Winning Against Blogging’s “Dark Side”; Morsels of Wisdom From the Jedi Bloggers

July 31st, 2009 → 2:31 pm @ elmot

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Winning Against Blogging’s “Dark Side”; Morsels of Wisdom From the Jedi Bloggers

In the midst of the slow invasion of the “dark side” on the hearts of so many, select citizens coming from the different corners of the blogosphere stood up to fight with one heart and mind despite of their own weaknesses and frailties, to prevent the annihilation of the upright, the good and the true.  Like gold tested on fire, the Jedi Bloggers come together closer and became even stronger amidst adversities and personal differences.  By using the “force within” to value friends and relationships through service in the blogosphere beyond personal gains and selfish interests, the Jedi Bloggers swear ”to uphold the noble quest of the knights to be an effulgent, coruscating star, when the darkness of pride overcomes the light of humility; when the obsession to win overcomes the conscientiousness of being a good loser, and when petty misunderstandings cloud the sanctity of friendship.”
 
Below is a rare interview on some of the Jedi Knights who have come to grace the occassion of truimph and sheer display of the stellar virtue of unity made apparent on all their blogging endeavors to win against our greatest blogging enemy; the “dark” side” that lurks within.
 
 
How and when did this Jedi Bloggers started?
 
Jena Isle:  I first heard the term “welcome to the dark side” in  Jan’s blog from Jedi Luke. Chocolates were mentioned too as a gift if readers would visit Luke’s site.  It was intended to be a joke but since then I began calling Luke – Master Jedi Luke, likewise with Jan, Doc Z, Roy, Yatot, and you – to name the core group.   
 
Jan had written some posts about the Jedi Knights and Lady warriors and has even a blog roll for the group.  It was also in Jan’s post that I mentioned the Code of Conduct of the Jedi Knights.
 
Roy:  Here’s my  idea of how it started,  if you remember  Lucresio  which  later became known  as  Luke didn’t have  a blog  before  —  puro comment  lang siya. That’s why  Jan  often refers to him  as  ‘the one from the dark side’  hehe…  kasi  nga  wala siyang blog.
 
When he finally started, in a way, parang nagkaroon ng ‘informal’ formation na. Jan welcomed him with a post, I also have a welcome poem for him in my Sugar Coated World called ‘For The One Who Walks In The Dark’ But, puro biruan lang ang tawagan na Jedi bloggers nun, with Jan as the Yoda because of age factor hehe… wala pang seryoso nun.
 
I think the Jedi Blogger was ‘officially formed – underground’ at least, via two channels – the influential blogger project and thru twitter. It was a time when the 3 of us – Jan, Z and me were very active at twitter, ban pa yata twitter sa inyo nun hehe… but I think madalas kayo mag-chat thru gmail nung time na yun.  So thru the running of the contest, naging active communication naming 3, tapos nga thru twitter naging kulitan… until naging mga jedi bloggers na nga (shortcut hehe…. “Refer To Jan”)
 
Yatot:   ~ As far as I can remember, jedibloggers started when a fellow jediblogger, Lucrecio Emerito started blogging to the “dark side”. Before kasi, Lucrecio was only writing comments to master jedi himself Jan Geronimo’s former blog, Sa Labas ng Mandaluyong. His comments were really a lengthy one. So, master jedi suggested, why not Lucrecio Emerito start his own blog and write his own opinions ala blogging not just some lengthy comments. So there, master Luke’s blog “The Dark Side” was born! Incidentally, since Luke has chosen to be in the dark side, an equally elite force must be created to balance the equilibrium, thus, Jedi Bloggers was born!
 
Doc Z:  It started from tweets and comments left at Jan’s site. So, He would be one of the founders of the jedi bloggers. I remember when I was new at his site (formerly, salabasngmandaluyong) he kept mentioning jedi master Luke’s name. Of course, other than the similarity with the name, Luke is a Jedi when it comes to blogging. Then comes us, You, Roy, Me, later Jena, who jan started calling Jedis. We are all bloggers, hence, Jedi Bloggers. I can’t remember the exact date when, but it must have been just a couple of months ago, give or take.
 
Jan:  It started with a visitation. An unassuming reader by the name of Luke started commenting on my blog.  I thought he was an ordinary mortal.  Turned out he’s a Jedi Knight who has come to lure me to the Dark Side armed with dark chocolates.  We become instant friends although to this day I have yet to see these dark chocolates.  Calling each other Jedi Knight is a term of endearment.  And we started calling blogging buddies Jedi Knights. Enter Roy and Doc Z.  Not bad huh for celebrating online friendships?  Doc Z has visions though.  What can I say?  Poets like him are like that.  He’s latched on the idea of Jedi blogging and he never let go until we agreed to his vision.   
 
 
What is a Jedi Blogger?  And what are the qualities of a Jedi Blogger?
 
Jena Isle:  A Jedi blogger is selfless.  He uses “the force”  to motivate, encourage, help and protect other bloggers.   He puts service to others above his own self-interest.  He does not act because of self-gain, but because of the common good. They also observe the Golden Rule -”Do unto others, what you want others do unto you”.
 
Roy:  A Jedi Blogger is one who is always truthful, doesn’t sugar coat his  words (e.g. Jan hehe…) and one who doesn’t discriminate bloggers whether they are newbie or masters… but is definitely not intimated by the ‘gurus’.
 
Yatot:   ~ A Jedi Blogger is someone who embrace the force within the blogging environment. Any blogger could be a jediblogger… but since this is an exclusive circle… not everyone is entitled to be one… lols! Nah… actually, a Jedi Blogger is someone who has the force, the power to attract every blog readers in his/her own little way… this is the way of the force… he/she blogs about anything… rants on occasional basis… has his/her own view and stick to it… has principles that he/she believes in… loves Sandara Park so much (lols)… and blogs in the way of the force.
 
