Thursday, January 25, 2007

A Different Kinda Blogger.

Like PC and Mac, BMW and Mercedes, Burger King and McDonald, the blog sphere is also made up of two different worlds. On one hand you've got bloggers who write about serious issues like politics, economy, socio-political (I've just learned this up) and stuff that shake and move the world. These are bloggers who'd get easily excited if you disagree with them, calling you names and things people usually say to each other before punches start flying, or before you stick a knife deep into their chest right below the plexus.
On the other hand, you've got bloggers like me, ordinary folks writing about things people like me get excited about. You know, small stuff like onions, garlics, pots and pans, or how to best cook your bee-hoon if you don't have the fish sauce made in Thailand. Or can I use the Gurkha kukri to slaughter a cattle, will it cut as well as the slaughter knife I bought from a butcher in Sydney.
I've learned during the last couple of days that bloggers from one corner of the blog sphere don't mix with those from the other corner. Their worlds are poles apart, and they don't laugh at the same thing. And you can bet your middle finger that they don't cry over the same thing either. Bloggers like me are not so concerned about this so-called freedom to express oneself because as far as we are concerned, we can very much say anything about onions or garlics without offending anyone especially the government. Name me one government in the world who gets easily offended if its citizen talk about onions and garlics and I'll show a very insecure government ready to go down anytime in a frying pan. We can also say anything we like about how to fry bee-hoon, or what to put it in, including honey if you want to, and you can bet your whole head that no one will be offended by this unculinary course of action, except maybe Chef Wan or Nigella. I bet both my toes that these TV chefs don't have time to read the kinda blogs I've got here and this, my friend, is as good a permit as my driver's licence to say anything I like about anything I can think of.
Of course I've gotta be responsible and accountable for things I say and be ready to be dragged to court if things I say in here can be construed as defamatory or whatever big words they've got in a law book.
Of course bloggers from the other corner of the blog sphere don't see things the way I do since they are from a different world, writing with different objectives, conforming to different values. They don't even use the same words I do. Their sentence structures are more sophisticated and refined. And most of them are university graduates, with law background, or journalists. People who read a lot of books and are still reading a lot more books to make themselves so clever you can't talk to them unless you read the same books they read. They talk in concept but I talk in things you can touch like how to sharpen your 12' chef knife, or a slicer, or what type of whetstone you should use if you want to sharpen your Japanese ceramic sushi knives.
I come from a different world but I made a mistake of stepping into their world for a brief moment because I thought I wanted to understand what was going on. It was a mistake because I realise bloggers from that corner of the blog sphere are short-tempered and they are quick to go after you with impolite words if you disagree with them. I hope we won't meet in the real world because I am not much of a guy who can talk very well and this could only make them more angry. After all people who have nothing nice to say about the government are usually hot headed and they get angry very quickly. I guess they don't call themselves radical hotheads for nothing.
Okay, I'm going back to my onions, garlics, pots and pans, and mountain bike.

17 Comments:

Blogger tee said...

same here too... so, mlm ni nok masak gapo?

4:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Awww, poor Bergen got haul over the coals.

Amik pots and pans, pegi masak-masak k?

Attaboy.

7:12 PM  
Blogger k.d said...

Mr.Bergen, you are always welcome over in my blog. I won't bite your head off at all..unless you said something nasty about my kids lah!!

Anyhoo, pi masak okay..cool down over the stemaming pots and pans!!

7:53 PM  
Blogger Jane Sunshine said...

Ah, I've been following the political blogs and I think I know where your comments stinged some ppl. But isn't it more of the commnenting folk who are to be blamed, not so much the political bloggers themselves.

Btw, I found myself agreeing with your comment.

8:47 PM  
Blogger zewt said...

Don't think you're right la. Bloggers from both corner of the sphere do talk to each other, albeit only in the blogosphere. I am still thinking whether I should heads towards the 'serious stuff' blogger or just stay the way i am now... u know... the onions and potatoes and carrots, stuff like that.

9:07 PM  
Blogger ailin...(still) in aalborg said...

