Blogger's Code of Conduct, must there really be?

it's a hell fire topic everywhere i turn lately, about this so called Blogger's Code of Conduct that many, but specifically the Wikipedia guy and some net techie popular insists on implementing in the blogosphere. similar to most reactions i was torned whether i would agree having rules to follow in creating an entry or not. at first i said it would be nice and will be very much helpful, however, quite a few of the said rules would contradict the mere thought of personal opinion. in the end, i agree to disagree. get me?

rules' plus side: we become more aware of the effects of what we write.

downside: the tendency to suppress the freedom of speech.

but let's admit it. most of us, if not all, tend to abuse this freedom, therefore a bit of limitation wouldn't hurt. however, no set of rules can overpower all. in the end, our only basis would be our own set of understanding on what a "responsible blogger" is, and... at the other end, what a "responsible reader" should be.

in the midst of trying to analyze the situation i came upon Sir Martin's blog saying his piece which would definitely describe the aforementioned limitations and responsibility based on common sense and personal behavior. ethics still is the key.

anyways, i quoted this so i can share it to you all:

All a Blogger Really Needs to Learn He/She Learned in Kindergarten
(NOTE: If there are no parenthetical remarks, take it as is.)

All I really need to know about how to blog and what to blog and how to be a blogger I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday School. These are the things I learned:

• Share everything. (Invite people to your blog.)
• Play fair. (Visit their blog in return.)
• Don’t hit people. (No flaming and personal attacks.)
• Put things back where you found them. (Link back.)
• Clean up your own mess.
• Do your homework.
• Don’t take things that aren’t yours. (Ask for permission if needed.)
• Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.
  Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. (Have a nice blog theme that makes you feel good. ^_^)
• Live a balanced life–learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
• Take a nap every afternoon.
• When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. (Help out your fellow bloggers. What goes around comes around.)
• Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: Theroots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that. (Say nice words about a blog that really awes and inspires you.)
• Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in theStyrofoam cup–they all die. So do we. (But our blogs are eternal. There is no more editing after we die.)
• And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned–the biggest word of all–LOOK.

he is right you know. we all knew this by heart when we were kid. what's left to do is for us to follow this simple guidelines to create a healthy environment in this cyber world that we're into. you can check out his site to read more about his explanation about this and i highly recommend it.

to end this discussion, i'll leave you with a forwarded reflection Tatay Pas sent me that i find very much applicable to this topic:

"The words I use for others are extremely powerful. How I use them reflects who I am, what I am, and to whom I belong. God wants me to be very careful with my words... as my act of worship." - From Psalms 15


God Bless Everyone!