Aug 29, 2007

Rest in Peace

Well, the Intelligent Singaporean is dead. It was a good run, while it lasted.

For those of you who don't know what the Intelligent Singaporean is, well, you obviously don't know the Singapore blogosphere very well. The Intelligent Singaporean, until a few days ago, was a very useful aggregator that regularly provided links to the latest readworthy blog posts about Singapore issues. It was like a central point for exploring what Singapore's sociopolitical bloggers had to say.

Why did the Intelligent Singaporean die? Its owner left a rather cryptic final message. An excerpt:

"Recently certain events have prompted me to re-evaluate the role & relevance of the Intelligent Singaporean in the Singapore socio-political blogosphere. These events have forced me to reconsider whether continuing my aggregation work furthers the original cause of IS.

The original intention of IS was that it would act as a mutual ground of exchange and to facilitate civil discussion about socio-political issues in Singapore. The blogosphere has however evolved rapidly in the intervening year and IS is no longer able to serve the changing needs of the blogosphere today."

Hmmm. Sounds like the kind of message which is intended to let those already in the know, know, and those not already in the know, not know. Well, I don't know, and I shall not speculate.

Guess we will just have to turn to the Singapore Surf now. Which is another website worth visiting.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

All of that rigmarole, Mr Wang, is trying to say that the chap behind IS was simply getting bored with local blogs.

They say the same old things week in and week out, about the same old stupid issues. It always was a bitchfest – and I say that from a ex-blogger's perspective. The blogosphere never outgrew IS, and IS never lived up to its hopelessly optimistic name.

And Singapore never will, because it's always lived in the shadow of the government. It decides what we talk about – and how we do that. (Nation building and etc.)

Which is why this "socio-political" thing has been dying, and must die. The only way Singapore can intellectually progress is to get around the fact that the government exists. Talk about other things and we will save time trying to dispute the one fact of life, which is that it sucks.

Anonymous said...

It is the same reason why opposition parties like WP or Chiam will never amount to anything more than just token opposition in a sham democracy. PAP politicians say no permit and all they do is whine and complain. All of them do not dare or cannot get around and step out of the little yellow box that PAP govt confines them in.

The Key Question said...

It's sad that IS had to go. The articles by the Brotherhood Press are an intriguing read - insightful, philosophical and tad obscure.

IS once kindly linked one of my blog articles, even though it was not really "socio-" and hardly "-political".

It was a good run.

Anonymous said...

I think the council of the dumber than dumb closed them all down - freemasons. - - ivy leaguer skulls & bones soc --old boy network etc--- I prefer to consider R.I.P as Rise If Possible.

Sounds like a message that one friend says to another friend, like some sort of code. I dont ever think the truth will ever come out.

One thing I do know though - Singapore Angle was some how indirectly responsible for it all.

One thing, I really respect abt u Mr Wnag u know when not to be used and abused by the MSM, you are cool abt it. Those SA ppl will talk abt blogosphere as if they know it inside out and even comment on your blog, mine and everyone else.

Who the hell appointed them as the blog PM?

Anonymous said...

can we pay 3 minutes respect to Inspir3d who started IS. Let us not go into the Singapore Angle thing here which is getting pretty tedious. Really. If Inspir3d wants to explain or finger anyone, he will. Anything else said about SA by anyone else is just horseshit.

Anonymous said...

I am an IS fan

Yes it would be good to hear from Mr Inspir3d himself the reasons for the closure of IS. I am not a blogger, but did he needed the support of other persons and technology to maintain the IS site, or was it due to internal dispute with fellow writers?

Mr Inspir3d, could we hear from you?

Anonymous said...

I think that InSpir3d quitted because there is just too much work aggregating everyday, rather than some mob war claimed by some pseudo-intellectual monkeys who used to squat in IS.

Anonymous said...

IS fan

thanks White lord. I think his aggregating work on Wee Shu Min, salary raise etc was extremely good read. It would have been good to see his take on the recent CPF issues. Inspir3d, thank you! All the best in your future endeavours.

Anonymous said...

Other than the 'war', IS is extremely fascinating especially whence Darkness brightens the dark sides of the Society and his darkness shines on some bright sparks for highlights; thank you from scb.

Anonymous said...

My tribute to the Intelligent Singaporean is here:

http://whatotherssay.wordpress.com/page/2/


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