A blog about Schools & Education, Religion & Faith, and Politics.
Real Name: Richard Bramer Member Since: June 27, 2006 Last Signed In: November 21, 2009 Profile Views: 741 Blog Views: 7796 McCain Backers Testosterone Levels Dropped After Loss Obama's Nobel Peace Prize: How Did That Happen? Obama Song: The Sad, Sorry Truth Conservatives Give - But Only to Their Churches Getting All Wee Weed Up Right Wing Poster Boy Gladney Needs Insurance Reform Sitting Here Awaiting the Obama Presser Anxiously A Tale of Two Kings: Jackson and Presley Fourth of July Weekend Open Invite What Does Coleman v. Franken Tell Us About Bush v. Gore? November 08 December 08 January 09 February 09 March 09 April 09 May 09 June 09 July 09 August 09 September 09 October 09 November 09 Sloganeering, platitiudes, 'gotcha' politicking - everyone recognizes it and everyone complains about it when it's aimed at them. It takes real dedication to avoid it. The way to proceed, I believe, is to avoid the desire to be humorous or cute in the midst of a serious political discussion. Avoid negative mental habits, fear or hate mongering and demonizing the opposition. Remember the truth in physics is simple; in politics it's complicated. If you can't name your views, the opposition's views and a third view, then you don't adequately understand the topic. The posts here will, at times, be lengthy but I will also support them with ample references, usually in the form of links, so that the reader will be left with more than just my position on a topic, but hopefully some information beyond that. 
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Can Blogging Teach You Anything?
There have been a lot of introspective posts on the bako.com blogs of late and a lot of personality and morality analysis between bloggers. I have finally been the object of some of this analysis myself. Yay, me!! Reading other people's guesses about your strengths and weaknesses is an odd experience. The thing is, most bloggers are acting behind a shroud of anonymity and so their online behavior cannot be expected to match their real life behavior. In fact, it could be expected that they would be ruder online, and often that seems to be the case. I think it's important to look at bloggers in that light. Unless, of course, they are not anonymous. There are a few who have their real names posted - like myself. So about my online behavior: am I really that condescending and arrogant (a couple of adjectives that have been applied recently - the cleanest two in fact). To be honest, this is not the first time I have been called those things; but I have never been called them to my face. It always comes from someone who has been subjected to my usually very formal writing style. In my case, 'who I am' is different from my online persona only because I am not now speaking to you. I expect that the difference between the written and the spoken word similarly impinges on everyone's online persona. There are certainly some bloggers whose 'shoot from the hip' style is born of their decision to write first and think later. To me, the advantage of the written word is that you can take the time to choose your words, so name-calling will never be part of my posts; sarcasm, yes - vulgarity, no. I recognize this is a choice and others make other choices. It is interesting only when you decide that you are going to proceed with the psychological examination based on this rather thin slice of information. On the other hand, my project in starting this blog was to take the political temperature of Bakersfield. I knew that we are a predominantly Protestant, Conservative community. But I also knew that the percentages of conservative to liberal people didn't match the political conversations I had heard in the media. I was curious to see what the mix was online. Additionally, however, I have seen some local politicians act in incredibly unprofessional ways with impunity - I wondered what happened to the voice of the opposition. So - is it possible for me to take the political pulse of our community by blogging? Is it possible to learn anything about the community at large through blogging? Does the community learn anything about me from my blogging? I think the position you take on this has a lot to do with your view of education. There are some who approach life as a perpetual student - always ready to learn. There are others who, having passed the age of majority, figure they have all they need 'on board' and resist any further lessons. Personally, I am one of the former. I think there is plenty I can learn about the community at large by blogging with a mere segment of it. I think there is much that people can learn about me by interacting with a mere segment of me. Whether or not the exercise is fruitful, however, depends on whether you aim at learning anything or not. In a pretty amusing series of posts on jazman's blog, folks were trying to figure out if I was socially inept because I couldn't help it or if it was a choice I was spitefully making, or if my apparent superior attitude didn't say something about the reader as much as it did about me. It has been said many times that the writer is both a mirror and a lens. The