Tuesday
30Jan2007
The veil of anonymity
Tuesday, January 30, 2007 at 12:31PM
When I first started blogging I wrote under the pseudonym ‘tyger’ – hence the name of the blog. Obviously anonymity has its advantages on the web, especially when debating emotive subjects like politics, but with me being so despicably egotistic, it was never going to last. Being anonymous also makes no sense when you have ambitions to be a writer, so I now openly blog as Aaron Heath. However many bloggers maintain the guise of anonymity ad nauseam.
Unity, of the brilliant Ministry of Truth blog, and PragueTory are but two, although of course PragueTory’s own brand of subterfuge is less successful. As Guido has found, maintaining anonymity can be difficult as your star ascends. Blog readers are - almost by definition - informed and tooled to dredge up clues and facts to decipher any cyber-mask. Bloggerhead’s Tim Ireland has gone to town exposing Guido in his mock-up blog Guido 2.0, and Guido has retaliated by framing Ireland as an ‘obsessed’ voyeur. Tim, being Tim, revels in the bitterness in Guido’s reaction. It’s very entertaining to watch.
A lot of people have cried foul when some bloggers have been exposed by other bloggers (usually the right claiming ‘blog honour,’ just before they slip a knife into Bob Piper’s back), and obviously for some bloggers, maintaining the veil of secrecy is very important (NHS staff, civil servants etc), but in Guido's case I’ll defend Ireland and Unity. Paul Staines’ identity has never really been much of a secret, because if we’re honest, the whole Guido guise has always been more of a brand to Staines rather than a defence mechanism.
Guido claims to be a conspirator and a dissident, but he is using the blogosphere to build a brand, and there is little radical about that. Sources tell me he desperately wants to be the MTV of the blogosphere, and in this he’s a doing a fine job, because the Guido brand is aping MTV perfectly. Both MTV and Guido try so desperately to be cool (in a way only things run by rotund middle-aged men can), and yet still remain firmly part of the establishment. Anyway, what’s so great about MTV? They even bleep out the word ‘fuck’ on South Park. That’s so lame.
Unity, of the brilliant Ministry of Truth blog, and PragueTory are but two, although of course PragueTory’s own brand of subterfuge is less successful. As Guido has found, maintaining anonymity can be difficult as your star ascends. Blog readers are - almost by definition - informed and tooled to dredge up clues and facts to decipher any cyber-mask. Bloggerhead’s Tim Ireland has gone to town exposing Guido in his mock-up blog Guido 2.0, and Guido has retaliated by framing Ireland as an ‘obsessed’ voyeur. Tim, being Tim, revels in the bitterness in Guido’s reaction. It’s very entertaining to watch.
A lot of people have cried foul when some bloggers have been exposed by other bloggers (usually the right claiming ‘blog honour,’ just before they slip a knife into Bob Piper’s back), and obviously for some bloggers, maintaining the veil of secrecy is very important (NHS staff, civil servants etc), but in Guido's case I’ll defend Ireland and Unity. Paul Staines’ identity has never really been much of a secret, because if we’re honest, the whole Guido guise has always been more of a brand to Staines rather than a defence mechanism.
Guido claims to be a conspirator and a dissident, but he is using the blogosphere to build a brand, and there is little radical about that. Sources tell me he desperately wants to be the MTV of the blogosphere, and in this he’s a doing a fine job, because the Guido brand is aping MTV perfectly. Both MTV and Guido try so desperately to be cool (in a way only things run by rotund middle-aged men can), and yet still remain firmly part of the establishment. Anyway, what’s so great about MTV? They even bleep out the word ‘fuck’ on South Park. That’s so lame.
Reader Comments (7)
balancing the books - Mr Staines is being ridiculuous with regards to Tim. It very fit and proper that the dark arts being practiced by Staines are being unveiled.
i agree that the MOT blog (yes, i do recommend it as a place fit for personal retuning and general well being) is outstanding.
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. Having said that image being used to convey man behind the blog is very very menacing. and seems wholly inappropriate. The underlying message, behave or yu will come to harm is way way OTT.
On another note, I am of the view that the Staines weblog is symptomatic of the excesses of the Blair era. As the man who was the future once GOES, so will those who have gained prominence during his time. Staines time is up as well as the time of the obsessives on his log.
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The stars of the likes of Ireland and "Unity" is on the up.
I should point out that my identity was revealed because of a couple of mails me and Bob had previously exchanged, not some fabulous detective work. My ID was outed because I had the temerity to make a valid criticism of a posting. This happens every day on the net. Whilst keeping my ID quiet has not been successful, I know that many floating voters (whether friends or bloggers) have been less than impressed with the activities of those on the Left during this episode. Some like MOT want to know why I would attack Bob not him. Here's his answer - I like to ignore MOT.
"i like to ignore MOT".
one may wish to ignore/advise. but it does not explain why.
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"I know that many floating voters (whether friends or bloggers) have been less than impressed with the activities of those on the Left during this episode."
how many? who? How many other ppl can they carry with 'em. In the bigger scheme of things why do thse ppl matter?
correction:
one may wish to ignore/avoid.
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