H/T Holysmoke

It’s rather quaint observing an establishment antediluvian attempt to explain the dangers of a burgeoning technological trend; here we have the Catholic Tablet bemoaning the unrestrained chaotic freedom brought to you courtesy of the Internet. No longer do we have to sit at the feet of the gibbering liberal elite for opinions: we can publish our own. It’s rather like being transported to the wild west brandishing a pair of colt 45s.

Of course, blogs are a paranoid, right wing, resentment-fed character assassination machine; and they are not balanced:

Voices from the lower depths.

Blogs – a corruption of web-log – were invented in America, where they still thrive, particularly among the political and religious right wing. What feeds the blogosphere’s paranoia is a sense of resentment that “they” – those in charge – are engaged in a conspiracy against “us” ordinary folk. The main media is regarded as part of that conspiracy, which is why the internet – cheap, unregulated and with unlimited capacity – has drawn the bloggers to itself. In Britain, too, there are Catholic bloggers, again often right-wing, polemical and vituperative. The targets in this case often seem to include The Tablet, in some sort of fantastical conspiracy with the bishops. Generally, blogs are far from an idealised forum for an exchange of intelligent ideas that would be constructive. More often they indulge in straight poison-pen character assassination without reference to any requirements of accuracy or balance.

Suing a blogger for libel can be a frustrating business.

I find that last sentence comforting.