Friday, September 28, 2007

Meanwhile...

I kind of feel like Laura Palmer.



Why? Because blogtopia is pissing me off.

I'm not saying "nobody blogs about stuff." Because, well, that would be a lie. Even "big name" bloggers actually post about these things. And hell, I'm not any sort of actionable information machine these days.

It's just that, post about boobs, get over a hundred comments.

Meanwhile...
YANGON, Myanmar - Soldiers and police took control of the streets Friday, firing warning shots and tear gas to scatter the few pro-democracy protesters who ventured out as Myanmar's military junta sealed off Buddhist monasteries and cut public Internet access.

On the third day of a harsh government crackdown, the streets were empty of the mass gatherings that had peacefully challenged the regime daily for nearly two weeks, leaving only small groups of activists to be chased around by security forces.

"Bloodbath again! Bloodbath again!" a Yangon resident yelled while watching soldiers break up one march by shooting into air, firing tear gas and beating people with clubs.

Thousands of monks had provided the backbone of the protests, but they were besieged in their monasteries, penned in by locked gates and barbed wire surrounding the compounds in the two biggest cities, Yangon and Mandalay. Troops stood guard outside and blocked nearby roads to keep the clergymen isolated.


Meanwhile...
GENEVA, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Some 480,000 Iraqis have registered as internal refugees or IDPs since the start of 2007, bringing the total in the country to more than 2.25 million, the IOM relief body said on Wednesday.

The IOM, or International Organisation for Migration, said most of those leaving their homes were fleeing sectarian violence -- with 88 percent saying they had moved after being targeted for their religious identity.

"The situation is becoming a displacement catastrophe," Dana Graber Ladek, a Jordan-based official for the IOM, told a news conference. "It is certainly the worst crisis of its type the whole (Middle East) region has seen since 1948."
Etc., etc., etc.

I think all I'm saying is it gets really, really tiresome to see the more inconsequential things spark the most outrage again and again and again.

**ADDED**
Meanwhile...

Meanwhile...

Meanwhile
...

Sigh. I guess I'm not sure what my point is. I mean, beyond, 'What is the point of the Feminist blogosphere, anyway?' What are we doing with ourselves, besides "examining our choices?" There has to be something more to it, right?

6 comments:

Renegade Evolution said...

Vanessa: i think it is because the bigger things are jaw dropping epic WTF?!?!, I mean, most people are gonna look and whats going on in Myanmar and say "That shit is fucked up!" its so horrific, and its REAL, and its SCARY...so people blow off steam and get personal about shit like tits...

I mean, I watched the movie "The Lord of War" tonight. Its one of my favorites, but it is a grim fucking movie, and the scary thing is, ITS TRUE...war and this vile shit will continue as long as people can profit from it, and that is so jaw dropping, its just...well, enough to render people silent

Vanessa said...

Well, that's definitely a reason. I just don't feel like it's a good enough excuse.

I don't know. I've just felt myself growing increasingly dissatisfied with my complacent American lifestyle.

Elaine Vigneault said...

I think people tend to care most about the issues and people closest to them. It's difficult to imagine the brutality that people in Darfur or Burma are undergoing right now, even with YouTube videos and blogs. But it's really easy to discuss things we know intimately, like ourselves.

Also, four million shelter dogs die every year in the US. It's not "dumbass shit that affects no one." You might not care about puppies, but some of us do. The four million killed dogs is the real world. And it affects the dogs who die and the shelter workers who have to kill them. It's an American tragedy.

And the FACT that there is a link between cruelty to animals and cruelty to humans is one feminists ought to consider. Look at what China does to dogs. It's the same thing they do to the citizens.

All of the feminist bloggers have been blogging about all kinds of things. They/we are not ignoring "the real world." If you don't see us writing about it or doing something about it, you're just not paying attention.

As for the comments, well, people get riled up over things they know more than things they don't, like I said above. People have strong reactions, yours included, to discussions about "puppies and sex."

Vanessa said...

And the FACT that there is a link between cruelty to animals and cruelty to humans is one feminists ought to consider.

I think the link between complacency and inaction and cruelty to humans is a stronger one.

Please don't use this as an opportunity to spout about your pet cause.

Vanessa said...

Also, I'm pretty sure if you read my post I said, "I'm not saying "nobody blogs about stuff." Because, well, that would be a lie. Even "big name" bloggers actually post about these things. And hell, I'm not any sort of actionable information machine these days."

So I am paying attention, thank you.

Anonymous said...

I completely agree. I think this corrupts us bloggers too - you know you'll get more traffic and interest if you post on something lighter and poppier.

P.S as you know I LOVE Twin Peaks references so that should get in the fluffy-piece searchers, good ploy, haha. And thank you for adding me to your blogroll, I've really enjoyed exploring your recommendations there too.