written word, as a communicative act that has to be heard and interpreted, brings with it the potential for new ideas but also is incumbent, in its interpretation, on whatever preceded it. I don't think the things I write are any different. I also think my reading of others' blogs here at bako.com is interpreted by me in ways perhaps not intended by their authors. Such is the nature of writing. I take offense at others' writing only when they clearly intend it. Name-calling counts here. Sarcasm, in absence of anything else, doesn't. Attitude, in absence of anything else, doesn't. Vocabulary, or the lack thereof, doesn't. To me the much more important job is trying to cull a new message from the writing - a message that I can rely on and take with me. Opinions don't count here - and there are those who have suggested I should stop with the polls and the links and the references. I reject the idea that our conversation should just be about opinions. There is nothing there of interest or value - you shouldn't be interested in mine, either. What counts is the possibility of an empirical truth outside of you and me - and who has seen it more clearly. Does global warming exist, for example? Is it caused by the activities of man? Some would say they don't believe it. Most would say they do. But the truth exists out there - someone is correct and someone else is wrong. It is in our interest to discover which is which. Our poliical future is, likewise, dependent on what we do today. The political decisions we make inform the choices we have available to us in the future. The Iraq War is a perfect example of this. A healthier curiosity about Saddam's posession of WMD would have done us all a world of good, had we exercised it then. The truth, by itself, is important and we need to pursue it - by ourselves because of our own self interest. We cannot just toss our opinions around and hope that those in control are behaving rationally or responsibly. So - the big question is: can we learn the truth by blogging? Again, I think we can. I think the healthy debate about what is real and what is not is exactly the best way to proceed. I argue with others with exactly this in mind. If I speak down to anyone it is because of the necessity, I believe, of reminding them of the importance of the conversation. Silliness, goading, baiting, name-calling, digression into personality, ad hominem attacks, 'gotcha politicking'... it is all so much a waste of our time. So who am I to take this stand? How dare I presume to be the arbiter of your behavior if it is counterproductive to the task at hand? I don't. But neither will I remain quiet about it. I hope that a more comforting take-away message for my detractors is this: I at least hold myself to the same standard. I don't decry name-calling and pursue it myself. I try to stay on topic and I am respectful to those that offer respect in exchange. I don't think I'm much different than most bloggers here. 15 comments from 7 users
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posted by
witterpitters
on Jan 2, 2009 at 01:06 PM
AHHHHHHHHHH there you go!!! You DO have a sense of humor!!! Why is 'Silliness' a waste of time? Do you not see the 'silliness' in life? Just for the record, what I write I would say to you face to face one on one, as that is who I am :-) One needs to take life seriously...............sometimes. The rest of the time life is fun! Silly. Just a plain giggle! If you take life or yourself too seriously for too long a period of time, you eventually burn up and out. There are some who approach life as a perpetual student - always ready to learn. Thus the reason I sometimes ask the same question of different people :-) posted by
Lingtaowoo
on Jan 2, 2009 at 01:28 PM
Blogging.....from what I've seen on here over a period of time is that some see the glass as half full...while others see it as half empty...yet both are right-and wrong...but there is still those out there that insist that they are right--even at the point of grabbing you by the neck and cramming it down your throat---and thats too bad too.... I miss some of the folks that use to be out here...but they left...this is alot like a witch hunt here...no respect for ones opinions...just to mean mouth them and call names..... I'm sorry...I was raised a different way--to respect others opinions....the rules were fair..(look above)..and yet we deviate from them--me included....but I think I'm going to kick it up a knotch...and say bye-bye for awhile..... I'm really looking forward to some good news from 2009...but it's not going to happen over night...but I know what can happen over night...I can start with myself and my wife,,,she's doing much better and now it time to 'get into things together'...even if its just for a drive...... But to constantly go back and forth at each other is nonsence.....complain all you want---you are not going to sway that other persons beliefs or way of thinking---but to see it all day--EVERY day is old..... So GOOD LUCK BAKERSFIELD...call me when there is happier topics to talk about----and stop being mean to each other---as adults--we're suppose to be setting an example......
Of course...thats just my opinion...
