In the beginning there were two journalists (sic) named Andrew Bolt and Tim Blair and they did groupthink. Then there was delivered to the blogosphere a guardian of truth called Boltwatch which did hold Andrew Bolt to account. But just like Tim Blair’s eponymous (and ridiculous) Blair’s Law in which “the world’s multiple idiocies are becoming one giant, useless force“, the noble mind behind Boltwatch announced The Blair/Bolt Watch Project which had as its mission: “tackling the multiple idiocies of the Australian blogosphere’s most giant, useless forces.”
And so it was.
Joining An Onymous Lefty’s Jeremy Sear in this important work are The Editor and Ant Rogenous from GrodsCorp plus a range of special contributors.
28 Comments
8 April, 2008 at 5:51 pm
I thought you would be interested in some stuff what I wrote.
I wrote this, without even needing to know precisely what Bolta was shrieking about it. I had a basic idea from skimming his headlines, and from what I know of his and his ilk’s basis of unthought, extrapolated and countered.
Today I gird my loins, and find that I was correct.
Bolt? Predictable? Nah…
25 June, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Don’t you guys think it’s a bit pathetic to spend your lives pointing fingers at Tim Blair and Andrew Bolt every day? Don’t you have better things to do?
25 June, 2008 at 11:07 pm
“Don’t you have better things to do?”
Obviously not.
One day we hope to be able to spend our lives pointing fingers at people who point fingers at columnists every day, but we’re not there yet.
3 July, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Dear Sirs,
Thank you for your site. Could you kindly advise if there was a rebuttal to Andrew Bolts 2 Nov 07 article “Osama, read it and weep” in which he claims that we (Americans) have already won the war in Iraq? Perhaps no one thought it deserved one, but I could not find any reply or comment in the archives.
Thank you for your kind help.
Regards,
M. Field
3 July, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Hi, M.
Back in 2007, this site didn’t exist — Jeremy was running its predecessor, BoltWatch, on his own. I don’t recall reading a rebuttal to that story (the headline does ring a bell, though) but you might want to search the BoltWatch archives — I’m pretty sure everything’s still available there.
Cheers, Ant
7 July, 2008 at 11:28 pm
I don’t really know how you can accuse two conservative journalists of ‘group think’. They just are both conservative and have similar views.
7 July, 2008 at 11:37 pm
I don’t really know how you can accuse two conservative journalists of ‘group think’. They just are both conservative and have similar views.
And they link to each other’s posts on a very regular basis.
8 July, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Your point?
There are only TWO of them, hardly a group at all. Group think is more like Kevin Rudd’s 20-20 summit, where only one attendee said they support a monarchy out of about 100. Where more than a third of attendees in the whole summit came from a Leftist organisation called ‘Get- Up’.
THAT’S ‘group’ think. With a group of people…not just two…
8 July, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Not to mention Mr Sear and Rogenous are the two Leftist editors of this site, plus “a range of special contributors”.
If you’re gonna call two conservatives group think you may aswell call this site group think.
11 July, 2008 at 11:06 am
Came here via a link from Blair’s blog.
Have you guys thought about spending less time crapping about on the internet and more time, you know, meeting women or friends and having fun?
At least Blair and Bolt get paid for their efforts.
11 July, 2008 at 11:24 am
Ian, do you realise how foolish it looks to base an attempted insult on such a generalised and idiotic assumption?
I’m sure if there’s any 7 year-olds posting and reading they’ll be very chastened and humiliated.
11 July, 2008 at 11:26 am
Wait for it: “But I thought you all were 7 year-olds!”
11 July, 2008 at 1:05 pm
“Ian, do you realise how foolish it looks to base an attempted insult on such a generalised and idiotic assumption?”
….Huh??…
14 July, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Um…ok.
13 August, 2008 at 1:46 pm
I’ve just found this blog, and I am glad that I did for the sake of my sanity, if nothing else. I have been visiting Mr. Bolt’s blog for over a year now, and I have to say that most of the people who post a message on it are completely clueless and misinformed, to put it mildly. Are there any other blogs that present a more balanced view of current events? All I seem to be able to find are silly ones that are run by right-wing nutters. What’s the ‘official line’ here regarding global-warming alarmism?
22 September, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Guys, have a look at the term GroupThink and think how it is applied.
Its the Orwellian like brainwashing of the population to believe via peer pressure. Its symptoms include (care of Wikipedia):
Illusions of invulnerability
creating excessive optimism and encouraging risk taking – ETS anyone?
Rationalising warnings
that might challenge the group’s assumptions – AGW turns to Climate Change following proof the planet failed to warm for 10 years.
Unquestioned belief
in the morality of the group, causing members to ignore the consequences of their actions – You can save us uneducated from our selves.
Stereotyping
those who are opposed to the group as weak, evil, disfigured, impotent, or stupid. – I’m such a redneck, rightwing, Neocon.
Direct pressure to conform
placed on any member who questions the group, couched in terms of “disloyalty”. – Ill kill the Polar Bears if I don’t believe in AGW and do something about it. Yet I will never achieve the Carbon footprint of Kevin 747 in my lifetime. Have a go at him.
Self censorship of ideas
that deviate from the apparent group consensus. – I don’t care if this post is just between you and me, and you can always have a laff about it with your mates later… they will agree how dumb I am.
Illusions of unanimity
Silence is viewed as agreement. – Bolt and Blair are paid journalists, if only more Journos had the gumption to report on fact and upset the status quo.
Mindguards
Self-appointed members who shield the group from dissenting information – This, my friends are you. You are the mindguards using ridicule and sarcasm to police the thoughts of others and offer reassurance to those who may contemplate some informed free thinking.