OH my god! I, the garlic, onion, pots and pans kinda girl, am married to one of this political, economics, socio-political kinda guy!

I guess we met in the curry pot!

5:12 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You wrote : " On one hand you've got bloggers who write about serious issues like politics, economy, socio-political (I've just learned this up) and stuff that shake and move the world. These are bloggers who'd get easily excited if you disagree with them, calling you names and things people usually say to each other before punches start flying, or before you stick a knife deep into their chest right below the plexus."

I don't think what you wrote is justifiable. I echo Jane Sunshine - it is NOT the blogger himself, but the people who responded to your comments that got you pissed off, right?

Just because you got flamed in Rocky's Bru due to your comment (which I don't fully agree too, btw) - it is unfair to generalise ALL socio-political bloggers as radical hotheads.

Get to know them (and the causes along the way) and you will see what fine responsible intellectual gentlemen they are.

If you are too sensitive of a soul to see things differently, I suggest you just stick to your pots and pans.

God Bless.

7:53 AM  
Blogger podgykat said...

Enjoying your writings,Bergen, as usual! I've read your writings and also writings of blogger friends from the 'other' world and think both are highly intellectual and interesting and provide fodder for all our different sides. After all, being humans, we are multi-faceted.. But I don't agree with hurling insults just because someone has voiced opinions that differs from yours. I read your beautifully worded comments, incidentally on Rocky's site and I get the message you're trying to put across which does hold a ring of truth. I guess it just boils down to 'one man's meat is another man's poison' kind of thing.
Gosh, I feel like trifle today! Stop by my 'place' for some..if time. You, have a nice day, ok!

10:35 AM  
Blogger FBT said...

I so agree. I hate the serious bloggers and their uncouth acolytes. They're boring, self-important, and they all secretly are only doing it hoping that their blogs will go viral and make them a ton of money.

Give me garlic and onion chat any day. What I want is authenticity of feeling and experience - and that, Bergen, your blog has in spades.

11:06 AM  
Blogger Bergen said...

Tee: Malang ni rase macang nok masok nasi paprik seepuut. LOL.

Cthulhu: Okay, I'm in the kitchen ready to go.

K.D: No, ma'am. I'm not the kind who picks up a fight with a kid. LOL. More often than not, they do and I let them win big time. Nothing's more beautiful than to hear kids laughing and shouting at play. Even if you bite my head off, I'm sure you can fix it back since you are a doctor and all, right?

Jane Sunshine: Good to see you here, ma'am. In my book, being polite won't kill you. Bad things will start to plant themselves in your heart the moment you start using foul language on those you disagree with. That's how hatred starts to rear its ugly head and the next you know you start to pick on his religion, race, creed and stuff that usually start to a fist fight, and then a full scale sectarian violence. If only we can start to look back and think how we start hating each other for what we believe in. I always believe big thing starts with the smallest of thing. And this is how it starts.

Zewt: It's good to be able to visit both sides of the blog sphere and remain friends with people from both sides. To able to voice your opinion no matter how different it may be with the popular view of each sphere without people throwing you the F words. No, I am not being overly sensitive but I believe a little courtesy and decorum won't hurt anyone. I have got into a fight over F words countless time. Yes, I get offended when it is said to my face over small issues, and yes, settling it with fists is the only way I know how, but I don't think this is nice. Don't you think so too, sir? Yes, people say we should all settle things like civilized people, but I believe civilized people don't use that kinda words on others, especially if you are an educated person with a university degree and all.

Ailin: Good to have you here today, ma'am. How's your family getting along in Denmark? Pots and pans, onions and garlics, hmmm, sounds like a good title for a sitcom. Whaddaya think, ma'am?

Supertramp: Yes, it is unfair to label everyone from that sphere radical hotheads. But like they say, it's all about first impression and the first impression I've got is those guys have a lot of anger in them and they are ready to get you cold if you disagree with them. All it takes just ONE guy and it doesn't take much for me to make the conclusion that I'd better be careful with what I say, despite the fact that they would give their arms and limbs for the so-called free speech. No, I am not pissed off with the attitude because I believe you are what you eat, and what you believe in. We are all responsible for our action. One day you may it to a wrong guy and you may to deal with it. Don't worry about it, I'm not the wrong guy. No, I'm not sensitive, I happen to believe that you should be polite with each other. This is not being sensitive, ain't it?

