Dabbler demystifies an Urban Legend

The term "Urban Legend" will always bring to my mind a Hollywood film of the same name. The film while nothing remarkable in it self, is quite an apt simile for the brouhaha surrounding the blog of "India's self proclaimed" top blogger Kiruba Shankar.

Without putting too fine a point on it, the film in question was your usual inane B grade slasher flick with a contrived ending, produced by the Wes Cavern factory. The same factory that was responsible for the camp classic Nightmare on Elm Street and its numerous sequels.

If one were to be charitable to the film, it was formulaic and catered to the lowest common denominator. The film had no pretensions and did not break any new ground either. Its star cast was composed of career B listers, who have since vanished without a trace. All in all a totally unremarkable, average film.

This is the point I think Dabbler was trying to make; the blog and blogger (Kiruba) in question are run of the mill, not quite contenders for "India's Best" which is a big rap. Nominating yourself and being endorsed as the best by one's peers or a credible rating system are two very different things. Such titles sound and look better, when conferred by a third party. Therein lays the problem with blatant self-promotion. Try as much as the emperor will, mere belief alone will not pass for clothing, there has to be something to work with.

Now if this were popularity contest, things would be different. Kiruba might well be India's most popular blogger and no one including your truly has problem with that. But popularity does not pass for quality of content or intellectual sophistry or genuine skill for that matter. I know this is very hair splitty and all that, but this is crux of Dabblers critique and mine.

It is rather unfortunate that the legions of adoring Kiruba fans anonymous or otherwise have missed this point. They approach has been to resort to anonymous commenting and name calling to make their case. Not that they have made one or that there is one to be made.

It bears noting that the critique is just that a critique, not a damming indictment or a personal affront to ones dignity. So I find it strange that there are so many fragile egos and hurt feelings for what is essentially an honest opinion. To me this simply smacks of a mutual appreciation society that has got its knickers in a twist over a frank opinion. Perhaps there is a grain of truth in all this it that makes hard to swallow.