Fear and loathing in the blogosphere

Hunter S. Thompson broke the traditional rules of journalism. He wrote himself into the story. Sometimes he was more the story than the people and events he was supposedly writing about.

I can't say I was a huge fan or anything, so I don't try to write a eulogy for him now that he has stamped a -30- onto his life. But he sure wrote the final chapter his way, didn't he?

I got to thinking that what Thompson helped get started is now being played out on computer screens across the globe all day every day. Aren't blogs just the modern extension of Gonzo journalism?

Gonzo journalism has a point of view, a perspective. It is subjective and personal and raw. If you follow the link you will read that Thompson was well known for missing deadlines, sending materials too late for editors to read, but with just enough time to be printed.

Aren't those all things that bloggers are doing? Bloggers show us the world through their own eyes, through their biases and opinions. Things are important on a blog because someone says it is important. No pretense of objectivity. One of the biggest news in newspapers this week has been President Bush's trip to Europe. Here in California, it's how Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is polling. But in the blogosphere? It's probably that Paris Hilton's Sidekick got hacked, spreading celebrity phone numbers and photos of her bare-boobed and kissing another woman.

Carry on you new Gonzo journalists. But mix booze, drugs and weapons at your own peril.

Blogging
Gonzo journalism
Hunter S. Thompson