Podgykat: You're having trifle, with jelly at the bottom and cream on top, and a generous sprinkile of fruits and nuts to top if all off. It's a good stuff to cool things off a little. LOL. Wish I'm in Kuching right now.

FBT: Good of you to visit all the way from Hong Kong, ma'am. I thought you look familiar from my earlier blogs that I've deleted. You know what? I regret to have deleted those because I thought the writing was naive and it was kinda embarassing. I shouldn't have because I started blogging because I wanted to improve my writing, so I can express things like everyone else. Oh well, maybe I will re-write those again, and try to be as candid as I was, as naive as I was so as to retain the originality. Maybe I should start now.

To everyone, thank you for coming. No, I am not offended by what you say, or your opinion which may differ from mine. Yes, I believe you have all the rights in the world to say it and I have the right to disagree in a manner that can make us closer as friends, to understand each other better, to respect you as an individual with something to say, a point that I should listen. Like I've said, a little courtesy and decorum won't hurt no one, in fact it can stop wars. You don't need bigger guns to stop your opponents, all you need is forgiveness, and this is the most powerful weapon and it's right in your heart. Gosh, I sound like a Kung fu master.

LOL.

12:12 PM  
Blogger tokasid said...

Sir, I too had visited blog pages from both side of the blogspheredom.
There are some 'political' blog writer who writes thought provoking entries. There are some who writes provoking entries. Wether its thot-provoking or purely provoking the comments that these entries got ranges from simply idiotic to purely emotional.Most, I agree with you won't accept other bloggers opinion. I still visit these blogs esp those that have 'facts' to back them like rocky, jeff ooi, the scribe, m.bakrimusa and the latest nurainasamad.

But there is less tension when we read the non 'political' blogs.

12:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i tried very hard to write on something serious but other people perceive it as otherwise and funny and not something serious. what do i do now?

1:24 PM  
Blogger maklang said...

jom...jemput datang sini, we makan2...today's menu is Rojak India and Chicken and Daging Barbecue, Salad and Onion soup...


take it easy ...enjoy je...

12:48 PM  
Blogger demonsinme said...

Master Bergen:

Freedom of speech is actually "free to doom" others, that is a philosophy taht many - be it in the bligspehre or the bioshepere that we dwelve.

If one is as true and as professional as we claimed to be, than, what had happen to you and they they, the blogger mentioned or even the comentators comments wont be like it is.

----------------------------------------

Tell not.

Tell not the birds,
dark clouds are looming over,
in fear that the will cower,
that the is freed from his silent cover.

----------------------------------------

5:17 PM  
Blogger Clark Gable of Pulau Duyong said...

Dear Bergen,
Dropping by to say hello and what an intersting read you have here.
I ll be coming again promise

10:06 PM  
Blogger Blabarella said...

Blogs on pots, pans, onions & garlic are good, and the socio-political ones can be educational. Everyone has their own personal preferences, but the key is to be respectful of the other's fancy, regardless. And yes, politeness to prevail at all times, even though you're actually skinning the person alive. You just do what you do Mr. Bergen, because you're doing a great job of it.

2:31 AM  
Blogger Bergen said...

Tokasid: You've got it right there, sir. At this age we'd better stick to light reading. Heavy reading is bad for Blood Pressure. LOL. In my case, since I'm the onion and garlic type of blogger, I'd better visit your blog since you write things everyone can connect with, i.e food. LOL.

Dr Nurul: You have the talent to see things from humor point of view. And this, Doctor, ma'am, is a great way to enjoy life.

Maklang: I'm there already! LOL.

DIM: It's good to have you back in here, sir. How have you been? You said it best in poetry, sir.

Clark Gable: Good to you have you here, sir. Come often.

Ms.Blabs: I won't blog about things that shake and move the world, ma'am. I promise.

11:35 AM  

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