Polly is in a state of flux. Re-evaluating my place in blog world you might say.
There is a lot going on in the world that I would love to blog on. For starters, Thank God the ACLU doesn't have any pull in Britain. How did British authorities ascertain imminent terrorist attacks via air planes? Wide spread intelligence gathering. Keeping in mind the alleged terrorists were targeting international American flights, I think every U.S. citizen owes a big "Thank you and God Save the Queen" to the diligence and common sense of the British government.
Ah... but I digress. What I wanted to write about was the minor controversy swirling about my blog and the numerous pictures I have posted and the false claims as to my identity. I'm not going to justify anything. Dishonesty and fantasy has been repeatedly implemented on PollyPeoria by its author. My attitude has been, "It's just a blog. It's supposed to be fun. I can post anything that I find amusing and represent myself as anything/one that I believe my twelve devoted readers will find amusing." I really didn't think anyone would take an anonymous blog too seriously. There are upscale, upstanding, responsible, professional blogs out there. This just isn't one of them.
Some of the devoted twelve have e-mailed me to disagree. Since I have come to respect a few of them, I'm reconsidering my attitude, my blogging ethics, and whether or not to remain anonymous. I have to remain anonymous due to work and personal relationships that I hold dear. So the real question is whether or not to remain anonymous or remain at all. Well, whether PollyPeoria should remain at all, that is.
I've underestimated how much I've come to enjoy venting by blog. It has been a healthy experience. I have really come to appreciate what I consider to be blogging's biggest perk: My quirky opinions and my tendency to debate endlessly now only annoy those who choose to read PollyPeoria. Those who choose to be annoyed. I no longer (unknowingly) verbally assault people at bars and cocktail parties. My significant other no longer dreads taking me out in public or to social functions. I have been slow to learn that not everyone enjoys heated political discussions, and some even get their feelings hurt when confronted about their views and beliefs. Imagine that!
I've been a bit surprised as to how strongly some folks feel about the false pics and my fantasy identity. I apologize. I never considered myself a journalist and in my -admittedly- odd world, I didn't think I was being unethical. I figured as long as I wasn't downloading anything artsy, copywrited or trying to make people believe I was seriously Scarlet Johansson, morally I was in the clear. I have attempted to protect my identity, true, but I have also tried to create an identity that makes clear who I am not. Every now and then I will get an e-mail that says something to the effect, "Because of your opinions on ________, everyone at work thinks I'm PollyPeoria and is giving me a hard time. I think PollyPeoria is an idiot and I wish you would post the fact that you- whoever you are, Dumbass- is not _____________." I am sympathetic to those falsely accused of being me. I mean Polly. So, occasionally I have posted a fantasy piece with the purpose of building up my alter identity and also makes it clear that Polly could simply not be George Bush, because George Bush would never mud wrestle. Well, maybe he would, but he would get his ass kicked.
Some folks keep things simple. Back and white. They are who they are and they would never dream of misrepresenting themselves on a blog. Nothing wrong with that, admirable even. I insulted a few of these people by not adhering to the same high standards of transparency. For that, alone, I apologize. Not for being transparent, but because I didn't mean to insult anyone. I simply believe(d?) that it was okay to employ falsehoods on something I never meant to have been taken too seriously.
The problem is that I did have quite a few serious posts that I did want taken seriously. I have blogged on some fairly weighty issues, and certainly didn't want my posts on abortion, gay marriage, or the war in Lebanon to be taken as jokes. I didn't think co-mingling the serious with the silly -meant to misrepresent my identity- as a problem. I thought the divisions between serious and silly were obvious. I have been informed that they weren't.
So Polly is pondering. Even know it all Polly can be wrong. Maybe. I guess. Sorta.
If your mind is too open, your brain will fall out. Warning: Names, identities, descriptions, and pictures have been changed and/or used to protect the innocent as well as the guilty. PollyPeoria should not be used or quoted as a source for your senior college thesis.
