Countering

Countering is almost the exact opposite of forwarding. In forwarding, the work is used by another person to prove their own point and they kind of send it back out into the public. And the new writing usually isn’t directed back towards the original writer. But countering is when someone reads some sort of writing, and then writes something back towards the original writer, pointing out some things that maybe are controversial to them, or just something that they find unclear. In forwarding, it keeps the story alive and keeps it going. In countering it also continues the story but in a different way. Forwarding usually keeps the story how it is. It implies that the story is right and its ready to be distributed to the world. Countering implies that the story still has problems that need to be fixed, so the story stays alive but in a discussion kind of way. A reader may counter a story that holds a different position than they believe, so they may write something to show their view on the subject, and this can continue as a conversation because the original writer can respond back to continue defending their position.

In my sports blog, an example of countering can be found in a story about the NBA star Lebron James. James plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers but for a few years now there have been rumors about him going to play for the New York Knicks when he becomes a free agent in 2010. Recently, Cleveland played in New York, so the media did all these stories about James playing for the Knicks. The blog I have been following did a post sort of countering that, saying how chances are; he will continue to play for the Cavaliers. The author of the blog brought up points about how he will have better teammates in Cleveland and how they have made a run at the championship while the Knicks have not been close. It also brings up some quotes of James himself saying that he has not made any sort of commitment towards going to play for New York. This is a good example countering because they take a story from the media and call it out on some things that they overlooked.