Comments on: Are Bloggers and Marketers Really Evil?

by: Dan Blank

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 09:30:55 +0000

Thanks Darren. Would never dream of it!

by: Darren

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 03:35:59 +0000

nice work Dan - glad you didn’t put glasses on that blogger

by: Robert Seidman

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 17:07:04 +0000

Capitalism capitalizes on everything. Paris Hilton, Digerati, it does not differentiate.

by: Dan Blank

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 15:38:01 +0000

Alan - Completely agree. Thanks.

by: alan p

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 14:56:09 +0000

Tsk…the idea that we’re only writing about this to get traffic onto our own blogs….shameful

I think Douglas Karr above says it., re integrity. Dilute that sure, but at your own risk…..

by: Dan Blank

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 13:48:57 +0000

John & Barry: Thanks for the comments, you both make great points. Very little seems to be said of how sophisticated the audience is. In this age of media savvy, won’t people simply tune out those they don’t trust?

by: Barry Welford

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 12:13:49 +0000

Great caricatures, Dan. Of course it’s not merely a division between the sheep and the goats. Real human beings are always somewhere between the two extremes. The Romans said it best, Caveat Emptor. That will always be good advice. It’s usually fairly easy to spot the phonies.

by: John Dodds

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 12:05:40 +0000

Absolutely right Dan. Although I think that the way somebody makes money from a blog (or from any other source) can definitely “dirty” them, what for me started as a thought-provoking issue has escalated into some kind of holy war between saints and sinners with the usual naive tinge of anti-capitalism. My immediate reaction to the initial “transgression” was that there had been an error of judgement on some people’s part which made me feel uneasy, but that a single error of judgement doesn’t undermine anyone’s credibility.

by: Dan Blank

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 11:22:39 +0000

Douglas - what is interesting about this search for “purity” in online journalism, is the massive amount of judgement, the swarm behavior, and the idea people may be causing a stir in order to boost traffic to their own blog, by being critical of others. Thanks for your comments!
-Dan

by: Douglas Karr

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 05:44:11 +0000

What’s really funny is the idealistic view of the ‘old media’ that readers have. They truly believe that their local television station, radio station or newspaper isn’t swayed by the almighty dollar. Grow up.

With blogging, I’m always amazed at people that complain when we make money doing it. Somehow money ‘has to’ dirty us. The fact is, I disclose gifts and money, but I don’t think I should HAVE TO and risk getting crucified by the Net.

If I put my integrity at risk, I’m risking the success of my blog and my name in the industry. I personally won’t do that. However, I own my blog and if I choose to risk it, that’s my choice and no one else’s.

For the OMG crowd, get your own blog and do whatever you’d like!