Interview with Blogger Royce Christian

By The Pakistani Spectator • Apr 21st, 2008 • Category: Interviews • (2,121 views) • No Responses

Royce Christian is an Australian political blogger and aspiring writer. He’s a passionate Agorist and libertarian. Influenced by thinkers both alive and deceased, he despises politics and politicians and opposes coercion in every form. He blogs at http://theguerrillacapitalist.wordpress.com/.

Would you please tell us something about you and your site?
There isn’t much to tell really. My blog is just a humble corner of the internet where people are going to be exposed to ideas they’re unused to hearing - and most would probably disagree with me. It’s really a way for me to express myself, it gives me a voice and allows me to put my opinions out there in a public forum, allowing me to practice writing and forcing me to keep going. I write mostly opinion pieces that analyse various issues from a libertarian perspective. As for me personally, I’d very much like to be a professional writer and it is a dream of mine to one day have a column somewhere. But that is somewhat far off, for now.

Do you feel that you continue to grow in your writing the longer you write? Why is that important to you?
Of course. Writing is like anything else; the more you do, the better you get. It’s important to me because it allows me to learn. I spend a fair amount of my spare time on internet forums and in emails discussing issues with people. When I write a piece and publish it on my blog, it codifies my understanding. The better I write, the better I communicate my ideas and people can in turn learn from what I have written.

I’m wondering what some of your memorable experiences are with blogging?
I’m a new comer to the world of blogging, but I would definitely have to say the addiction you get when you start. It’s a strange experience when you feel compelled to sit for hours at your computer tapping out a new post. When you finally finish you immediately feel like doing another. Or the feeling when you’re out having dinner or something and you get the urge to start a new post. Then, after rushing home in order to start, you either can’t decide what to write about, forget what you wanted to write about or start only to stop after the first paragraph. Blogging is an interesting psychological experience.

What do you do in order to keep up your communication with other bloggers?
I don’t really keep in contact with other bloggers. Those I do know who keep blogs I’ve met through forums and if I have to communicate with them, I do so through email.

What do you think is the most exciting or most innovative use of technology in politics right now?
The internet. Not only is the internet an excellent way for activists and people to organise and get in touch with others of similar beliefs, but it also provides an amazing collective intelligence. Difficult problems can be solved in a matter of hours as the internet connects people of all different skills, ages and abilities. Statements can be fact checked, scientific analyses can be conducted and stories broken in a matter of minutes. There is no limit to who is online at any time; a rocket scientist may help out a kid with their science homework or a sound engineer may analyse a recording to help out a journalist. This presents amazing problems to politicians who preach a particular line, whatever they say can be easily fact checked and refuted or alternatively, a political secret can be exposed in seconds. The internet has provided innovations such as the blogosphere and wikileaks.org that are beginning to turn the tables in our favour. It truly is amazing.

Do you think that these new technologies are effective in making people more responsive?
I think it makes people angrier. When you have access to multiple kinds of media, you’re not going to be content to tow the line of a single newspaper, tv channel or political party. You’re also going to be more aware of what’s going on in the world, and it’s going to get you angry. Whether people convert this awareness into action, I don’t know.

What do you think sets Your site apart from others?
I would like to think that the content of my posts approaches issues and subjects from a perspective that is often overlooked or ignored.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?
The kind of determination and willpower that allowed me to pick myself up and keep going. Without it I would have broken down a long time ago.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?
The happiest moment of my life was the first time I travelled overseas. It was amazing, the sights, the smells, the feeling of being different in a different place. It was overwhelming and exciting at the same time. The gloomiest moment of my life was when I first realised, as a child, that things aren’t easy, things don’t always go your way and that if you want something you’ve got to work for it.

Do you think [the use of Twitter and other social networking tools by politicians] is bandwagon jumping or what?
I think it is ridiculous. It’s a pathetic attempt by old men - who want to tell you how to live your life at the point of a gun - to seem “cool”, “modern”, and relevant in today’s world. Really, they’re just old men trying to convince you they’re worth obeying because they alone know the truth.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?
I would go everywhere, but if I had to choose

West Europe - France, Spain, England and Germany

Middle East - Cyprus, Lebanon, Egypt

South East Asia - Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia

And yes, I cheated.

