I generally avoid pondering meta-Kos. What other publications say or don't say about this blog or any other matters little to me. When I read or watch traditional media, I'm typically doing so to find out information or listen to opinion that's
not found on blogs. But it's a rainy Sunday evening here at DarkSyde Manor and I can't resist a few comments on this latest TNR line of nonsense. And frankly, it isn't easy to do so without imparting at least a little of the contempt I now feel for TNR and specifically for one Jason Zengerle. You'd think, considering the less than illustrious past of TNR, which happens to include uber fraudster
Stephen Glass, they'd be a tad more careful. Last week I didn't even know much about TNR nor did I hold them in low esteem. Now I figure maybe they're trying to open up a new market as the Nat'l Inquirer of online pubs, or perhaps our pal Jason spent some time talking to some brilliant fifteen year-old blogger about the twists and turns of the progressive blogosphere and was tempted to write a new piece. Maybe with a snappy title like, oh, I dunno,
Attack Heaven?
TNR/Zengerle just posted a retraction of sorts (That's right fellas, I'm not going to link you on the FP) admitting they screwed up and they threw in an apology. It happens to be one of the worst retractions and apologies I've ever seen, because even as the writer is ostensibly asking for forgiveness and admitting he totally fucked up by posting false information as if it were fact, he takes the opportunity to again imply that Kos is some kind of Lex Luther of the blogosphere.
Short version, the part that claims Markos in some unstated vague-but-oh-so-conspiratorial-way controls the blogosphere or tells people what to write therein ... that's
laughable. How exactly would Markos go about doing this I wonder? Mind rays? Really late night harressing phone calls? Because I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but bloggers aren't exactly afraid to mix it up with other writers and/or critique their peers on everything from choice of title to color and layout on one another's site. Isn't that's what most tradmed writers are bitching about in the first place up to now, that we're so terribly uncouth, such a rogue, independent horde? Goddamn, are we the great unwashed, uncontrollable masses or are we mindless, zombie patsies for a thirty something control maniac?
Anyone who's read even a few blog posts understands that bloggers follow up the main post in comments where they do not hold back or avoid controversy. Markos is secretly controlling the whole enchilada and the only evidence of the plot that any blogger has bothered to reveal is a vague e-mail that turns out to be fake? Pulllleeeeaze.
And if "Don" Markos was Da Kingpin, exerting ruthless control and influence by mysterious means, if not outright issuing marching orders on what other bloggers should write, one would think he would at least mention his decrees to his own front pagers, yes? Yet I can tell you from personal experience, not only does Markos not tell us what to write, I don't think he cares that much what we write about.
Here's a little insight into the super secret bat cave that TNR would have you believe exists: when you become a Daily Kos front pager, the very first time you pull up Daily Kos after you accept the invitation, you suddenly have an admin screen. It's kind of sobering to realize you can now go running barefoot through the innards of one of the highest trafficked blogs on earth! Inevitably one of the new front pagers--and by one of them I mean I was at least one of the one's that did so--says something to the effect that they're nervous, or don't feel ready, or want to post regular diaries for just a bit longer, or are planning to dip their big toe into the front page and test the water. Let me state this metaphorically so you can understand what happens next: The veteran front pagers take that person down to Lake Kos and throw them into the water head over heels. The typical response is something to the effect of "Look DS, you were voted by members of the community to write on the front page because of what you write about and how you write it, so write on the front page." But nowhere did anyone tell me what I should write.
The interesting thing is none of this comes from Markos, or at least it didn't come from him in my case or any other case I've seen. It comes from the past FPers in what I can only assume is some kind of affectionate rite of passage (Read: good natured hazing), probably because they felt the same way at one time and they know how to deal with it. And if that's not clear enough, as a rookie FPer I had several questions for Markos such as "Should I let you know ahead of time what I'm thinking of writing about", or "I've got a potentially interesting story developing, do you want to be kept up to speed on it?" I asked him something like that a few times, and each and every time I did I got a four letter response back that read simply "Nope."
When Markos says he wants this community to be a part of a people-powered progressive movement, that he has no interest in being a leader, it isn't false modesty or some kind of scheme. He means it. For whatever reason, the tradmed just can't seem to wrap their head around that simple fact. We Are A People Powered Movement. In a few months I'll be off the front page and a whole new crop will be voted onto it by--gasp--the people who read the site. Imagine that!
And if that's how Markos sees the DK community and the FP writers, excuse me if I laugh my ass off at the implication by TNR that he's some kind of super duper control freak with his long cyber claws reaching into ten thousand plus blogs across the world. OTOH, if TNR suspected or knew it was bullshit from the get go, and they only cared about propping up the sagging circulation of their rapidly tanking rag at the further expense of what little cred they have left, Mission Accomplished boys.