Oh, hello everyone reading this blog. How are things going with you? Pretty good? Well that's nice to hear. And with me? Well, to be honest, I've got a lot on my plate right now. The days are just packed, and I've had scarcely a moment to stop and smell the blog fodder, if you will. Yesterday, in an attempt to nail down some fascinating topic, I went to the ever-handy TweetDeck, my go-to source for all that is of the moment and happening. As I browsed my various feeds, clicking links and trying to mentally mold multiple articles into one coherent subject, I realized that I was looking a gift horse straight in the mouth. Right? I've never been great at decoding proverbs, but I'm going to assume that's close enough. What I'm trying to say is this: I use Twitter all of the time to inspire blog content but, this time, Twitter is the content. That's right, I'm going to break the mold right here and declare this posting In Defense Of Twitter.
Like many people, I used to hate on Twitter, frowning upon the assumed self-centeredness of each and every ridiculous-sounding tweet. Ever the innovator, I made completely unique wisecracks about egomaniacs posting pictures of their breakfast cereal and the play-by-play of daily minutia that followed. But, I have since had to eat (and also to tweet!) my own words.
When I was hired by Berrett-Koehler as Digital Community Builder, I made a promise to spread the word about BK's books, authors, and mission through the use of social media. Getting us up and running on Facebook was no biggie, as I'd already been using "the social network" (as Aaron Sorkin would say) for years. But Twitter? This, I knew, was going to be a significant undertaking. Not only would I have to learn to simply use the platform, but I'd have to embrace it, as well. As such, I did my reading, tackling any and all Twitter guides I could find, then downloaded and immediately implemented TweetDeck, the personal real-time browser that was crucial in organizing my feeds.
As I learned more and more about Twitter, its add-on applications and -- most importantly -- its users, I had to come to grips with the reality of the situation: I liked this. I liked this a lot. Because, while there will always be those people posting TwitPics of their morning meal, I don't have to follow them. Instead, I can follow those users who choose to share meaningful information in order to create conversation, controversy, or just old-fashioned entertainment. I follow BK authors, staff members, and other publishing professionals to keep track of what's going on in my field. I follow tech specialists and communication gurus, so that I can learn from and eventually become one of them. I follow my favorite bloggers and major news media outlets, so that I know as soon as any story breaks. I follow celebrities -- actors, musicians, and mostly comedians -- to feed my love of all things pop culture. On top of all that, I follow my friends, especially those who are far away, because the snippets they share make it feel like they're sitting at work right next to me.
As you can imagine, this constant influx of information really does keep me in the know. Just today, I learned of the tragic passings of comedian Greg Giraldo, Texas teen Asher Brown, and Rutgers student Tyler Clementi (true, Twitter really has a knack for breaking obits); I engaged in conversations surrounding both America's current and next Great American Novel; wished Miguel de Cervantes a happy 473rd birthday; and first heard what might be my new favorite song - all via Twitter. And the best part is, I was able to instantly share this with millions (okay, maybe hundreds) of people!
So, that's my spiel. The fine folks at Twitter HQ aren't paying me to say this. It is my genuine belief that I am a more intelligent, more informed, and more involved person because of the direct influence of this particular micro-blogging platform. So, quick, get out there are tweet what it's all about!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Hating on HuffPo
Listen up: I am a HUGE user of the internet. At this point, it is most certainly my main source for three things in particular: News, Information, and Entertainment. In these particular arenas, I am never hesitant to take advantage of the web's inherent shareability and, as they say, follow the crowd. Early on, I learned to trust (or at least try) these single-click recommendations. As soon as Facebook was available to students at Boston College, I signed right up. When all of my friends began sharing funny posts from BuzzFeed and LameBook, I added those sites to my bookmarks toolbar. Cool kids I know here in San Francisco follow local blogs like Mission Mission and SF Citizen and, as a direct result, I do too. I trust these people and, as such, I follow their leads. But there's one popular site where I draw the line, and that is what we're here to discuss.
Stated matter-of-factly: I HATE The Huffington Post. Yes, we all know that "hate" is a strong word, but that's the kind of ire this ridiculous hodgepodge of fact, fiction, and general farcicality provokes in me. What is it about this site that has everyone going once and then, horror of all horrors, going back for more? If they love it so much, why do I feel such the opposite? What is it about this site that gets me so riled up? Well, that's actually a question that I can answer.