In effect Group think is the method of resolving the problems of those who don’t buy in to the spin and doublespeak of the majority opinion of the day.
While your looking into Groupthink check out the theory of Spiral of Silence, and consider the cost of total compliance to lefty-ialism (or any philosophy) . At all costs we need to encourage dissidence for the sake of society.
Of course it could be argued that this email is a righty Mindgaurd trying to pull you into line. ;-)
22 September, 2008 at 2:57 pm
I’m guessing it was an attempt at satire.
22 September, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Jeremy,
Ill put it plainly. From different points of social /political standpoints, or perspectives, certain groups appear to be exercising groupthink. Where man joins with like minded persons and strike an accord of philosophy it is natural for cross reference of supporting argument to occur.
Your triad of Do-Gooding watchers here is an example. To associate the resemblance of thought between Bolt and Blair with the Orwellian style Groupthink is a very long bow indeed.
Indeed as a minority opinion, Blair and Bolt are bucking the current Groupthink underway in Australia (and the world) at the moment, as i attempted to Illustrate, albeit poorly. Trust me, a lot of the opinions I hold are very similar to Mr Bolt and Blair, and I very rarely get invited back to dinner parties… But I don’t fear social exclusion at all.
Your choice is simple, young man, support free thought and dissenting opinion. Or not… but if you choose the latter please dont mind when I call you a Mindguard.
22 September, 2008 at 4:48 pm
“To associate the resemblance of thought between Bolt and Blair with the Orwellian style Groupthink is a very long bow indeed. “
Uh… did you follow the link to the righty groupthink tracker? They practically copy each other.
As for “free thought” and “dissenting opinion”, unlike Bolt and Blair’s blogs, this site has an extremely open and unrestrictive moderating policy. So I can’t see how you might conclude that we’re repressing anyone. Unless you think somehow a wordpress blog critical of a prominent newspaper columnist’s work is somehow crushing his free speech.
“Old man”.
22 September, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Are you sure your political opinions are the reason you have no friends? Or are your reactionary views twinned with an unpleasant personality? Wouldn’t be the first time (c.f. Andrew Bolt)
22 September, 2008 at 5:13 pm
“Unless you think somehow a wordpress blog critical of a prominent newspaper columnist’s work is somehow crushing his free speech.”
No, I think your simply trying to countenance the columnists point of view by accusing it of having no validity. This is your perspective and I respect it, as you should respect Mr Bolts and Mr Blair’s.
However you should make an effort to ensure your blogs present a countenance of well sourced and detailed argument, but they don’t and from what I can tell most simply resort to name calling and a typical righteous vitriol of the left, as if we are all far to stupid to see the blatant truth. .
Oh and “Simon Sez” I don’t equate a mans views with manners. I may have been called a pig in the past, but it was by an unpleasant person who spat the words into my face… I guess that made them feel better at the time. I have plenty of friends, but proberly not on this blog… so… While I enjoyed the visit, shall not be back. Have a great life and god bless.
22 September, 2008 at 5:24 pm
“However you should make an effort to ensure your blogs present a countenance of well sourced and detailed argument, but they don’t and from what I can tell most simply resort to name calling and a typical righteous vitriol of the left, as if we are all far to stupid to see the blatant truth. .”
I think this blog consistently responds to their arguments and the contents of their posts, and keeps the “vitriol” and “name-calling” to a minimum.
28 October, 2008 at 6:27 pm
“However you should make an effort to ensure your blogs present a countenance of well sourced and detailed argument, but they don’t and from what I can tell most simply resort to name calling and a typical righteous vitriol of the left, as if we are all far to stupid to see the blatant truth.”
I’m going to send that one to Brian Hughes.
I haven’t laughed so hard for years.
3 November, 2008 at 7:07 pm
Why is Andrew Bolt allowed to write the racist rubbish in puts up on his Herald Scum Blog.
He makes the claim that the victims of the stolen generations are a myth. He is constantly making negative remarks about multicultralism,Muslims and Aboriginals. What i can not understand is why is he allowed to write such rubbish.
He made a claim on channel 9’s A current affair to Tracey Grimshaw that the Australian government shouldn’t apologise to the stolen generations but they should apologise for other matters. I’ve asked him a few times as to what other issues or matters is he talking about. He refuses to answer.I believe he made this comment on TV to cover his racist attitudes. This interview on A current affair is on Youtube.
Just as he refuses to answer my question, he gets upset at the fact no one who supports the apology to the Aboriginals will give him a reply to the demand of giving him just the names of 10 of the stolen generation victims. Just as he claims others refuse to answer his racist rant about giving him ten names this hypocite will not answer my question on what other “matters” he thinks the Australian government should apologise for. I believe he will not answer my question as he is a pathetic racist and i would encourge people to go to his blog and remind him of the hypocrite and racist he is because deep down he truly believes the Aboriginals deserve no apology at all because he is a racist coward.
19 November, 2008 at 5:24 am
Thought of the Day,,,,,,,,,,,,”In Todays sick society, everybody is sick?”
23 January, 2009 at 7:53 am
“If you’re gonna call two conservatives group think you may aswell call this site group think.”
That’s certainly the name of our football team.
23 January, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Wow, I just found the most useless waste of bandwidth on the Internet. This site. I have never read so much dribble before in my life. You guys really need to get a life. Come join the right, our lives are much more fullfilling.
8 February, 2009 at 7:07 pm
“Come join the right, our lives are much more fullfilling.”
No thanks. Dont like banjos or swamps.
Comments are closed.