"Every quote, every image, every video that you post can capture the attention of the whole world."My blog, in my humble opinion, presents an overall positive view of what life is like here in Jasaan. I do consider myself on the forefront of promoting Jasaan specifically, and the state of Misamis Oriental, it's capital of Cagayan De Oro, and the island of Mindanao. However, it should be realized that that is more an accident of content than a measured effort on my part.
US deputy chief of mission Leslie Bassett gave this message to some 500 bloggers from all over the island who graced the 3rd Mindanao Bloggers Summit here last Saturday.
Bassett called for responsible blogging even as she reminded bloggers that any information or data they post on the Net could be seen by millions around the world and could shape impressions on Mindanao.
Since I didn't hear the entire speech, I may be wrong about this: However, I totally disagree with Ms. Bassett's (or at least this newspaper article's) insinuation that "responsible blogging" engenders a responsibility to "shape impressions" (and by this, I would assume that this means to "[positively] shape impressions") on Mindanao. I certainly wouldn't consider holding my tounge about anything negative I encounter here in Jasaan. Hell: For all I know, Ms. Bassett may have been thinking about my posts regarding the Rany Stirm Boat Situation specifically when she made that statement.
Bloggers are not promoters; their responsibility is only to their own story they wish to tell (within whatever legal and moral framework they may have been placed). They are individual sets of eyes and ears who report on their own interests and what they see around them. Jungle Jil is a "household newspaper". What I and my family and home encounter day by day goes on this blog... and that includes the not-so-nice stuff I have — and have yet to — encounter.
2 comments:
Hello Jil,
Im sure glad you dont paint a false picture of paradise on this blog. I mean the Philippines is a great country but like all countrys it has its faults. It is my opinion the faults should be pointed out because some people read this blogs before making a very life altering discision to up and move to the other side of the world and Id truly pity a person who made that choice by buying into what some blogs and yahoo groups are selling, which is a false picture of a earthly eutopia. Anyway great job on your blog and while you told another anonymous poster that your blog is obscure I sure enjoy reading it. Out of curiosity, is it just a labor of love? I ask as I see no ebooks, google ads, affiliate ads or etc that I can click.
Anon,
Yes... my blog is a "labor of love". I started blogging actually because my mother was always asking me to send e-mails telling her how I was doing. I just figured that this was a better way of keeping her (and everybody else) informed of what I'm up to. (I added in the political commentary and other interesting things as a form of self-entertainment as well.)
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