Another historical analogy for the `sphere

Bloggers recently (and since I'm new to them perhaps since the beginning) have been pondering their role in society. After RatherGate, bloggers have been reveling in their newfound powers. Some have wondered if they are going to replace the MSM, which as it seems to me has been largely debunked, because at the very least the bloggers lack large numbers of persons employed and out on the streets hunting for news. Another recent post has indicated that the MSM is a revolution analogous to the reformation. In this analogy MSM <=> Roman Church, and bloggers <=> Martin Luther nailing his 40 thesis to the door of the church.

Recently while reading this: The Jewish Study Bible: Tanakh Translation, Torah, Nevi'Im, Kethuvim, another (better?) analogy to the blogosphere occurred to me.

Bloggers are the Prophets of the Information Age.

First we need to debunk a modern misconception of the role of a prophet. A prophet was not a guy/girl who went around predicting the near and far future. A prophet's role in early Israeli society was to interpret and critique current events. Now a prophet would be normally expected to interpret events in a theological context which admittedly certainly is not the common context/spin on which the bloggers tend to put on things.... However, what they do perform in great numbers and diversity is critique and interpret current events and by doing so try to effect social change. Even the diversity of the bloggers matches the diversity of the non-monolithic/"ruined" church today.