Nov 6, 2009

Were bloggers being too mean to you, Waters?

John Waters is in the Irish Times today, whining about bloggers aka citizens journalists. Away he went pontificating about mob mentality and whinging about bloggers being mean to his bestest buddy Bono. Naturally, he doesn't name the blogs he quotes because the backlash would be too much for his delicate feefees. Isn't that journalism fail right there? Isn't one supposed to credit when appropriating another person's words?




I've trashed Waters before because he is an arrogant misogynist asshole who thinks the whole world thinks like him - the essence of his straight, white man privilege. He disses bloggers for critizing his beloved Bono but makes no mention of his appropriation of poverty in the developing world in comparing it to Dublin. Yeah and I've actually been to and worked in parts of the developing world.

In another spectacular fail, he obsessed about infantile toilet humour rather than the civil rights violation and government influence on our supposedly free media.

You see, the bloggers don't agree with the special snowflake that is John Waters.

It was an interesting enough overview of a subject that will be much analysed in the coming weeks. More interesting, though for the wrong reasons, were the responses in the thread of posts from readers that grew on to the article. Of the 89 posts I could find, only four were vaguely and somewhat unenthusiastically positive about the article, aid, Geldof, Bono or indeed anything at all. A further eight might be called neutral, in that they sought to make some elliptical points about the issues raised, without rubbishing anyone.

Aid is a thorny issue. It raises serious concerns about colonialism, racism, poverty, the IMF, autonomy, government, corruption and strings to name but a few. Simplistic analyses do not add to the debate but obscure the real issues to be tackled.

The rest – roughly 85 per cent – were abusive, expressing rage, scorn, hatred, jealously, cynicism and an authorial self-righteousness lacking any visible means of support. Not a single post indicated that its author had been to Africa, or had any special knowledge of, or even interest in, that continent.

So says the man who compared Dublin to developing world poverty. Name your sources Waters. Did you cherry pick to find what you were looking for? Was 4chan one of your sources? Politics dot IE? That's the thing about the internet, you can prove your idiotic argument through subjective sources.




In broad strokes Waters dismisses citizen journalists. I find it fascinating considering the analysis being done by Irish bloggers to expose the corruption and petty meanness in our political system.

Waters, read The Story, Irish Election, Irish Economy and The Cedar Lounge Revolution to begin with and then think about what you wrote, asshole.

8 comments:

Kerry said...

Bono, John Waters - the world has moved on but they don't see it. He continually trashes net comments but he still reads them. He can even take the time to calculate percentages of pro aand anti WaterBonoGeldof. He gets paid to write. I write because I want to. I don't need to fill that space in the IT each week.Jumped up provincial. And I'm a provincial.

kerryview said...

that's me.

Mór Rígan said...

Isn't everyone outside Dublin a provincial. Normally I laugh him off but hard to believe he gets paid for his dribblings.

I write cos I want to too but it might be nice to get paid for it from time to time.

Ever noticed how the same people are always getting the high paid positions in this country? It boggles my mind that Joseph McCarthy is on Drivetime. Wouldn't you think they'd give the spot to someone or some people that are not famous and established? Not in this provincial little country!

Love your banner. Where is it?

kerryview said...

It's a pic taken with a old camera from Lamb's Head looking back towards Caherdanaiel and the trees around Daniel O'Connells house. I was on the way to Freddies for a nice cupla pints.
Same people? my god listen to any of the National radio stations mid morning Sunday - same old, same old dullards. I no longer listen.
I think you may have convinced me to really blog, or has Waters?
Keep it up

Mór Rígan said...

Thanks Kerryview. I'm not familiar with that part of Kerry. More of a Corca Duibhne girl myself.

Waters could make anyone blog just by writing. That guy has head head firmly lodged up his ass.

Can the IT please find someone, anyone else? Except Kevin Myarse obviously

fatmammycat said...

Dear lord, did you catch K Myarse and Waters on the Right Hook a few weeks ago? A twenty minute love in of dribbling wankery.

Mór Rígan said...

I make it a point to avoid K Myarse. There's only so much bile I can read!

Mór Rígan said...

I make it a point to avoid K Myarse. There's only so much bile I can read!