DISQUS

louisgray.com: louisgray.com: Everybody Wants to be Internet Famous

  • Scobleizer · 1 year ago
    Conflict is an old attention-getting technique. Think back to high school. Did the geek who stayed after school to work on her science project get attention? Or did the bully who beat up another kid get attention? I know that the bully got everyone talking for weeks afterward, while the geek went onto change the world (at our high school a couple of the geeks went onto start sizeable companies, and even my geeky first girlfriend is now director of marketing at Plantronics).

    I say let the bullies have the attention, just like they did back in high school. I'm redoubling my efforts to get the bullies out of my face and am working to point my camera at the geeks who are making our lives better.
  • Scobleizer · 1 year ago
    One other interesting thing, do I remember the names of any of the bullies? No. Do I remember the names of the geeks who went onto do great things after high school? Yes. Society doesn't value people who just are jerks. At least not long term. Short term they get our attention, though, don't they?
  • kylelacy · 1 year ago
    Absolutely! But short term recognition doesn't mean crap in today's world. I would take being a geek with long term recognition any day!
  • idnan · 1 year ago
    ooooh, you put that very well. very well, indeed. but can one pass the baton *back*?
  • Bobbi Newman · 1 year ago
    Well said. Trolls are attention seekers who are using the tactics of bullies instead of intelligent arguments, thoughtful insight or just difference in opinion. In this case the intentions DO count.
  • janequigley · 1 year ago
    Seesmic video reply from Disqus.
  • Ari Herzog · 1 year ago
    As I type this comment in this box on your blog, Louis, I look a few inches to my right and spy 17 social media services you belong to which I presume you'd like me or someone else to click on and therefore give you your 15 minutes (or more) of internet fame. By providing links to your profiles on Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, and other sources, are you not asking for people to follow, err, stalk, err, troll you, too?

    Some people want to be caught. Why live in the underground if you can live above ground in the lights of the New York Times? Would that not further one's cause and perhaps, in a Beavis and Butthead way, allow others to emulate success?
  • charlieanzman · 1 year ago
    Cyndy - The proliferation of gobs of new blogs and websites certainly makes the case that one needs to stay engaged often in order to remain 'an entity' at any level on the web. Scoble and Louis, you and others do a good job doing that (as well as your recent decision to 'stand on your own'). That's not seeking trolls as some have implied. It could be branding, positioning, or just having a little fun. The best thing we can do about trolls, in any place, or on any network, at this juncture is to simply ignore them or in the case of Friendfeed, block them so they don't ruin the mood, direction, or enjoyment of the discussion.
  • charlieanzman · 1 year ago
    PS to Jane
    1) Every time I start to think the Times is getting it, they do something really dumb.?!
    2) Ugh ..... Happy Birthday ! :)
  • janequigley · 1 year ago
    Thanks Charlie!
  • Robert S. Robbins · 1 year ago
    I don't think you realize how mean-spirited and malicious these sociopaths can be. I've seen them cause a whole lot of grief for their victims.