Are Blogs Good For Democracy? A Debate Featuring The Yale Political Union

Arianna Huffington recently spoke before the Yale Political Union at a debate around the question, "Resolved: Blogs Are Good For Democracy." While Arianna argued that blogs support democracy inasmuch as bloggers can challenge conventional wisdom — a cornerstone of American democracy going as far back as Thomas Paine — the students in the Yale Political Union engaged in a spirited debate about the role blogs and bloggers play in a democratic society. The resolution passed, 33-22.

In honor of that debate, and to bring that dialogue to the Huffington Post, we have featured four students' speeches from that night.

Fernando Reyes' post, Blogging Towards A Digital Democracy, highlights "the real possibility that individuals that have been empowered now have the tools to break through the ignorance that is possible by physical separation."

Kate Maltby's post, Why Blogs Are Bad For Democracy, argues that "the deeply personal nature of blogs, in combination with the echo chamber effect, has fueled the rise of single issue campaigning," which inherently hurts our democracy.

David Broockman discusses the Left's intellectual tradition of deconstructing complex issues but argues that "Blogs Trample On Leftist Traditions" in his post.

And Leah Anthony Libresco argues that "blogs do improve democracy, not by giving the authors a forum to express their ideas, but by giving ordinary citizens access to the ideas they care most about" in her post, titled, "A Well-Informed Citizenry, Being Necessary To The Liberty Of A Free State..."

Please read the students' posts and share your thoughts in the comments.

Comments

[Village]

Ya think? This is the way from representative democracy to direct democracy. Once we get everyone on the web, we won't need politicians.

[hamiltons]

Blogs serve a purpose for me because not only do i get to pick up other americans mindset, i also get to see the true colors of many who can hide behind a anonynimity. ignorance, racism, and a plethora of other maladies.this may be the greatest country in the world, but as of late our educational system has failed us, or we it, and many blogs reflect this. good, bad, indifferent, we should know not just our friends but also the miscreants among us and blogs fit that bill. i say blog on and most of us can skim off the chaff, discard the waste,and communicate with the reasonable.a good forum for discourse and the movement of ideas and opinions . thank you

[RTIII]

Anyone who disputes that blogs are good for democracy isn't thinking clearly.

The point has nothing to do with the writers per se, but everything to do with the readers. The opportunity exists for one to learn about a great many ideas in a very short space of time and it's the improvement in availability of information that is the key reason it's good for democracy. That some material is of very low quality is offset by the fact that some material is of very high quality, and in any event, breadth is valuable in its own right.
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[swift goat pet for truth]

Agreed. It does depend on the reader.
Subtle positions can be explained in a blog that cannot be found in Corporate Media.

The various positions on the recent Bailout Bill, with discussions on the alternatives is one recent example. Of course, I had to dig them out. But without blogs, especially blogs by intelligent, qualified economists, I would not have clue what is going on.

[WorkingClass]

What democracy?

[Gasparilla]

Yes, but take everything with a grain of salt.

[sonoffestus]

Only if they get out and VOTE!

[ChicagoDMT]

I think you only have to ask yourself whether you had more complete coverage of news articles before or after the upsurge of blogs.

I use to think that television news didn't think their viewing audience was smart enough to handle anything over a 30 second sound bite. Now I realize it's the vast majority of television reporters who aren't smart enough to evaluate events. Instead they just repeat inflammatory sound bites, regardless of the veracity of the source, and justify their lack of factual oversight by declaring it's up to the viewer to determine accuracy.

Habermaus believes that public discourse is essential in order for democracy to thrive. I think blogs contribute greatly, even the bad ones.

[BlueBirdy]

Leah Anthony Libresco, you make this BabyBoom Blogger most proud! As a 2nd Generation Italian American whose Grandma was a Turn of The Century Woman who gave birth to my Mom late in life (at age 47), I remember THE LESSONS 'THAT POWERFUL PERSONIFICATION OF THE AMERICAN DREAM' TAUGHT ME! Once a week kids from my PS 57 Bronx Grammar School, were required to darn our White Sailor Blouses/Shirts and Navy Skirts/Pants, to convene for 'Auditorium Day' for the recitation of The Pledge of Allegiance ~ 'to The Flag of The United States of America, and to The Republic for which it stands, ONE NATION under God, INDIVISIBLE, With LIBERTY and JUSTICE FOR ALL ~ (it was the 60's!) and whatever other thematic program planned by The Faculty! For example, one revolved around Columbus Day, and upon discussing it with my 80 SOMETHING Nonna, she responded, 'I LOVA CRISTOFORO COLUMBO! I LOVA THIS COUN-TREE!' She also admired Abraham Lincoln, attributing to him the the idea that in America, 'You can maka youself as happy as you wanna be! And I believa!' So I'm HEARTENED to learn TRADITIONALLY HELD, SELF-EVIDENT TRUTHS such as 'THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION', APPEAR TO BE SUPPORTED BY YOUNG AMERICANS, 3:1! In a day when a True Revolutionary Town Hall Meeting for the Masses, would be unwieldy, one must conclude that, BLOGGING IS AN EVOLUTIONARY STEP IN THE STEWARDSHIP OF OUR 'PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY' ENTRUSTED TO US BY OUR FOUNDING FATHERS!

