Unspun

Malaysi’a infatuation with the blogging phenomenon continues. Now every man, his dog, his son-in-law, his cousin, his mates, his political party and probably is mother-in-law too wants to get it on the act.

There seems to be some notion that blogging is some sort of panacea for Malaysia’s ills. It is not. Malaysia is screwed up today because of the arrogance and small-mindedness of those in power. Until that is sorted out Malaysia will remain screwed, no matter how much blogging there is.

Blogging studies in UiTM’s curriculum? What a waste of time. They’d be better off teaching their students how to think, how to remain perpetually curious and how to string two sentences together in a coherent fashion.

Unspun’s waiting for the day when snogging becomes the flavor of the month. It may be a good time to return to the homeland then and enroll in a UiTM course.

clipped from rockybru2.blogspot.com SHAH ALAM, May 12 (Bernama) — Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) is willing to offer a course in blog writing in an effort to produce more professional and ethical blog writers, its Vice Chancellor Datuk Seri Profesor Ibrahim Abu Shah said. He said the move would also be in keeping with current developments, where a majority of the society were being drawn to the alternative media. “Currently, we do have blogging studies in our curriculum and this will be enhanced further by introducing a course on blog writing. “I feel that the Communication and Media Studies Faculty is ready to conduct the course and I fully support this move (to introduce blog writing course) as it is time for us to help produce bloggers who are not only professionals, but with ethics,” he told a media conference after opening a seminar on Media and the 2008 General Election, here Monday.

Posted in 1 | 10 Comments

10 Responses to “Malaysian puppy love with blogs”

1. on May 13, 2008 at 3:48 pm1 galadriel

   Very concise, very aptly said. I’d suggest a school for these dinosaurs who are so out of touch with pop-culture realities of the day.

   On another note, I love this blog. Just the right amount of acid here to satisfy my need for pain…heheh

   
   
2. on May 13, 2008 at 9:47 pm2 bayi

   Hangat-hangat tahi ayam.

   
   
3. on May 14, 2008 at 1:57 am3 andiesummerkiss

   Are they for real?

   I would LOVE to know what Blogging 101 would be.

   Is it “Blogbulary” –> LOL = laughing out loud?

   Or is it “Blogethics” –> Thou shalt love thou fellow bloggers?

   
   
4. on May 16, 2008 at 1:28 pm4 darcwil

   I dont mind if EVERY univeristy includes “ethics” in their university courses, but having a blog course is maybe unneeded.

   Hey, but there’s nothing wrong in being ethical when writing stuff on blogs anyway. If everyone did that, at least half of the content on our current online political blog society would be more readable and useful to the netizens.

   
   
5. on May 17, 2008 at 12:08 pm5 Emy

   Blog writing course? Membazir je belajar bersepah-sepah artikel netiquette dalam internet atau kalau nak sangat guna duit beli je buku Blogging for Dummies.

   Lebih baik ajar budak IPT macam mana nak berfikir secara kritikal dan analitikal dalam semua aspek termasuklah dalam menerima pelbagai maklumat dari media sama ada media arus perdana atau internet.

   Jangan main terima bulat-bulat je segala apa benda yang berlaku kat dunia ni terutama sekali politik! Dapat jugak ajar diorang ni supaya jangan ikut perasaan atau mudah terpengaruh dengan cerita-cerita sensasi.

   
   
6. on May 17, 2008 at 4:48 pm6 Marisa

   Look at the bright side, it would be quite similar to a journalistic class and/or basic PHP developer course. Thus a student can now study the basics of two majors at the same time. Or maybe three, with marketing, if placing Google AdSense also comes in the curricula.

   Do you know that there are blogging courses in ITB (Institut Teknologi Bandung), pak Ong? I mean, ITB. Shouldn’t they be busy applying for the NASA by now?

   Well, welcome to the certificate-standardized society.

   
   
7. on May 19, 2008 at 11:51 am7 clarisse yap

   While I agree that more ethical posts should be written on blogs (with readers in mind, if you want to maintain credibility) a course on blogging is totally unnecessary. I took a class in University called e-Journalism, and yes I agree with Marisa, it IS very similar to journalistic class. However, we live in an era where things like these are learnt off the Net for free. Citizen journalism doesn’t need education. It’s ethics, how-to-be-civilized-on-the-Internet-AND-IN-LIFE that needs an adjust.

   
   
8. on May 19, 2008 at 11:53 am8 clarisse yap

   even so, introducing a course is not necessary. chances are, you’ll only attract students who already have good intentions to blog ethically.

   
   
9. on May 19, 2008 at 12:03 pm9 unspun

   Clarisse, Marisa: I’d also add rhetorical skills, if any training is to be done. It’s amazing how many people cannot make a good argument and be able to substantiate it or to spot crooked arguments and take remedial measures. See post on Straight and crooked thinking in this blog for more details.

   
   
10. on May 23, 2008 at 6:08 am10 sufehmi

    I still chuckle whenever I remember how bad bloggers were attacked & portrayed in Malaysia a while ago, and how the tide has turned completely now. And amazed. Wow.
    What happened ?

    Anyway, congratulations to our Malaysian comrades.
    And, Pesta Blogger 2008 anyone ?

    
    

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