The blogosphere does not empower the average person, it empowers the above average person who previously would – by chance, occupation or geography – have been excluded from having any siginificant input into the larger culture. The centralized old media of the big three networks by and large took their cue from the editorial page New York Times, as did the metropolitan newspapers of a hundred smaller cities. The Eastern Establishment truly shaped public opinion once upon a time. A few voices carried then – Walter Lipmann, Joseph Alsop, Walter Cronkite, Ben Bradlee, “Punch” Sulzberger – there were others but it was a pretty damn short list. The Establishment’s superficially diversified heirs still shape the debate to a considerable extent but with two significant changes:

a) They have lost their monopoly on the determination of the bounds of acceptable public discourse

and

b) The very bright or accomplished citizens- formally just isolated local influencers -who might never have met prior to the blogosphere, being scattered throughout the nation( or the world) now connect and form durable networks. Left or Right, this cultural “outlier elite” rejects much of what the MSM elite has to offer.

The blogosphere is an aggregator of intelligence and influence. Primarly, for the moment, blogging is an amusement for these talented individuals but when they are threatened or offended they can respond with surprising speed and intensity. Just ask John Kerry or Dan Rather. Or Trent Lott. They are not the general public which is why the corporate P.R. routine and bigshot bluster backfires so badly with bloggers.

Eventually, some shortsighted fool in the Federal government will make some arrogant gesture that will really outrage these potential leaders and all the latent strength and ability will crystallize as a blogospheric party – an organized faction that will be energized enough to create a political upheaval on par with 1932 or 1980.

Wait and see.

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