John posted by
RedMouse
on Jan 2, 2009 at 02:17 PM
I have to agree with you John. I think faster then I can type and in doing so I am always hitting the wrong keys. I have been called stupid among other names and it is simply just a mistake in my typing. What do I think about this? I think that there are some people out there who can't feel good about themselfs unless they are bashing someone else. I could never and will never stoop to this level but for all the rude people on here there are twice as many great people on here who have storys to tell and I love reading them. So to all the great folks who are still out there, Thank you and I promass to never bring up anyone elses type Os lol as long as you forgive all of mine. :) posted by
Lingtaowoo
on Jan 2, 2009 at 02:26 PM
Thank You RED MOUSE...have a GREAT 2009 posted by
adampayne
on Jan 2, 2009 at 02:31 PM
Thanks for the thoughtful post! I enjoy reading your viewpoints and always appreciate that you source your facts. I am glad you have become such a good contributor to this blogsite. posted by
dirtyshirt
on Jan 2, 2009 at 02:39 PM
This is what I mean. Almost everybody agrees to the maturity rule, or the 'be nice' rule or whatever you want to call it. I don't see why this is a problem for some. btw: if my statement that "neither will I remain quiet about it" sounds like a stubborn ultimatum or something, I should rephrase. My point is to say that I will continue, for example, to defend those who are getting a new one ripped for them. posted by
witterpitters
on Jan 2, 2009 at 03:01 PM
DS: wow sure could have used your defense back in HS when I was getting verbally pick on!! Had to learn how to fight my own battles................with humor and words :-) Growing old is mandatory......................maturity is optional. I opted out!!! Makes life much more fun!! posted by
dirtyshirt
on Jan 2, 2009 at 04:08 PM
witterpitters: I don't know what to say exactly... How about this: we are a community of adults and you (seem to be) implying that being immature and continuing some verbal harassment that you experienced as a HS student is okay with you among us. It also sounds as if my post represents, to you, merely a defensive posture aimed at relieving me from the same. Have I understood you correctly? posted by
witterpitters
on Jan 2, 2009 at 04:12 PM
DS: Have I understood you correctly? Nope! Waayyyyyyyyyy off base!!!! posted by
dirtyshirt
on Jan 2, 2009 at 04:40 PM
Oh. Good. Confused about the post still, but greatly relieved. So far off base I'm gonna get tagged out? Yeah? Thought so. posted by
witterpitters
on Jan 2, 2009 at 04:45 PM
DS: struck out! didn't even get off home plate!! cha-ching!!!! You're confused because you don't know me and my weird/wicked sense of humor!! and the fact you're a guy and most guys don't understand girls!! LOL posted by
saberhagen
on Jan 2, 2009 at 05:11 PM
DS, your posts are intelligent, often insightful and mostly very well written. Unfortunately, the well written part of your communicative efforts is unappreciated and even despised by some who feel good prose somehow suggests arrogance, condescension, etc. And then there is the amazing filter phenomenon whereby some people totally misconstrue or misinterpret your writing and tend to become accusative and even punitive should they feel your views contradict theirs, whether true or not. The wide diversity of bloggers tend to view and comprehend (or not) through a variety of personal filters, of which some are quite distorted by anger, hostility and a host of other negative emotions. In a lifetime of journalistic writing, I have discovered that a writer can clearly and conclusively say a particular color and some will read another entirely different color or misconstrue any other crystal clear statement to mean the exact opposite or anything else they themselves conjure in their own minds. Some readers will react angrily in knee jerk fashion to a statement you never made. It's best that you not take their hostility to heart lest you allow yourself to become upset or hurt. Keep in mind that no good can come from engaging the hostile crackpots and wackos who seem to proliferate in blogdom, and refrain from response to ad hominem attacks and other garbage and stupidity. By all means do not allow idiots and sphincters to influence or degrade the quality of your communication. Confine and direct your discourse to the intelligent factions here and you will be a happier blogger. But if you must play with the wackos for amusement, do it in a carefully crafted non-combative way, as the animals can become very, very ugly when confronted with their failings.
posted by
sagefever
on Jan 2, 2009 at 06:20 PM
Very nicely done. There are all kinds here~ even the more "snarky" types are humans. One can learn from everything,we always have some common denominator. Personally I try to refrain from acting like a child~ while retaining a childlike sense of the fun and silliness of life. Otherwise I tend to go mad and cry way too much. I enjoy reading your posts and am glad you are here. posted by
witterpitters
on Jan 2, 2009 at 06:35 PM
See there DS.................Sage knows what I'm talking about! She's not confused!!! But then she's a she also *giggle* posted by
sagefever
on Jan 2, 2009 at 06:50 PM
:-) I was hoping that might clear things up a bit.
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