Let's start with the homepage, if you can focus your eyes long enough to even see what's going on. I am a product of the so-called 'ADD Generation' -- you know, those of us who text, type, listen to music and read all at the same time --, and even I'm overwhelmed by the mixing and matching of widely divergent subject matter, distracted by the blown-up, unnecessary, and viciously unflattering photographs. While the areas of interest are clearly listed at the top of the site, they are muddled and inexplicably interspersed in the body of the page. And let's take a minute to look at those areas of interest, shall we? It seems The Huffington Post wants to cover everything, eschewing the simplicity of sticking to easily related topics like politics, business, and the media, and scrounging to cover style, living, college, and even arts and religion. Yes, I understand that, in the grand scheme of things, it's all related. But, this isn't the grand scheme of things; this is one website, and I simply don't trust the same outlet that promotes Kate Gosselin's Bikini Workout to adequately address America's broken housing market.
In an attempt to help HuffPo justify such incomprehensible coverage, I searched the site for some sort of statement of purpose, a mission that could make their motives clear. It wasn't in 'About Us', nor did it play into the FAQ or anywhere else -- I found nothing. What I did find, quite easily, were enlightening and photo-rich articles like Most Challenging Traffic Signs Ever, Meals That Don't Live Up to Their Ads and The Most Homoerotic Photos of Politicians Ever Taken. Great!
Now, before you dismiss me as a square or a spoil-sport: I'm really not. I'm all for the trashy and the tasteless. I read Texts From Last Night and The Superficial on a regular basis. But these sites make no pretense of being anything other than what they are: scandalous and sensational forms of meaningless entertainment. HuffPo, on the other hand, commits the unpardonable sin of mixing what is actually important with what is truly insignificant. On top of that, the site both panders to and publishes people I really admire and respect, including a number of Berrett-Koehler authors. By mixing the thoughts of real visionaries with flowcharts like 'Where Should You Pee?', The Huffington Post is completely diluting the power and importance of both.
I simply don't have the time or space to get into the hypocrisy of former conservative pundit Arianna Huffington hosting this "digital dinner party for her new liberal friends", but I will lament the success that she's had doing so, and the negative light that now shines on the 'liberal media' and progressive politics and reporting.
So, tell me what you think. Do you read The Huffington Post? If so, why? What am I not getting? And, if you don't, please use this blog posting as a forum to voice your reasons why.
Bonnie
Stated matter-of-factly: I HATE The Huffington Post. Yes, we all know that "hate" is a strong word, but that's the kind of ire this ridiculous hodgepodge of fact, fiction, and general farcicality provokes in me. What is it about this site that has everyone going once and then, horror of all horrors, going back for more? If they love it so much, why do I feel such the opposite? What is it about this site that gets me so riled up? Well, that's actually a question that I can answer.
Let's start with the homepage, if you can focus your eyes long enough to even see what's going on. I am a product of the so-called 'ADD Generation' -- you know, those of us who text, type, listen to music and read all at the same time --, and even I'm overwhelmed by the mixing and matching of widely divergent subject matter, distracted by the blown-up, unnecessary, and viciously unflattering photographs. While the areas of interest are clearly listed at the top of the site, they are muddled and inexplicably interspersed in the body of the page. And let's take a minute to look at those areas of interest, shall we? It seems The Huffington Post wants to cover everything, eschewing the simplicity of sticking to easily related topics like politics, business, and the media, and scrounging to cover style, living, college, and even arts and religion. Yes, I understand that, in the grand scheme of things, it's all related. But, this isn't the grand scheme of things; this is one website, and I simply don't trust the same outlet that promotes Kate Gosselin's Bikini Workout to adequately address America's broken housing market.
In an attempt to help HuffPo justify such incomprehensible coverage, I searched the site for some sort of statement of purpose, a mission that could make their motives clear. It wasn't in 'About Us', nor did it play into the FAQ or anywhere else -- I found nothing. What I did find, quite easily, were enlightening and photo-rich articles like Most Challenging Traffic Signs Ever, Meals That Don't Live Up to Their Ads and The Most Homoerotic Photos of Politicians Ever Taken. Great!
Now, before you dismiss me as a square or a spoil-sport: I'm really not. I'm all for the trashy and the tasteless. I read Texts From Last Night and The Superficial on a regular basis. But these sites make no pretense of being anything other than what they are: scandalous and sensational forms of meaningless entertainment. HuffPo, on the other hand, commits the unpardonable sin of mixing what is actually important with what is truly insignificant. On top of that, the site both panders to and publishes people I really admire and respect, including a number of Berrett-Koehler authors. By mixing the thoughts of real visionaries with flowcharts like 'Where Should You Pee?', The Huffington Post is completely diluting the power and importance of both.
I simply don't have the time or space to get into the hypocrisy of former conservative pundit Arianna Huffington hosting this "digital dinner party for her new liberal friends", but I will lament the success that she's had doing so, and the negative light that now shines on the 'liberal media' and progressive politics and reporting.
So, tell me what you think. Do you read The Huffington Post? If so, why? What am I not getting? And, if you don't, please use this blog posting as a forum to voice your reasons why.
Bonnie
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