Comments on: On Blogging, Having An Opinion, and the Quality and Trustworthiness of Your Voice http://www.ashokkarra.com/2007/06/on-blogging-having-an-opinion-and-the-quality-and-trustworthiness-of-your-voice/ On Poetry, Politics and Philosophy - A Sketch, An Intersection Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:44:12 +0000 hourly 1 By: Darryl Erentzen http://www.ashokkarra.com/2007/06/on-blogging-having-an-opinion-and-the-quality-and-trustworthiness-of-your-voice/comment-page-1/#comment-10107 Darryl Erentzen Sat, 29 Oct 2011 07:06:57 +0000 http://www.ashokkarra.com/?p=273#comment-10107 Also way too long: the essential point is that if applied with discipline, in a manner that's true to the subject matter in question, the inclusion of commercial factors can also RAISE the level of discourse. (Sadly it seldom occurs). --- By your argument the mere act of publishing in any way for profit amounts to "selling out". I get what you're saying, but I think you're agonizing too much over it. The level of discourse is not necessarily lowered by the mere inclusion of a commercial motivation. Did Shakespeare sell out because he wrote in order to make money? For instance, you could easily make some of the book references in your blog into links to the amazon pages for those books, and thus earn commissions. Would putting those links into posts "lower the level of discourse"? Only if you started changing the way you write in order to be able to include as many such links as possible. I agree that our monetary system is problematic and like many other things, needs eradication or reform, but I have little patience for ivory tower disdain for commerce. It's annoying, though in your case you're so earnest it's also endearing. As another example, my Ontario Poets website is seeded with subtle (and not so subtle) moneymakers like the links I mentioned above, as are other sites I've produced. The thing is, those links make it possible for me to put in the time and effort necessary to make the sites a success, and provide them as a service to the community. The discussions and other interactions that will hopefully take place won't necessarily be hampered by the presence of advertising. People understand that something for nothing isn't how the story goes. I've thrown in affiliate links, but the people writing on and reading the site don't review a book for the sake of the money. Their motives are more like yours, and I enable them while making a profit. It doesn't matter to me what they're writing about, I'll find some links to turn into ads without affecting the content. In fact, if you mention a piece of literature, providing a link where the reader can obtain it potentially RAISES the level of discourse. Maybe discussions of literature are a special case though, where a hyper-linked bibliography is a courtesy. It's certainly rare that I find a technical blog full of affiliate links that isn't blatantly pandering to its advertisers. I've been guilty of that myself in that context, but I think the Web Development Industry is another special case. Pandering to the advertisers is actually fulfilling the desires of the audience, if they've shown up looking for a product to serve a need. --- Wow! This comment seems to have become longer than the article. Sorry. I'll shut up now. :P Also way too long: the essential point is that if applied with discipline, in a manner that’s true to the subject matter in question, the inclusion of commercial factors can also RAISE the level of discourse. (Sadly it seldom occurs).
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By your argument the mere act of publishing in any way for profit amounts to “selling out”.

I get what you’re saying, but I think you’re agonizing too much over it. The level of discourse is not necessarily lowered by the mere inclusion of a commercial motivation. Did Shakespeare sell out because he wrote in order to make money?

For instance, you could easily make some of the book references in your blog into links to the amazon pages for those books, and thus earn commissions.

Would putting those links into posts “lower the level of discourse”? Only if you started changing the way you write in order to be able to include as many such links as possible.

I agree that our monetary system is problematic and like many other things, needs eradication or reform, but I have little patience for ivory tower disdain for commerce. It’s annoying, though in your case you’re so earnest it’s also endearing.

As another example, my Ontario Poets website is seeded with subtle (and not so subtle) moneymakers like the links I mentioned above, as are other sites I’ve produced.

The thing is, those links make it possible for me to put in the time and effort necessary to make the sites a success, and provide them as a service to the community.

The discussions and other interactions that will hopefully take place won’t necessarily be hampered by the presence of advertising. People understand that something for nothing isn’t how the story goes.

I’ve thrown in affiliate links, but the people writing on and reading the site don’t review a book for the sake of the money. Their motives are more like yours, and I enable them while making a profit.

It doesn’t matter to me what they’re writing about, I’ll find some links to turn into ads without affecting the content. In fact, if you mention a piece of literature, providing a link where the reader can obtain it potentially RAISES the level of discourse.

Maybe discussions of literature are a special case though, where a hyper-linked bibliography is a courtesy. It’s certainly rare that I find a technical blog full of affiliate links that isn’t blatantly pandering to its advertisers.

I’ve been guilty of that myself in that context, but I think the Web Development Industry is another special case. Pandering to the advertisers is actually fulfilling the desires of the audience, if they’ve shown up looking for a product to serve a need.

