A critical key for the future viability of blogging and the future viability of the msm, that most bloggers and quite a few in the msm already understand, is the strong symbiotic relationship developed, and which continues to develop rapidly and creatively, between certain of the msm and the blogosphere…

A symbiosis is wherein two or more hosts are nourished by and from one another, reciprocally, complementarily, so that all thrive even the more. And such is all around us to see. When I drove the Pan American hiway in the 1960s, I saw many jungle orchids which had symbiotic relationship with certain trees; each literally would die without one another.

Also, here, were you to come with me up past timberline in these rock and hard packed mountains, there is a process by which tiniest micro-organisms nibble away at the roots of the bristlecone pines for nourishment. But they do not destroy these trees that are often over 2000 years old. In their microphageous puncturing the roots of the trees, the micro-organisms literally make the roots more porous so the trees can take advantage of spare rainfall and the few nutrients that manage to make it past the hardpack.

Thus too, a symbiosis between the blogosphere journalists and the msm journalists is, in prototype form, a present paradigm and it is a rich one. There has long been a symbiosis between book authors, with quotes and multi paragraph quoting accepted as fair use practice when cited consistently and well. There is also a working symbiosis between msm and book authors and book publishers for nearly 200 years. There is no obstacle that I know of, when mutual benefits are brought in good will, that ought stand between such being worked out easily and amiably between msm and bloggers.

A parasitic relationship is another form altogether. That occurs when a life form attaches itself to the host, and thrives… while the host is depleted and dies. Where I grew up in the Great Lakes, for instance, the lamprey eel fastens itself to the sides of large fish, penetrating the skin… and over time, literally sucks the guts out of the fish, killing them.

Traveling in the south, I saw huge green kudzu vines, once thought to be the saving grace remedy for loss of topsoil back during the dust bowl droughts. Thus, kudzu was imported to the south and midwest, and planted by droves. It took over, growing outside its more meek native environment (Japan, for instance). It rose like Rodan over everything. It grew so quickly, people said they could hear the vines creaking overnight. The kudzu grew so tall and so widely, it canopied entire forests, keeping the trees and flora from the sunlight. Inside the bodacious green vine over everything… inside, all the trees and ferns had gone black and dead. That’s what a parasite does. Me first, me only, me forever.

The blogosphere cannot be halted from growing and developing, but it is not like kudzu. It is a natural force in its own right, that has gathered itself into existence for expedience and creative reasons, and that has laid road and infrastructure deep into the interior where there was none before.

Giving credit to this ‘young-ancient’ force doesnt depend on whether one agrees or not with every blog’s politics. The fact is, each longstanding blogger and blogsite, regardless of its slant, has done the yeoman’s work without let up for years now. One cannot stop the blogosphere from creating new ways to deliver info, opinion, entertainment, any more than the sun can be stopped from rising… were that up to anyone’s earnest pleas or whims.

But from where I stand, and I am still learning so very much, and I try to keep an open mind especially since the changes in communication means in the last ten years… neither ought the stalwart souls of those in the msm who have been so long in harness and often worked so hard in true craft, taking hits and risks– be allowed to wither away, either. Rewards, yes, they may have had many perks and rewards, but those don’t feed the soul the way tending to the craft well and deeply, does. Tending to real craft: In that, people in the msm and people who are hard-wired bloggers, share two chambers of the same heart.

Some think it ought all be one way or another. Some want to get rid of one force or another. Some bow out, are tired of the discussion and just think it’s going nowhere. Some hope to just retire soon and leave it all to others. Some are enraged. Some are fully engaged. Some are just tired.

Too, most all of us in the blogosphere have day jobs, often more than one, and can only give so much to the discussion in a timely manner. But many bloggers see these news items about msm and bloggers as critical turning points for how we will be able, or not, to speak to our readers about serious matters as well as bring to our readers the best of what we can find to educate, titillate, deepen, make them laugh, to sharpen their ways, and our own ways, of knowing a huge world we have never before seen up close with such rapid 1000X magnification.

So, many of us continue to see that these are two huge forces, msm and blogosphere can, and do, benefit one another deeply.

In these times when so many of our sister and brother journalists, whether online, via blackberry, at computer, laptop or by phone are trying to call in news of egregious human harm to other humans– and are taking huge risks of life and limb and exile to do so, I vote: Symbiosis. Yes.

The details need to be worked out, it is true; and there are many, many ways to work them out. Not saying I have the answer for everyone. But I have an idea personally. And that is that these matters will be worked out, but not viaeither/or. Rather, via, and, and, and.

I believe the details of a working symbiosis between MSM and bloggers are not with the devil. Unless people so choose. The details, I think, are within the best of what’s inside of us all.

I know some think that’s Polllyanna talking. And while it’s true that much good done can be undone in a heartbeat… also, I can assure that though I’m battle scarred by much, I still carry armfuls of hope and sight. I’ve tried all kinds of ways of ‘being with’ throughout my lifetime. And, symbiosis, if it can be rendered in full faith, has, I think, the most longevity. And the most peace. So we can all turn to do what we came here for. Create.