Welcome to the world of blogging

Welcome to the world of blogging
By Fouad Al-ObaidStaff WriterDo you feel you have something to say? Do you feel the need to be heard? Do you have a message you want to spread? If that is the case, then blog. For those of you who haven't heard the term before, I assure you it is not a disease; at least not a harmful one! It seems though that it could be contagious. Beware; you might become addicted. A blog is a concept; it can be anything from a diary, a virtual book, even a private newswire about one's own street! A blog is whatever you want it to be, with the added advantage of being anonymous, thus liberating you from any social pressures. Thanks to blogs, you can communicate without having your identity disclosed. You can end up creating a new personality, opening up your own little cyber fantasy world! It is no secret that Arab society, especially in the Gulf, is conservative. Culturally, as well as traditionally, our society has emerged as closed, with taboos rarely disclosed or touched upon, at least not in public, and certainly not in commercial publications. Issues dealing with sexuality, personal preferences, politics, democracy, human rights, teen issues, dating - you name it, are virtually out of bounds. This has led to the emergence of blogs in the Middle East. Blogs are the ideal forum where people can freely express their ideas and thoughts.Sadly, not all countries are lenient with what they consider 'thought' crimes. Some countries block their citizens' blogs. Egypt and Bahrain have both arrested and imprisoned people for what they've written in their blogs. Saudi has blocked several blogs too. The local blogging scene grows by the day, and though many erupt, it is true that some fade and die with time. There is a semi-official blogging site that lists most blogs in Kuwait (http://www.kuwaitblogs.com/), a site that offers many blog options with a variety of names that are both interesting and intriguing; Can you handle the Truth?; A Kuwaiti Online; Desert Girl on Kuwait; Jabriya Za7ma; Kuwait N Islam. This is only a sample of the couple of hundred odd blogs available. As their titles suggest, they all have their own distinct personalities. Some bloggers have become cyber celebrities, receiving hundreds of thousands of hits, whereas others are read only by the few people that know them. Now that you have been introduced, you may join the cyber world an enjoy an entertaining experience. But, be warned, blogging is addictive! For your thoughts and comments fouad@kuwaittimes.net