Over the past few days I've been made aware of a certain blogger who has successfully irked a vast majority of the current BENL students. All because of a single blog post, BENL students have been instantaneously broken up into 2 groups: those who are enraged by it and those who stand firmly by the blogger's side.
So what's all the hoo-haa about?
A review. Or to be exact, a review on drama students' performances during a class assessment.
Now as an individual, I have absolutely nothing to do with this whole debacle. I am no drama student nor lecturer. Nor was I there during the performance night to actually form my own opinions about it. However, through sheer curiousity I found myself reading the controversial blog post that had pitted BENL student against each other. Now I shall not be revealing the blogger nor the blog to which I refer to as I would rather not have the situation to be further blown out of proportion. Yes, I do realise that by blogging about it I am somehow contradicting myself but with all these thoughts going round in my head the very idea of keeping mum about it would absolutely kill me. Thus to heck with contradictions and here goes.
DISGRACED. I am totally and utterly disgraced.
Disgraced by the idea that a petty issue like a drama review turning into a full-on verbal war, which I must state was read gleefully by numerous other readers from the public and various other higher institutions. As of now, the department is now the laughingstock of the academic society.
Am I blaming the blogger? No. The blogger is entitled to her opinions. The person actuallly raised up issues that even. I, myself sorely neglected throughout the duration of my teaching. I am a teacher of poetry in an Islamic institutions and yet I have failed to highlight the core concept of the institution that I am in; Islamization of knowledge. I have failed to teach my students to evaluate poetry through the eyes of a Muslim scholar. Thus, I am grateful to the blogger for bringing up this issue. To my students, I apologise greatly for failing you in this sense.
So am I blaming the commentors? No. They too are entitled to their opinions. They felt that they were scorned and thus they defended themselves. It is only natural.
So who's wrong?
They ALL are. The blogger for being glib, rude and insensitive. And the rest for being immature and mean. Realise people, just how powerful a blog can be. Imagine the conclusion people can come to concerning BENL students, no scratch that, the entire IIUM student body after reading that singular blog post. Is that the image that we all want to portray to the world? Is that how we wish to be seen? Do you not feel the humiliation when a student from another university wanting to turn the whole embarassing debacle into a thesis? How will we now hold our heads up high with people snickering behind our backs at the sheer stupidity displayed within that blog?
I. am. at lost. for words. I am disgraced. I have nothing else to say.
So what's all the hoo-haa about?
A review. Or to be exact, a review on drama students' performances during a class assessment.
Now as an individual, I have absolutely nothing to do with this whole debacle. I am no drama student nor lecturer. Nor was I there during the performance night to actually form my own opinions about it. However, through sheer curiousity I found myself reading the controversial blog post that had pitted BENL student against each other. Now I shall not be revealing the blogger nor the blog to which I refer to as I would rather not have the situation to be further blown out of proportion. Yes, I do realise that by blogging about it I am somehow contradicting myself but with all these thoughts going round in my head the very idea of keeping mum about it would absolutely kill me. Thus to heck with contradictions and here goes.
DISGRACED. I am totally and utterly disgraced.
Disgraced by the idea that a petty issue like a drama review turning into a full-on verbal war, which I must state was read gleefully by numerous other readers from the public and various other higher institutions. As of now, the department is now the laughingstock of the academic society.
Am I blaming the blogger? No. The blogger is entitled to her opinions. The person actuallly raised up issues that even. I, myself sorely neglected throughout the duration of my teaching. I am a teacher of poetry in an Islamic institutions and yet I have failed to highlight the core concept of the institution that I am in; Islamization of knowledge. I have failed to teach my students to evaluate poetry through the eyes of a Muslim scholar. Thus, I am grateful to the blogger for bringing up this issue. To my students, I apologise greatly for failing you in this sense.
So am I blaming the commentors? No. They too are entitled to their opinions. They felt that they were scorned and thus they defended themselves. It is only natural.
So who's wrong?
They ALL are. The blogger for being glib, rude and insensitive. And the rest for being immature and mean. Realise people, just how powerful a blog can be. Imagine the conclusion people can come to concerning BENL students, no scratch that, the entire IIUM student body after reading that singular blog post. Is that the image that we all want to portray to the world? Is that how we wish to be seen? Do you not feel the humiliation when a student from another university wanting to turn the whole embarassing debacle into a thesis? How will we now hold our heads up high with people snickering behind our backs at the sheer stupidity displayed within that blog?
I. am. at lost. for words. I am disgraced. I have nothing else to say.
7 comments:
yo, shanzy, anyone dissing our kids, aye?
who la.
Sigh...
It's a looooong story beb. I wish I can launch into the full details right here, right now but I really don't wanna contradict myself again :P
But suffice to say that I am severely disappointed by the way BENL students are handling themselves in this situation. Sungguh memalukan. You know, I would always gladly protect all BENL students against all stereotypical harshness thrown at them but in this case, there's nothing much that could be done. They've dug their own graves so now they need to lie in it.
So to all BENL students who ,by chance, is reading this take heed in the old Malay saying:
"Terlajak perahu boleh berundur, Terlajak kata buruk padahnya."
Dear Shan,
My two sen, so to speak.
An important module to be taught to your BENL students is probably blogging/online interaction ethics, as well as a study of the recourse and effects of irresponsible blogging. Though this must also include those who comment as well.
I understand some courses actually encouraged blogging as a means to keep a journal, which is a normal practice for aspiring writers or those taking writing courses.
Maybe the module I mentioned above can be added to those courses. As a morale compass to the ethics of blogging and commenting. It is a far cry from traditional journal keeping where specifics and emotiveness ae encouraged. Online a certain veil of vagueness and 'cover-line-ism' might be appropriate.
Even in Islam there is primary focus on keeping safe your sisters' and brothers' dignity. Especially in sensitive issues. You can bring it up but try to cover la the maruah of the Ummah, your institution of learning, you faculty, your fellow students and indeed you self.
I myself often blog about stuff I don't like but always remember to cover line whenever possible.
But I guess it is not only in your side of the puddle but this reactive tendency is a syndrome that is widespread in our country. You only have to look at the news to see what I mean. People who prefer to create controversy than to discuss things privately first and to formulate a compromise.
Qou vadis Malaysia?
Sincerely,
Hazlan.
Yo...sounds like an epic drama unfolding... 0___0
Hazlan: That is a sound suggestion there Hazlan, and I believe that IIUM students would greatly benefit by having a course like that. unfortunately, that kind of class does not fall into the literature jusrisdiction. But will definitely talk to a lecturer from the Mass Communication department. All this blogging misuse is really getting out of hand, and downright embarassing. The way some people write nowadays totally disregard other people's 'maruah'hence all this verbal abuse ansues. *sigh*
But thanks again for the suggestion. Will definitely follow up on the idea.
Alia: The drama has unfolded and is now in the process of being folded again :P
Woah! Where was I when all this drama happened?
Never knew people can get so riled up over some lousy review.
Were the comments from the blogger so harsh to the point it warrants this much of attention?
well... to those involved it was definitely harsh and to somepoint it belittles them. But the thing is their response to the whole thing was totally immature and downright hostile as well. So yeah... I was absolutely disgusted by the way these stupid kids reacted. Hopefully they'll learn to tackle things more maturely in the future
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