog on Indonesia tend to hide their identify or go pseudonymous. It’s of course their rights to do so as far as, as mentioned above, the themes they are talking about are not about certain sensitive issues. Unless they’re the ones who don’t care to keep their personal credibility and the credibility of their writings intact, being anonymous in writing such issues is a folly. Despite I highly appreciate those who are critical to themselves– like Juan Cole– I regard as far as writing, self-critical is the highest virtue; I still am able to find the way to appreciate those extreme right-wingers who talk rubbish all the time against others like Daniel Pipes (danielpipes.com)– who are vehemently anti-Arab, anti-Islam and Muslims and praises himself and the world he represents to the hill– for his gut to show his face. We may agree or disagree on something, but let’s do it on eye-to-eye basis. On blogging term, let’s not be anonyomus. That’s what a real man should do.
In short, what I would like to say is this: anonymous blogger is a coward. Sadly most foreign exparts in Indonesia are anonymous blogger. Rob Baiton, an expat in Indonesia for 15 years, therefore is a few exception. Go to his blog right away, and you will find out why.
Further Reading:
List of previous Blogger Indonesia of the Week and requirements to get reviewed
ouch!
(my longer comment is posted)
Hi again Fatih
I’m not angry – just trying to indicate that there’s a ‘netiquette’, probably ‘western’ orientated. Free expression, as afforded by the internet, is generally a new concept here in the, erm, Orient, so there isn’t yet the ‘tradition’ of allowing others to express opinions. Given that it isn’t quite ten years since President Habibie abolished state control of the press, Indonesia has made quite remarkable strides.
However, it is still only ranked 100 (out of 169 countries) in the just published Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2007 ~ a rise of 3 places. Bearing in mind that most of the mass media is owned by remnants of the old New Order, then the ‘alternative media’, of which we bloggers are part, has an important role to play as a disseminator of dissenting viewpoints.
By all means, it is only right that arguments are offered which aim to refute opinions, but personal abuse is definitely unacceptable. Unfortunately, your repeated theme/comment about anonymity is taken personally and is definitely a breach of ‘netiquette’.
That is why I took down your link. You have done as much as anyone in Indonesia to promote free expression through blogging, so it is unfortunate that you sometimes feel it necessary to criticise others who make Indonesia their home and only wish the best for this country.
#Well jak, first of all, it’s ok if my good gesture is declined. the ball is on you not me. i’m just trying to be a bit magnanimous, if it’s not reciprocated it’d be fine.
on netiquette, sorry to say you’re inconsistent. while you can’t tolerate personal criticism you did it yourself. self-righteousness, holier-than-thou attitude is what make individual–and sometimes a nation–deteriorates or at least need a long time to grow-up.
Code of conduct is a moral call. It’d be used as self-justification and/or finger-pointing-others if it’s not attached to personal integrity. We see this often happens. We say “unethical” to others if we feel one makes us angry; implicitly we want to claim it’s “us” who are in a bigger level of ethics. It happened down the memory lane; it’s happening now.
Yeah, the worms are out. I agree with most of the comments above. Your biased view of saying anonymous blogger is a coward is really baseless. You are writing about a “blog of the week” whilst you are actually bashing other bloggers unrelated with the subject of this writing with your own opinion. What is your aim with this post? Are you claiming by writing your full name (maybe with your phone numbers, email addresses, home address, your girfriend’s birth date, your bank account number, etc. you name it!) everywhere in your blog makes you a courageous person? Just show me your writing about a controversial issue with your full name. I bet you are afraid to do that. What you can do and this is what you’re doing is attacking other anonymous persons because you know they are anonymous.
Fatih.
In your post about ‘Blogger of the week – Rob Baiton’ you write about others and offer very little appreciation of a fine writer and concerned long-term resident. You disrespect him.
Dekisugi has described what constitutes bad ‘netiquette’ in the opinion of your critics. Interestingly, he’s Indonesian so I was mistaken in assuming that concepts of what constitutes a degree of respect to other writers is a ‘western’ concept.