But what is force? Force is any external agent that causes an object to move… it can either be a push or a pull… now relate that to blogging… a force could be something that can move a blog reader to write a comment, to come back for more reads and to attract even more readers… that is the way of the force.
 
Doc Z:  Ah, we didn’t even know what a Jedi blogger is, but we know that being one is to be righteous when it comes to posts and promote positive effect to the readers and protect the weak, well, sort of, the neebie bloggers who happen to frequent our blogs.
 
Jan:  Awts – that’s a hard question, bro. Let me just say that a Jedi blogger values his friends and relationships.  He’s not invincible, he’s not a superman.  He has his weaknesses, too.  But he fights them with all the powers at his disposal. His supreme achievement is not to surrender to the dark side of the blogosphere.
 
 

What do you think is so special with the Jedi Bloggers as a group of bloggers?

Jena Isle:  Aside from observing the above mentioned noble virtues, they work as one – united in their diversity and look our for each other and for other bloggers.

Roy:  Simple,  we look up for each other. Our communications are not limited thru our blogs. Our light sabers are special because they send SMS and smoke signals hehe…

A jedi blogger can say that another jedi blogger’s light saber is either too sharp or too dull and it will not bring imbalance to the ‘force’ – a spade is a spade… and a wheelbarrow is a wheelbarrow hehe…Again, please “Refer To Jan”.

Yatot:   ~ They know how to fight siths! But what are siths? Siths are anything that is bloggable in nature. 

Doc Z:  Not only does a jedi blogger help his fellow jedi’s blog, he is also a role model for newbie bloggers. Well, that is how I would like to think about it. A good influence in the blogosphere. We know how easy it is to fall to the dark side, as a jedi blogger, one is a beacon in this dark universe, so to speak.

Jan:   Think cohesion.  We watch each other’s back.  We take care of our interests.  How do you think we are able to do well in Janette Toral’s writing project, “Top 10 Influential Blogs of 2009?”   Yeah, that’s the most tangible proof of Jedi Bloggers acting as one body.  You should see us in flight formation in the blogosphere.  Yeah – poetry in motion.  Cliche, yes.  But that’s the most immediate thing that comes to mind.

What so special with the Jedi Bloggers?  Meaningful relationships or friendship define us.  We are not here just to give each other pageviews although that helps.  We are not here just to be each other’s evangelizers in the social media. That’s a great benefit, too, of course.  In friendship comes powerful alliances.  Think of the world in the palm of your hands.

 

Any future plans of the Jedi Bloggers?  Any plan for evil Darth Vader?

Jena Isle:  Darth Vader has been won over to the good side in the end because of his love for his son. This would be one of the plans – to promote love and not enmity in the blogosphere. To observe the Golden Rule.  This for me is the mother of all rules.  I’m sure Jan, Roy, Doc Z, Yatot, You, Holly and the rest have more plans in mind. 

Roy:  Secret hehe…Seriously, don’t know as of now, please “Refer to Jan”, pansin mo I  always refer you to Jan? hehe…  that is in a way asking you na rin to inform him, and I guess he would ask you too to inform our Queen Amidala – Jena.

Yatot:  ~ I hope someone with a good nature of the force will buy the domain http://www.jedibloggers.com.ph/ for whatever reasons or caprichos he/she will have… for happiness’s sake…Darth Vader sucks! Lols!

Doc Z:  Future plans? Well, a common blog is one. You know how different the niches of each jediblogger, right? One can contribute his specialty in a particular subject. Eg. About writing – Jan and Jen, Poetry – Zorlone and Roy and Jen, Tech stuff – Luke, Politics – elmot etc.

I don’t know who fits the description of Darth Vader in all of this. Maybe, metaphorically, he is the darkness within us all. So, it is our role to keep him at bay and stay within the code of the Jedibloggers.

Jan:  Mastery of ourselves.  The real battle is not in the galaxies but within.  We plan to be real masters of ourselves first and foremost.  I hope we can zip through the process in hyper-drive.  It’s a painstaking process, but with the help of other Jedi bloggers, this makes it less daunting.

About any plan for Darth Vader?  Hey, I am Jedi Anakin, Elmot.  Do you think I’d plan for my own annihilation?  Not if my light saber can help it.  Proceed at your own risk, you scumbags of the nether regions.  Ahehehe.  I’m just kidding.  I’m not that uber with the light saber – I need a boot camp to sharpen my sword play, you see.

Oh, the other Darth Vaders?  Lay down your arms.  Resistance is futile.  :)

 

Know more about the Jedi Bloggers by visiting their blogs, to gain more blogging buddies and hopefully get some bars of dark chocolate after posting your comments on their posts LOL!:  Luke, Roy, Yatot, Jaypee, Holly, Jena Isle, Doc Z, and Jan.  Don’t forget to visit also the Young Jedi Bloggers ReyJr and Kelvin.

 Connect with us via Twitter:  Jedi Bloggers

Remember: anyone could become a Jedi Blogger.  But first, be ready to combat and truimph against the “dark side” of blogging that tries to ensnare us from within. 

May the blogging force be with you!

What is the “dark side” that you encounter on your blogging?  How do you try to rise against being consumed by the dark side?  What are the most important values you espouse as a blogger?  Share your thoughts here, who knows, I will be generous enough to give all commenters bars of dark chocolate…or Jan and Luke giving these freebie?  LOL!

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