Bologiversary Mudlinks - Your Open Post

Some things about this blog are just so awful I cringe.

That was Mudville, two years ago today. The author had no idea what he was doing, knew about 5% of what he should know about blogging, html, or just about anything else for that matter. Small wonder he rarely saw 50 visits a day. He was me, of course.

I did have this bit of wisdom up though:

The liberal view in the liberal vs. conservative debate can not survive the immediate "printed" media that is today's web.

Think about it. In Nazi Germany Hitler could address the masses without fear of another opinion. In communist nations of the later 20th century (and in American universities to this day) a few stooges in the rent-a-crowd to lead the cheers at the appropriate moments ensured minimum dissent from the hive-mind. In American TV debate a moron can chant catchy slogans (It's the economy, stupid! Where was George? If it don't fit, you must acquit!) and be declared "witty" by the media...

...Once a liberal puts feeble arguments in writing in a place where feedback can be delivered immediately and read by the same people reading the original argument then their comments can be exposed for the thoughtless drivel and nonsense that they are. When all parties can review and reflect (and re-read for accuracy) both sides of an argument, the logical, reasoned, and moral side will generally win the day. In 21st century American politics, that side is invariably the conservative side.

I'd use other terms than liberal and conservative now - I don't believe they're properly applied in this context or most other current uses - but that's another topic for another day. But I'd say that the above quote has pretty much been borne out by the blogosphere of the past couple years.

Still, most of the old entries on Mudville seem so awful to me that I often considered deleting them, just to save anyone the pain of accidentally reading one. Then I realized I should leave them up, to inspire any aspiring blogger out there. I'll bet a nickel you're already better than I was back then, and I'm willing to prove it.

And over the next few days I'll offer tips on how to move from being this guy to becoming, well, this guy.

Tip one: Promote your blog. Use open posts when they're offered. Like now, for instance. This is your open post, link and the trackbacks will magically appear! Or use html in the comments (if you know how - the guy linked above didn't) to point us somewhere exciting.

Enjoy.