But at what price, indeed. A few years ago when there were less Pinoys using the internet the zeitgeist was less banal. As the quantity of users increased the quality of thought and/or the refinement of expression decreased dramatically; witless, inartistic, and unaesthetic ways of communicating have become ubiquitous.

As a democratic, capitalist people, we can’t ban paying customers from playing in our previously “exclusive” sandboxes just because we don’t like their accents or don’t find their families in our “social register”.

What we end up doing is enjoying the same rights to freedom of expression as they do. They have a right to say tacky things, we have a right to comment on their tackiness.

As far as business goes….I think blog writers can be proposed to endorse certain products. They will certainly know who their readers are and what products can or can’t be marketed. This would avoid you blunders such as trying to market skin whiteners to readers who work hard on their tans at Tali Beach or by the Manila Polo Club pool. Or selling foie gras to people who are happy making pesto sauce out of McCormick packets.

The higher-end blog-writer/reader whose choices have been more discriminating will not take to an endorsement contract easily unless he or she has already been using the product or service and if, by endorsing it, he or she will not be sacrificing his or her integrity.

The pesto-sauce-by-McCormick-mix reader/blogger will, however, be much more receptive to a better, classier [sic] brand of pesto mix powder. Another place to see and be seen eating Spaghetti Carbonara. Another way to dress like Boy Abunda and talk like Kris Aquino. A chance to get Richard Gutiérrez’s autograph.

I find it interesting how in all Philippine arenas the “elite”, who are a frustratingly fickle market, work hard to find products they can call theirs, while everybody else sits back, relaxed, letting their “advisers” (advertisers) guide their purchase decisions.

Ironic, if you take these two behavioral patterns out of this context, the latter (everybody else) would seem the more “kingly” route.

And principled independence from commercial influence is a valid choice. As is the decision to tap into available corporate resources, as long as truth and integrity are not compromised.

As for uber-independent bloggers, they can exist without anybody’s help. All we need to do is find the good ones.