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Wow! This comment seems to have become longer than the article. Sorry. I’ll shut up now. :P
Darryl Erentzen´s last [type] ..The Gun Seller

]]> By: Paul Novak http://www.ashokkarra.com/2007/06/on-blogging-having-an-opinion-and-the-quality-and-trustworthiness-of-your-voice/comment-page-1/#comment-5909 Paul Novak Thu, 15 Jul 2010 02:58:51 +0000 http://www.ashokkarra.com/?p=273#comment-5909 Not bad, but a bit too dismissive imo. There is much more to the question, and the variables that are ignored have a great deal to do with a blogs success. For instance, readers are rarely stupid. They know and accept the reality of blogging. When your content is engaging and meets their expectations, the matter of profit becomes moot. They don't care, because they understand, and it does nothing to affect the value of what they are recieving. Not bad, but a bit too dismissive imo. There is much more to the question, and the variables that are ignored have a great deal to do with a blogs success.

For instance, readers are rarely stupid. They know and accept the reality of blogging. When your content is engaging and meets their expectations, the matter of profit becomes moot. They don’t care, because they understand, and it does nothing to affect the value of what they are recieving.
Paul Novak´s last [type] ..Critical Writing- Don’t Believe Everything You Read

]]> By: Follow Friday: 8 Blogs for 8 Different Reasons http://www.ashokkarra.com/2007/06/on-blogging-having-an-opinion-and-the-quality-and-trustworthiness-of-your-voice/comment-page-1/#comment-5529 Follow Friday: 8 Blogs for 8 Different Reasons Fri, 04 Jun 2010 17:35:05 +0000 http://www.ashokkarra.com/?p=273#comment-5529 [...] Rethink, by Ashok Karra. A new blog for me, I’ve decided to list it here and list it first because it serves as a reminder that quality writing is NOT to be compromised for the sake of popularity, unless of course you are only blogging for the money. If you are blogging for any other reason, reading Ashok’s blog will show you how to raise the bar a little for yourself. Now, Ashok is a graduate student and the writing is advanced, but that is OK. How often do we allow ourselves to think hard about something, the way we did back in college? Not often, since most of what we (well, for accuracy, I) read is the “5 Best Ways to do this” and the “10 Worst Things You Can Do for that”, etc. His blog offers a little more than that. [...] [...] Rethink, by Ashok Karra. A new blog for me, I’ve decided to list it here and list it first because it serves as a reminder that quality writing is NOT to be compromised for the sake of popularity, unless of course you are only blogging for the money. If you are blogging for any other reason, reading Ashok’s blog will show you how to raise the bar a little for yourself. Now, Ashok is a graduate student and the writing is advanced, but that is OK. How often do we allow ourselves to think hard about something, the way we did back in college? Not often, since most of what we (well, for accuracy, I) read is the “5 Best Ways to do this” and the “10 Worst Things You Can Do for that”, etc. His blog offers a little more than that. [...]

]]> By: Ashok http://www.ashokkarra.com/2007/06/on-blogging-having-an-opinion-and-the-quality-and-trustworthiness-of-your-voice/comment-page-1/#comment-308 Ashok Sun, 25 Nov 2007 17:05:00 +0000 http://www.ashokkarra.com/?p=273#comment-308 Somebody asked me this off-line, so I'll take this moment to clarify: I'm not here for money, or fame, or anything like that. I merely want to raise the level of discourse, and that does mean working for an audience while writing the best I can. Somebody asked me this off-line, so I’ll take this moment to clarify: I’m not here for money, or fame, or anything like that. I merely want to raise the level of discourse, and that does mean working for an audience while writing the best I can.

]]> By: DD877 http://www.ashokkarra.com/2007/06/on-blogging-having-an-opinion-and-the-quality-and-trustworthiness-of-your-voice/comment-page-1/#comment-307 DD877 Sun, 25 Nov 2007 16:03:00 +0000 http://www.ashokkarra.com/?p=273#comment-307 Thanks Boss It was as usual a Good read I am Caching it and will reread it so I get all I can Out of it Thanks Boss It was as usual a Good read I am Caching it and will reread it so I get all I can Out of it

]]> By: Ruthie http://www.ashokkarra.com/2007/06/on-blogging-having-an-opinion-and-the-quality-and-trustworthiness-of-your-voice/comment-page-1/#comment-221 Ruthie Fri, 29 Jun 2007 05:40:00 +0000 http://www.ashokkarra.com/?p=273#comment-221 I think this is a great analysis of blogging, AK.<br/><br/>The immediacy of this medium can sometimes propel relatively unknown writers to great heights, but that's very unusual. For most people, I think, it's an outlet for expression that has no other place to go.<br/><br/>For me, it's almost a form of practice. It hones my writing "voice." I can get immediate feedback on things I write. I suspect the same may be true for you. Plus, something about being able to quantify and clarify thoughts in written form is fulfilling in itself.<br/><br/>Incidentally, I got a fortune cookie today that read, "A scholar's ink lasts longer than a martyr's blood." I think this is a great analysis of blogging, AK.

The immediacy of this medium can sometimes propel relatively unknown writers to great heights, but that’s very unusual. For most people, I think, it’s an outlet for expression that has no other place to go.

For me, it’s almost a form of practice. It hones my writing “voice.” I can get immediate feedback on things I write. I suspect the same may be true for you. Plus, something about being able to quantify and clarify thoughts in written form is fulfilling in itself.

Incidentally, I got a fortune cookie today that read, “A scholar’s ink lasts longer than a martyr’s blood.”

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