What is your favorite book and why?
A close tie between One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Of Mice and Men and Catch 22. They’re all equally amazing books. The first challenges your perceptions of individuality, sexuality and sanity. The second beautifully describes the power of dreams, while the third exposes the faulty, circular logic that accompanies war.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?
Their eyes. I seem to have a fascination with peoples eyes. They’re the windows to the soul.

Is there anyone from your past that once told you you couldn’t write?
Not exactly in those words, but yes. It didn’t concern me, anyone can string words together to form a sentence and voila! You’re writing. Whether or not you write well is another question and that can only be answered by other people.

How bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?
Advertising, apparently. Or perhaps attracting a magazine that wishes to publish a bloggers work exclusively for money. Otherwise I wouldn’t know, making a profit from my blog hasn’t really been a factor. I do it because I enjoy it. Though I wouldn’t be opposed to someone offering me money for what I write.

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?
Not necessarily. I personally shouldn’t have enough time to blog, but I make time - despite my blog being irregular. Though that could merely be the addiction talking.

What are your thoughts on corporate blogs and what do you think the biggest advantages and disadvantages are?
I haven’t really given much thought to corporate blogs. But I guess I’m rather ambivalent, I don’t hold to the idea that blogging has any kind of sanctity to it that’s going to be spoiled if corporations run corporate blogs. I’m not a big fan of corporations, but I don’t really have a problem with the idea and I probably won’t, unless it comes up as an issue for me to discuss.

What role can bloggers of the world play to make this world more friendlier and less hostile?
They can write. If the pen is the writer’s sword, the keyboard is the blogger’s machine gun. Challenging existing coercive, violent and harmful ideas is what bloggers seem to do best and considering it’s these coercive entities that are the source of many of the world’s ills, bloggers are in an excellent position.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers?
I don’t really have favourite bloggers exactly. There are two individuals, Per Bylund and Brad Spangler, that I have an enormous respect for and who have shaped my ideas in some way. They both write profusely on their blogs, though I wouldn’t describe them solely as bloggers. They’re both passionate about their beliefs and I respect them for their ideas and contributions to libertarian thought.

Is there one observation or column or post that has gotten the most powerful reaction from people?
Not particularly. I would like to write something that gets such a reaction, but I haven’t as of yet. As I said, I’m more or less a newcomer to blogging, so I guess I’m still in the process of establishing myself.

What is your perception about Pakistan and its people?
From the Pakistani’s I have known, I can only respect them. The Pakistani people are, from my experience, highly resourceful and intelligent. They’re able to deal with problems that would cause others to have a nervous break down. They have a close sense of family and there is a strong bond there. As I have only known Pakistani immigrants, I believe they are also incredibly brave. I have known many who have immigrated at a young age - sometimes lying about their date of birth in order to get a passport - so they can come to try and establish themselves overseas. It’s a difficult, dangerous and terrifying experience. It’s amazing for someone to voluntarily undertake such an endeavour. I also have a great respect for Pakistani’s in regards to their religious views. Many insult Islam and Muslims based on a faulty collective judgement that they are all extremists, however every Pakistani I have met has been what is described as a ‘moderate’. It just provides evidence that this statement is as ignorant as it is discriminatory. I, nor anyone else I know, has been personally scolded or reprimanded for not being of the Islamic faith by a Pakistani. It’s an excellent thing and I value that in people.

As for Pakistan, I believe the country is in a very precarious political situation. My only advice, at this point, would be to distrust politicians, their employees and those who seek to obtain power under any pretence.

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?
Once, though not in a good way. He, he shall remain unnamed, seemed to be an angry little man that spent his time insulting and using bad sarcastic humour to persecute another blogger and various other political figures he disagreed with. Basically, he used ad hominem attacks rather than writing anything of value. Ever. He was unique in that I have never read such counter productive garbage as the stuff he wrote.

What is the most striking difference between a developed country and a developing country?
The developed country’s government is massive, while the developing country’s government wants to be massive.

What is the future of blogging?
You can’t predict the future. It doesn’t exist until it happens. So who knows?

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?
I’ve become more literate. It’s helped me learn to argue a point, write and communicate my ideas. But I think it would be accurate to say that personal and professional life affects my blogging life, for I draw my ideas and inspiration from my personal and professional lives.

What are your future plans?
For the moment, keep writing and learning. I’m also thinking about starting a fiction blog where I publish any short stories and any other fiction I write. The more practice, the better.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?
Live your life as best you can. We’re here, now. Enjoy it.