Monday, August 14
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Blog Archive
Links
- Batten Disease Home Page
- Peoria Pundits
- Peoria Chronicle
- Peoria Story
- Peoria Illinoisan
- Merle Widmer's Peoria Watch
- Ahl Things Considered
- Eyebrows McGee Plays in Peoria
- Lollygaggin
- Scott's Blog Experience
- Chef Kevin's Culinary Rant & Raves
- Obrien's Briar Patch
- Market 117
- Vonster
- Pasghetti Place
- Dying In Haiti
- A Bird In The Hand
15 comments:
Polly,
I can only say this: Write whatever you want to write about. Expression of ones self isn't for them, it's for you. It makes no difference who or what you claim to be. The fact you are expressing your true feelings about any given subject is your God given right.
William Wordsworth:
Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart...
Polly,
As a frequent visitor and occasional commentor I've enjoyed the debate on a couple of the "weighty issues" as you call them. Thank goodness for freedom of speech. I could tie that in to a comment about the ACLU but I won't go there right now. I'm anonymous obviously and I don't have a problem with you staying anonymous. I think the problem a lot of folks have was how you misrepresented who you might be, not that you wish to be anonymous. I could be wrong there of course.
The one thing I would ask is to PLEASE lose the photo in your last posting.
But by all means do what you want, say what you want. If we don't like it we don't have to come here.
Polly,
Your last link is to the BDSRA. Remember when other bloggers with the same link were blogging. If you would leave you would be creating a large void in Peoria Blogger's. The Anonymity is part of the fun. If the detractors are so worried about identity maybe they should be over at My Space. Keep up the blogging, it is a great read.
Polly,
I hope you stick around and keep blogging.
Yes, you certainly do not "have" to explain anything and are free to express yourself in any way you want to and how ever you feel, but I also believe bloggers have a sort of responsibility to be truthful to their readers unless it is explicity explained that is not going to happen in a particular blog.
This is not to say you have to tell us your name or explain who you are or divulge every secret, but still, to me, there should be some honesty present - or at least the amount of honesty as explained in the blog.
Hope that made sense and I think your posting about this local controversy said about all you need to say about this topic.
Polly,
I think your blog is great. I don't care what you look like in person or where you work. I don't read this blog for the pictures...Is it mostly guys that are bent out of shape about this? I would like to thank whoever "outed" you for ruining the mental image I have of Polly. Instead of reading a blog from some hot blonde that's smart too I now can't get the image of fat naked guy out of my head. Thanks a lot jackasses!
Polly,
I was never under the impression the photos were really of you. (Well, I wasn't sure about the bathtub one.) I was taken aback when so many people got upset about the photos; I didn't know anybody was taking them seriously.
Add a disclaimer if you feel you must, but I wouldn't worry about it too much.
Per 'anonymous': "I think the problem a lot of folks have was how you misrepresented who you might be, not that you wish to be anonymous."
I think that pretty much hit it on the head...for me, anyway.
Keep the anonymity. Keep using the blog as your outlet. If you don't, who knows? The next person you "verbally assualt" at a bar could be me. hehe
Oh, and just for the record, spot on about the Brits and the ACLU.
The problem is that you use personal anecdotes to illustrate your points, and when one your stories is, “I was recognized from my picture today,” and there’s no way anyone could recognize you from that picture, well…we have to wonder if you really do drive a junky car (a Tercel would be an upgrade, I believe?), or grew up in a home where you didn’t have a tv until you were in third grade. You’ve used both those stories to illustrate your approach to fiscal responsibility.
We are left to wonder if you really did have a neighbor kid whose parents were so out of it they couldn’t go to school with him for an orientation. That story sounds a little contrived to be real. If you wanted to run on about that school, why didn’t you just do it? Why the fakey story?
I feel sorry for David, who replied to your post and picture about the high cost of heating in January with a comment about how beautiful your eyes are, when in fact *that* picture was of a guy named Vince in Ithaca, NY. David must feel pretty silly, if not a little icky right now.
