Technoblogic

There are only three things in the world that I hate, and one of them is Andrew Marr.

Wait, that's not true. Not Hate, the other one. Like. That's it, I like Andrew Marr. But you've probably heard about his attack on bloggers. He dresses up as the vigilante "Journo-Man" and beats bloggers up. Not really, he actually said:

"A lot of bloggers seem to be socially inadequate, pimpled, single, slightly seedy, bald, cauliflower-nosed young men sitting in their mother's basements and ranting. They are very angry people ... So-called citizen journalism is the spewings and rantings of very drunk people late at night ... It is fantastic at times but it is not going to replace journalism ... Most of the blogging is too angry and too abusive." Along with many others, I thought what better way to respond than write an angry drunken blog.

I may be socially inadequate, pimpled, single, slightly seedy, angry, abusive, drunk and ranting late at night, but I am not sitting in my mother's basement. How dare he suggest such a thing. How. Dare. He. I'm also not bald, and my nose has been called many things but never cauliflower-ey.

What Marr has failed to realise is that blogging and "citizen journalism" are two distinctly different things. Most bloggers are not writing to "replace journalism" but simply to express their views and maybe make people laugh. These angry rants can be brilliant, particularly Michael Legge's award winning blog. Crucially, the generalisation that Marr has made is deeply unprofessional and out of touch. A lot of us are these angry men that he describes, but a lot of bloggers are angry girls too. Joking aside, he's promoting an unfair stereotype, something I wouldn't expect of such a respected journalist.

Or would I? This is the man who last year asked Gordon Brown if he was "one of those" who used "prescription painkillers and pills to help them get through." Not only was this deeply low and unprofessional, the rumours upon which the question was based were themselves generated on A FUCKING BLOG. According to this article from The Guardian, John Ward blogged about the alleged painkillers after hearing about Brown's dietary requirements. He recognised the diet as one proscribed to those on a certain antidepressant. Is that better journalism then Andrew Marr? Furtherfuckingmore, the man who told Ward about the dietary requirements had consumed "a couple of drinks." So drunken ramblings aren't good enough for the internet but are a viable basis for a question to the Prime Minister on BBC television.

The internet is full of a lot of shit from drunk people, but its also home to some absolute gold. To generalise and ignore this is irresponsible, and Marr's remarks are ill-conceived and out of touch. Not all blogs are angry ranting, this one required research! And ANDREW MARR IS A FUCKING HYPOCRITE. Hope I didn't just undermine my argument. This hypocrisy is shown by the above example, but what do I know, I'm just a socially inadequate, pimpled, single, slightly seedy, angry, abusive, drunk blogger.

The title of this blog is a clever play on the song Technologic by Daft Punk. Yes it is clever, shut up. So I'll leave you with Daft Punk's Harder Better Faster Stronger, even though you already know it, cos it's still brilliant, and better than the Kanye West one.