The Anchoress

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all convictions, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
-W.B. Yeats, The Second Coming

A few days ago I wrote here, The blogosphere is certainly wild, lately. Almost feels like things have moved from fever swamp to something else…something careening out of control.

I was writing about this astonishing and troubling bit of investigating done by Classical Values, who basically revealed that a blogsite called Capitol Hill Blue (never checkd it out; know nothing about it beyond what CV relates) seems to be a hotbed of missing people, dubious resumes, and so forth. CV revealed the blog’s stunning and swift ability to “disappear” quotes, articles and people as his questions poured forth.

That, along with a few other cases of blog sock-puppetry and other things has more than made the case for me that certain parties within the blogosphere are beginning to whirrrr out of control. And that’s cause for concern, for several reasons, but mostly because when blogs become discredited, the whole “blogging community” suffers for it, and because, frankly - if this stuff doesn’t stop, someone is going to get hurt.

Too many people are beginning to fall into an “I have a blog and I’m not afraid to use it,” mentality, and that thought is morphing into an “I know where you live and where your children sleep” mentality.

The last thing we need is for the blogosphere to become a field of rampant bullies. Next thing you know, we’ll have to listen to Hillary droning on again about regulating bloggers and free speech.

So, I’m concerned, when I read stories that suggest intimidation tactics are being used by bloggers and “former intel people” against other bloggers, I’ve got to believe that some folks are simply losing their freaking minds. Or their humanity. Or both.

And while I am sorry to say this, because I know damn well that somewhere out there, there is a right-wing blogger capable of doing the same things, so far the strong-arm tactics and sock-puppetry have been largely perpetrated by “peace, love and tolerance folks”, in the “reality-based” left.

In fact, if anyone reading this knows of rampant sock-puppeting/life-threatening stuff originating from the rightwing blogs, please let me know, and I’ll highlight those, too. If they exist, they are not prominent.

Meanwhile…it has been said that blogging is nothing more than mental masturbation. If that’s so, may I suggest that certain bloggers get ahold of themselves…err…take themselves in hand…ummm, GET SOME FREAKING CONTROL OVER YOURSELVES!

Go out for a walk! Take a retreat! Go to the beach! Go help someone side their house! Leave the laptop home! Guess what, babycakes, if you don’t blog for a week, the world does not stop turning and nothing really changes! If you’re a blogger who is having trouble controlling your basest impulses, then fer cryin’ out loud, take a break and come back when you’re sane and in-control again.

Meanwhile, on the radio, not in the blogosphere, Chris Matthews, big-time professional journalist apparently had a meltdown on Imus.

Is it Bush Derangement Syndrome? Has contracting that disease become a pre-requisite to some on the left simply falling off their hinges?

I want to simply say, “grow up,” but…I don’t think this is about immaturity, petulance and boomer self-obsession, anymore. This is…something else.

Blue Crab Boulevard is reading the rest of the poem and not liking what it says.