The New Arab Conversation

Gal Beckerman's article in the Columbia Journalism Review struck me because blogging in the Arab world has become something so much different than the Western world (or America at least).

The major blogs in America, or at least the ones that come to mind immediately, are often littered with partisan leanings. Granted, these have a place in our society and add context to help citizens oriente their frames of reference. Beckerman's article indicates that it is the people themselves blogging in the Arab world; the characters seem more real and the emotions seem more real. A general desire to understand others, and others' differences, echoed through the article.

I just don't see that in blogs in America. Granted, I don't read that many blogs. But from what I have read and heard, blogs in this country seem much more polarized. Much like our media, the focus of blogs seems to be disparaging political enemies rather than debating what is best for our country moving forward.