Also, I think you may have too much faith in your ability to conceal your identity. I think you’re underestimating some of your readership.
Geez, I have read almost all your postings and although I am new to commenting on blogs, (I have one also but too damn lazy to post to it of late)I find yours right in line with my sense of humor. I find your site entertaining, not irritating. I sort of got the hots for you even though I don't have a clue who you are and I am married (happily) and wonder if we ever met if we wouldn't have jelled (is that a word?). I don't always agree with your blog but then sometimes I think my opinion is the only one that is right but I do respect your time and your talent to put up your site. I will always think of you as a well educated, smart, funny, and yes, blonde that is simply gorgeous. Thank you whoever you are.
Polly, sounds pretty unanimous to me. Keep blogging, stay anonymous and to your detractors, lighten up. I for one know the power of the messenger to enhance or detract from the message. Historically, nom de plume's served a useful purpose in public discourse, by creating a way for the message to be heard without the distraction of the messenger. e.g. I may have alot (worthwhile) to say about race relations or third world poverty, or gender inequity, but because I am a midwestern white guy, many would dismiss my point out of hand. An apocraphal (sp)story illustrating my point, even if made up, doen't diminsh the power of my perspective. You are not a journalist, and therefore reporting the "facts" is not your mission. Communicating your opinions is. Those that can't discern the difference have the difficulties, not you. The Town square needs you. And for the purposes of THIS comment (as opposed to all of the other ones I do anonymously) I am yours respectfully,
The choice whether or not to continue to blog and/or being anonymous is totally up to you. That's the beautiful thing about free speech.
My only advice is that if you do continue to blog anonymously, with items that may be less than 100% accurate, part of a persona or fantasy you have created, or otherwise exaggerated and fictionalized be labeled as such.
For example, if you put on your blog header "Portions of this blog are fictionalized to help entertain, and in occasion, prove a point. The truth is relative. Your mileage may vary, prices slightly higher in the West, does not include tax, title, license, padding or installation.... etc.
The problem isn't you. The problem is the chours of people that are convinced blogging is the second coming of information dissemination. That ups the stakes, and something that is fantasy that walks and talks like reality is dangerous, even if the writer and most of the readers know it is fanasty/fiction, etc.
Again, I think if you decide to continue in your current format, make it blatantly clear to your readers (the die hard and the occasional guest) that your blog is a combination of truthful fiction and fictional truth.
Thanks for the thoughtful comments everyone. I understand that most don't have a problem with my blog anonymously, but that I misrepresented myself, stating that I'm someone that I'm clearly not. Got to admit, that was fully intentional. I WANT people to imagine Polly as a "hot, smart, funny, blonde chick" I think that's part of the appeal of my/polly's blog. And, frankly, in some alternate universe -as well as a corner of my delusional brain, I am a funny, smart, well sexy blonde.
Polly will keep posting. When time allows- which these days is a bit rare. I think by mid September my schedule will allow me to resume blogging regularly in my four inch heels and push up bra. Yo! Bill! Pass the Doritos!
BTW, the ACLU is not in Britain because Britain does not have a Constitution. You all remember that document?? The one our President seems to forget he has to go by?? Remember what Flanklin said many many yaers ago about our liberties.....
oops Franklin.... damn
Ben Franklin also called us a "nation of bastards." He meant it in a complimentary way. Just because the constitution is, for the most part, a very good thing it does not mean that it isn't prone to error or in need of correction. Ever been to the Thomas Jefferson memorial in D.C? There is a quote of his wrapping the rotunda. It says something to the effect of, "I don't believe that countries should frequently change their constitutions, but neither should they be exempt from change. Such a policy would lead to tyranny." Okay, that is a bad summarization of the quote, definitely NOT word for word. It's been a decade or more since I've been to the memorial, but I think I got the meaning right.
Post a Comment