Blogging

Goblok (Bahasa Indonesia slang for “stupid”) is a special word in Indonesian blogosphere. We are in Indonesia using that word usually when quarelling or expressing anger. Unfortunately, this word could also be writen (although incorrectly in spelling) as goblog, which nicely later separated as go blog. Some bloggers in Indonesia jokingly use goblog phrase for their blogs, for example Enda Nasution — one of earlier bloggers — has goblogmedia.com for his domain name.

While bloggers use goblok to laugh at themselves, it is an interesting question that Malaysia’s Information Minister, Datuk Seri Zainuddin Madin, chose that slang to emphasize suggestion to ignore some bloggers who, “were educated overseas”, and had “Western style of democratic freedom is better” assumption.

Hmm… which goblok blog (stupid blog) he means? Who are those bloggers who had studied overseas and then brought such kind of “democracy”?

I do not close my eyes for the possibilities, but complaining some speculative issues like that in public will tend to become over-generalization. I know some Indonesian bloggers who stay abroad for studying and some others who have been back in Indonesia: they are good writers, open minded, having broad knowledge, and they still keep “Asian mentality” in positive ways like having respect to older people, using wise words, and speak briefly when expressing something. (I myself do not count those kind of positive attitudes as only owned by Asian — they are universal.)

Well, Mr. Minister, a suggestion for you to callibrate your blogs’ syndication reader as a radar to collect more valuable entries, balanced opinions, and also to keep a real touch with blogosphere. For example, you will find some of your colleague from Indonesia’s cabinet go blogging too.

Note: Thanks for Indra having posted this issue on Minda Indra (in Bahasa Indonesia).

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