As the author of the other article on blogging published today at Online Opinion, I couldn't disagree more. Readers could consult my article - http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=3376 - to find out why, but, naturally, I've also responded to Mr Donahoo at my blog - http://larvatusprodeo.redrag.net/2005/04/22/bahnisch-on-blogging-online-opinion/

Mark Bahnisch
http://larvatusprodeo.redrag.net/

And - in the spirit of the medium.

I have responded to mark in his blog...

http://larvatusprodeo.redrag.net/2005/04/22/bahnisch-on-blogging-online-opinion/

well aware if I start to engage too throughly in this process others will use it as a way of debunking my argument.

Yet - there are thousands of such interactions going on online everyday - hundreds on this forum already this year...how many have you read about? How effective are these discussions really? Or are they just a vent.

How many hours have people wasted pooring over emotionally charged forum comments? Has it changed views? Is the world a better place for engagement of this kind - where identities are never disclosed and slander and vitroiol often regin?

The internet is a valuable tool. It is also an addictive one that must be used in moderation...

Daniel, it's actually easier to debate the issues on a blog where there aren't rules such as:

"No more than 2 posts per article in any given 24 hour period".

Hence if we were to start engaging in a realtime interaction, we couldn't do it here.

Make sense?

Well Daniel is a lot less influential than he thinks.The perfect article to write when he runs out of ideas.Pathetic!!

Bloggers are just another word for whingers who don't have the substance to say what they mean out loud. I blog I whinge but I am also out spoken. If the Bloggers of the world got together then maybe they would make a difference. The dumb so called mum & dads make the choices in Australia (at the moment). This will all change very shortly when it is realised money don't make my heart pump. Where's all my taxes and health care payments gone and my super is worth nothing. What do we do just blame the silent majority who blog. The loud dumb people will die soon

Although I wouldn't go so far as to just call them just whingers, the whole blog scene seems to be a lame attempt to attract attention or pretend like your opinion is worth listening to, much like what i am doing now.

Everyone has an opinion, and just because you don't have a million dollars or a string of academic qualifications behind you, doesn't mean yours is unimportant, because everyones opinion is important. So what does qualify someone to be able to bombard us with their opinions? We'll judging by the media opinions we get everyday, or the ones my lecturers attempt to drum into me, not much.

However I would say that to be able to express an opinion, you must have to take responsibility for that opinion. A blog is a cheap way to get off with trying influence people whist taking no responsibility for the effects of this or having to take ownership of it in their lives. Lets face it, I could blog about the evils of gambling, and then spend all day in the casino. Or I could blog about the need for reform somewhere, people take my opinion on board, change it, and it all goes to pieces and I am not at all responsible.
The price of Influence, Leadership and ultimately, as the quote goes, Greatness, is Responsibility. If you have so much to contribute, take a stand, do it publicly, relationally and in reality, not on the web, and stand up and take responsibility, like our politicians, that so many of the barbs in these blogs are directed at, do everyday.