Some notions are universal.
Respect to you Dekisugi.
J.
@dekisugi & jakartass: as far as defending anonymity in this comment box blogger is concerned Rob Baiton’s words is the most credible one simply because he’s defending something beyond his interest; himself is NOT anonymous. This is what i meant with this post and this post.
Anonyomous blogger who defends anonymity is a common people phenomenon. Everybody wants to defend oneself interest. One who defends someone’s else interest is a rarity, like Rob Baiton and some others, and therefore deserves duly appreciation and respect.
You know what? You’re free to criticize anything in your blog. I did that too in my blog. But the way this writing is aggregated in blog-indonesia.com makes me sick. You pretend to be a honest writer reviewing other bloggers, but you’re not.
To J, thanks. Some people are just dumb to realize that there is a universal free speech.
Trust me, had I blogged anonymously, my writings in this blog would’ve never aggregated in blog-indonesia.com, globalvoicesonline.org of USA and agoravox.com of france. Also Koran Tempo and some foreign journalists would’ve never interviewed me, Tempo magazine would’ve never put me in the first place of its top ten blogger indonesia. See my About page for more. Some people may enjoy–to some extent– the writings of anonymous writers but some–including me– do not. as simple as that.
Yeah, I hope they-who-mistakenly-aggregated-your-blog learn from this writing and take yours down, because you love to attack other people without any reliable sources. Some people do not enjoy onymous personal attack writings -include me-. As simple as that.
#oh my, you seem harder to understand than i expected. sorry.
[...] nobody minds if there is no exposure about such a personal attack blog post. However, in a blog post written supposedly about “blogger Indonesia of a week”, aggregated in blog-indonesia.com and who-knows-other aggregators, instead of reviewing the [...]
Sir
I don’t think I get the point of the article or at least it’s not lucid.
Would Indoneisan Literature have existed without the use of the pseudonym. Please reflect upon how Multatuli, Rivai, Munsji, Tan Boen Kim and Wiggers used their anonymity to help fight just causes and live as writers.
#have you read all articles the link of which are given at the end of the posts. if not, please do. if you have, you might’ve missed the important points and thus reread them.
so it is unfortunate that you sometimes feel it necessary to criticise others who make Indonesia their home and only wish the best for this country.
Right, you preaches freedom of expression but yourself can’t take criticism ?
As is, Fatih’s criticism to anon bloggers may seem strong. But if you put the context (only political & religious topic), then it makes more sense.
So I was lost when you gave example from a literature instead.
To make it clearer, try reading these posts as well :
http://treespotter.blogspot.com/2006/08/on-indonesia-matters.html
http://harry.sufehmi.com/archives/2006-07-18-1212/
This is an example of an abuse of “freedom of speech”, bordering on hate speech.
Otherwise, like Fatih, I’m absolutely fine with anonymous blogging. Especially for whistleblowing.
Right, I just browsed around and found these :
http://www.jakchat.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/62291
http://treespotter.blogspot.com/2007/09/on-indonesian-bloggers.html
My mind still boggles from what I read so far.
Treespotter probably said it best about you :
You are just one twisted and gruntled old bigot, sadly. You keep talking about not discriminating people etc. etc. and yet, you persistently, over the years, over singling me out for one thing or another, why because i’m brown?
I personally think you need to relax a bit more and don’t try to read too much about everything.
You ended up contradicting yourself about many things, PestaBlogger for example (insult to you or finance transparency or what?)
And we knew how PestaBlogger ended up – we got acknowledgement from minister of communication (among many other things) himself.
Jakartass, you need to be a bit more positive. I’m sure you’ll be able to accomplish so much more that way.
Stop looking down on us from your high chair (Free expression, as afforded by the internet, is generally a new concept here in the, erm, Orient) and start working together with us to make Indonesia a better place. I know you can.