[brushfinch]

They are crucial,as we cannot totally trust the government or the main media who is generally responsible to corporations...but the discourse must be civil, and respectful whether we agree or disagree with a particular point of view.Too often I read language that is demeaning and insulting!! The right to freedom of speech and of expression must be kept alive by adeep sense of responsibility.

[controversy101]

Blogs are as informative as the people who read them. The internet has changed the landscape of political news. No longer does Main Street have to receive shoveled information--Rev. Wright (2008), Kerry Flip-Flops(2004), Reagan Aids in Hostage Crisis(198­0)--becaus­e MSM repeatedly reports the information until a viewer/listener becomes affected by the reports. Blogs--because of the internet world--allow readers to unearth truths or falses reported by Corporate Media and pundits, as well as have meaningful input in the discussions pertaining the events. Had America took full grasp of the internet and its bloggers in 2000, I believe this country would have been saved from the two wars, as well as the economic crisis, in which we are mired.

[mredder4]

Blogs are to democracy what MTV is to music. See a lot of music on MTV lately?

Blogs are about "My site, my voice, no distractions, no dissent." There are a slew of blogs by people who claim to know so much about one or a few topics, but couldn't discuss many issues overall in any way. Abortion blogs, gay rights blogs, gun rights blogs, on and on and on. Single issue sites who post the latest links with the latest opinion for the latest readers.

I agree with Arianna on many things, but this myth that allowing a bunch of up-jumped yokels with laptops to spread opinion as fact over blogs has BAD IDEA written all over it. No accountability, no standards, no ethics. Of course, somewhere, online, someone has a blog about why blogs are the cat's meow and should be accepted as "the new media". And all the people that read it agree with it, for whatever reason.

What's that? You just thought something up? Put it on your blog and some people will read it and think it's fact.

That's no democracy. That's borderline anarchy.

[HallStyle]

Blogs are very important in politics. Where else can the everyday person make a difference. Even only one person reads it, or see it, that one person may tell 10. Blogs have changed the whole way people get there news and information. Check out my blog at: http://www.hallstyle.blogspot.com

[tchristin]

The internet has changed everything. Instant access to information has helped the democratic process in my opinion. News is posted, videotape is posted and is passed around so fast it is hard for lies or misinformation to win the day.

I have also decided that the pundits, as much as I hate listening to them have helped things a great deal. When the media pundits ask the question over and over again, "what does candidate A have to do now?" They inform the voters what to expect and thus lessens the impact of attempts to change the subject from the real issues. This is the most thorough and indepth information we have ever had available.

[nofltwlt]

If we had the internet and Blogs in the early sixties we might know who killed J.F.K. As it is not I am still waiting for Arlen Specter to come clean about his participation in the Warren Commission. The Warren Commision was a joke.

[Photofarm]

The problem with blogs is they are all opinions, often from people who don't have the time or resources to check whether the facts they present are true or false. This lets the false story, often negative, run rampant with everyone thinking it is true, when in reality all it becomes is another Urban Legend.

[cnick]

The only point I have to make is that for quite a few years the right wing rabble rousing radio hosts were allowed to go on unfettered, now at least there is push back, both in the blogs and with the pundits. At least the other side of the story is starting to peek through. Huffington and Kos are making sure there is alternative information available and I appreciate it. Even dueling opinions are better than one sided madness.

[HallStyle]

Not too mention. Talking Points Memo. BraveNew Films, Air America and : http://www.hallstyle.blogspot.com

[MalloMel]

What I like about blogs is that it allows me to get my opinion out there without it being filtered, censored or ignored by the MSM, which is mostly owned by Corporate America. I feel like I have a voice, albeit a small one... so there!

[judesedit]

So...get doing your homework and see what is true and what is false. Make the time. This election is probably the most important election of our lifetimes. Just be sure to check everything from all sources, not just one. The truth is out there and it's not hard to find. You just have to dig a little.

[HockeyMom]

Thanks for the opinion. It was well researched and substantiated by fact.

[kody1529]

I think the point they are trying to make is if we turn to blogs as a "truer" alternative to the MSM than it gives them more credibility. Since blogs have really no oversight just opinions it can get in the way of traditional political discourse. Take for example an ignorant shill like Michelle Malkin. A blog gives her the opportunity to spout non-sense unchecked. For loyal readers of hers it will be hard to distinguish reality from lies, if they agree with her. Any time they here something contradictory to what they heard on her blog they could just dismiss it as a "liberal bias". So yes it does expand democracy as it gives every "joe 6 pack" a political voice, but it also has every draw back of the MSM. Unfortunately, they haven't created a truth filter for commentators.

[RamonBackwards]

There is no difference. As time passes, I tend to think there never (or at least rarely) has been.