Sunday, July 01, 2007

Of visitors to blogs...

It is the beginning of July. The last six month of this year has been good. Life has been great. I have been enjoying blogging all the way and it add color to my journey of life. Many visitors visit my blogs. Not that many and I am happy with it. An average of hundreds visitors from all over the world visit and read my blog. I thanks them all for that. At least my thought do reach some people and of some use. From time to time some ask permission to use those images that I posted and most of the time I gave permission with gratis. I love to see those images get wider publicity or of use to others. Sharing my thoughts whether through writing or images are my goal in blogging. I am indeed happy that others took the time to read those posting.

At time they drop comment[s] and I replied to everyone of those comments the best I could. Among the many visitors that posted comment is one that call himself as Monsterball. His comments are usual provocative but in between those line that he penned there are also wisdom. It is the wisdom part that I like most for I know it is only at the age he is now that he has that wisdom. I am of his age group and therefore understood his message loud and clear. I would answer his comment my way and would not get into discussion when I think that things does not seem to be leading to a right direction. I believe he read all those reply to his comments and I am sure he is satisfied with the reply. This interactive way actually is good for us blogger for we need to know what others say on the the same subjects that we wrote. Of course there are those people who posted unrelated comments that has nothing to do with the subject posted. This I just reject from been posted, I do not want to get into discussion on things that are sensitive to our society and the world community at large. As for those comments from Monsterball in my blog, I just accept it as one of those things that come and go. Probably he wanted to get it out of his chest and he found my blog as one of the venue for that. Sir, whoever or wherever you are, it is alright with me if you use my space for that.

Reading some of the other's blog I sometime posted comments as well and at one time get a bashing for my thoughts which they seem not to accept. They think their thoughts are the only one that are right and others are all wrong. Well that is our world. It is not a perfect world but to enjoy living we have to accept the fact that what's made our world so colorful. The beauty in that imperfectness. Making our world so beautiful and colorful. As I journey on I just takes it easy and when I found some posting that worth commenting I would leave a comment with all sincerity. Hoping that my comments would give more positive input to the person's posting. I would just respect others comments even if I found that it is not to my liking or not that nice to read. I would just take it as an in passing happening. In a way it add color to my days. Friends that is life. Have a nice day.

4 comments:

mutalib saifuddin said...

Pak Idrus,

Yes, human beings are not perfect. At least, you have treated people who commented your blog with 'provocative but wisdom' with sincerity, and there's no problem with that.

Feedbacks are important for humans like us as they would help us to improve anything that we do- from good to the best.

Reading it further, sorry if i used some pictures from your blog- the BUM 2007 coverage without your written consent. The least i can do is that to give credit to the owner of the picture.

Thanks.

Pak Idrus said...

mutalib, thanks for the visit. The kind words and that informative comments. Agreed that feedback are important and useful. As for those images, from the start I have already 'wakaf' 'gratis' it all for others to use for good cause and purposes. It is alright with me if they did not seek permission but as usual there are people out there who seek permission as a courtesy. I do that often when I need to upload others images. I am indeed glad that others choose to use my images. Thanks and have a great day. Take care.

A Voice said...

Pak Idrus

I do notice the positive or "baik sangka" views of yours. Sometimes it seems to borders on naivity but I do not like to believe so, for you seemed to be a man, who has reached positions and rub shoulders with greatness.

Pardon me for such outrightness. Nevertheless, I do find you as a nice, pleasant and conversable man. Somebody out there must have a more rosier outlook of life. I hope you do a better effort to express and rationalise your views.

I think you shouldn't take to heart differences of opinion to that of yours for differences are unavoidable. And, about them thinking others are wrong and they are right, I guess it is a matter of degree. Everyone with an opinion thinks they are right, even how poorly justified it is.

It is wrong when they do not allow others a space to speak.

I used to live in America, during the better times, for quite a number of years and appreciated the meaning and responsibility of freedom of speech.

If I can crudely describe it, it is about the rights to speak at the top of your lung on an opinion you believe strongly and respecting the rights of others to say something that would make your blood boil. In that respect, I fought agst apatheid and couldn't believe my ears to hear of those who justify it. THats freedom of speech and I believe in it!

Those of similar political ideological persuasion with mine tend have reservation of it. The oppressed voices in this country are screaming at the top of their voicees for this right. We can hear it loud enough in the blogs and socio-political websites. But the question I beg is:

Are Malaysians ready for it?

My answer is an emphatic NO.
We are not ready for freedom of speech.

On one scale, there is the easily slighted part of Malaysians and tendency to forgo polity and lack of sensitivity in debates. Malaysians can't handle the truth when it comes to issues of race, religion and history. It can turn ugly when one side couldn't articulate their views well and they other side exploit it to the hilt.

Then, there is a lack of honesty in expressing their position. Most Malaysians are not wise enough. They either are not rightouesness enough or are actually pursuing their own narrow interest. A good example is the NEP discussion.

I for one, strongly believed that there is too much hidden agenda and manipulating hands behind many positions in public discussions. The change advocated tend to serve certain insiduous purpose and not the interest of the nation at large.

If you care to track the recent episode of bloggers and commentators uprising against Monsterball, it is a fine example in the exercise of freedom of speech and Malaysian unreadiness to be truthful and honest in debates.

The proponent against (including yours truly) laid out the issues. Some at the receiving end for his or her own reason choose to ignore. However, the directly affected party choose to react negatively in a denial, sentimentally rective, and dramatised fashion, than honest responses. Not to mention, the cheap debating tricks employed of killing the messenger by labelling, switches and baits of sloganeering his cause and creating bogey issues, underhanded decoys, and dramatisation for sympathy. All but not the core issue. It is still the Newtonian primordial reaction of an action invites an opposite and equal reaction.

The discussion of that incidence is merely to demonstrate that Malaysians are not ready for serious and honest engaement. And, the issue of Monsterball demonstrates an important point - politeness and truth.

Unless society learn to engage more politely and be sensitive to others, we will find it hard to acquire that freedom of speech from the power at be. And, if we are still out there to defend or spin untruth for the sake of our narrow interest, then freedom of speech has no use for.

Unless we are sincere to pursue truth and appreaciate civility, we will continue to provide devious hands the convenient justification. May 13 is a useful incident to remind us of the sneed for sensitivity and polity, and honesty to face up truth. Unfortunately, we tend to not speak of it than engage to find a positive way for the future.

An outright proclamation of freedom of speech will never happen but we can slowly undertake an evolution towards it. The first step to such is good manners and ethics of engagement. With that comes engage and embrace. Even that is a tall order.

I will be too optimistic to expect us to be able to respect opinions that will make our blood boil? Even AMerica has lost that tolerance.

Pak Idrus said...

a voice, thanks for the visit and that very informative comments. Appreciate your sincere thought.Have a nice day. C U again. take care.