Just Because We’re Bloggers Doesn’t Mean You Own Us.
I wanted to sound off my opinion on this topic – why, you ask – because I’m a blogger, obviously, and that’s kind of what we do here on the interwebs.
It was this post on IFB that sparked my urge to want to chime in on the topic of whether or not bloggers should share their own political, religious, and otherwise sensitive opinions on their blogs.
Personally, I’m all for it. I might not always agree with their opinions and others might not agree with mine, but I was brought up with the belief that you respect the opinions of others because it’s a by-product way of respecting them as a person. After all, a person’s ideals and beliefs are an extension of who they are as a person and I think we can all do with a little more acceptance in the world, myself included. It’s not always easy to accept the things you may not agree with or like about a person, but it’s a task for humanity that I think is worth undertaking.
One thing that really irks me is the fact that we, in general, tend to think we own public figures. Whether that’s politicians, celebrities, or bloggers (not that I think I’m a celebrity because like 5 of you follow me, but I digress) – we like to think we can possess these people in some way – that they belong to us – and that we as the general public can define who they are, but that’s absolutely untrue.
Just because you’re a person who’s putting yourself out there for the public to see and judge doesn’t mean that you don’t have an opinion. It doesn’t mean you stop being a human being with feelings and emotions just because others can now comment on what you have to say.
It seems like a lot of bloggers get called out for having an opinion on a touchy subject. One way or another, whatever your opinion is, it will get criticized, and that’s true even when you’re not a public figure. God forbid you publish a touchy status update on Facebook. I am willing to bet it starts some kind of a feud with at least one person you know, but if you’re a blogger? You could be committing career suicide which is why many of us probably choose not to stand up (or sit down, as it were) for the things we believe in, but I’m not sure it’s in the best interest of what the internet is supposed to be about – the free flow of information.
Obviously, at the end of the day, you can choose to leave your personal life and thoughts off your blog. Keeping things professional is a great idea, especially if you monetize your blog, and at the end of the day it’s your personal choice. Because my personal choice is to keep things professional, kind, accepting, and open, I’ve shared my thoughts on topics that I think some people may disagree with, but I’ve always worked hard to keep communication open and accepting no matter what my or readers beliefs may be. Of course, it sometimes means sharing some of my thoughts and ideas that you may or may not agree with, but as a blogger, all I can do is put myself out there and hope that you won’t hate me for it.
