Comments on: Cult of the Pundit http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/ A Blog about Social Web Design Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:51:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: links for 2007-06-09 at Framtider.net http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142903 links for 2007-06-09 at Framtider.net Sat, 09 Jun 2007 22:18:05 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142903 [...] Bokardo: Cult of the Pundit “When are we going to acknowledge that millions of people writing poorly (while slowly improving) is better than millions of people doing the alternative…not writing at all?” (tags: deltagande_kultur bloggosfären joshua_porter bokardo.com neil_henry clay_shirky andrew_keen wikipedia) [...] [...] Bokardo: Cult of the Pundit “When are we going to acknowledge that millions of people writing poorly (while slowly improving) is better than millions of people doing the alternative…not writing at all?” (tags: deltagande_kultur bloggosfären joshua_porter bokardo.com neil_henry clay_shirky andrew_keen wikipedia) [...]

]]> By: Cult Of The Pundit [Bokardo (Joshua @ Ectio.us] http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142826 Cult Of The Pundit [Bokardo (Joshua @ Ectio.us] Wed, 06 Jun 2007 08:50:28 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142826 [...] Link From bokardo.com [...] [...] Link From bokardo.com [...]

]]> By: Toss http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142793 Toss Mon, 04 Jun 2007 19:53:56 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142793 The best way is writing thousands but good posts. There will be less garbage at least The best way is writing thousands but good posts. There will be less garbage at least

]]> By: Penguin http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142772 Penguin Sun, 03 Jun 2007 00:36:31 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142772 No matter what pundits say, you can't un-invent paper and that is just the same as saying blogs won't last. Yes all sorts of people were publishing pamphlets and tracts during and after the renaissance but not in the same numbers. All web 2.0 has done has brought true democracy to the masses - whether they want it or not. How much do traditional news gatherers rely on ordinary folks' camera shots and reports - even more so that before. Ok you don't get the insight or analysis, but the 'on the spot' news is even more from the 'man in the street'. So what if the majority of blogs are badly written - they are written and someone will read them - the elitist gatekeepers can sleep soundly in their beds. Methinks they do protest too much. No matter what pundits say, you can’t un-invent paper and that is just the same as saying blogs won’t last. Yes all sorts of people were publishing pamphlets and tracts during and after the renaissance but not in the same numbers. All web 2.0 has done has brought true democracy to the masses - whether they want it or not. How much do traditional news gatherers rely on ordinary folks’ camera shots and reports - even more so that before. Ok you don’t get the insight or analysis, but the ‘on the spot’ news is even more from the ‘man in the street’. So what if the majority of blogs are badly written - they are written and someone will read them - the elitist gatekeepers can sleep soundly in their beds. Methinks they do protest too much.

]]> By: Hawthorn http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142740 Hawthorn Thu, 31 May 2007 16:18:21 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142740 Here I understand it the article and comments are enormous Here I understand it the article and comments are enormous

]]> By: Worth Taking the Risk « Bold Words http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142717 Worth Taking the Risk « Bold Words Wed, 30 May 2007 16:18:44 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142717 [...] Critics of risk takers still seem to outweigh those willing to make the leap. Josh Porter over on Bokardo highlights the ongoing argument about “amateurs” flooding the civilized world with nonsense. He points out: What isn’t clear is how much better off we’ll be with so many people learning how to write. Maybe we will have citizen journalists that deliver news faster and more comprehensive than before. Maybe we’ll have better technology analysts who are specialists in their field and not just good generalists from the big newspapers. [...] [...] Critics of risk takers still seem to outweigh those willing to make the leap. Josh Porter over on Bokardo highlights the ongoing argument about “amateurs” flooding the civilized world with nonsense. He points out: What isn’t clear is how much better off we’ll be with so many people learning how to write. Maybe we will have citizen journalists that deliver news faster and more comprehensive than before. Maybe we’ll have better technology analysts who are specialists in their field and not just good generalists from the big newspapers. [...]

]]> By: Clay Shirky http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142716 Clay Shirky Wed, 30 May 2007 16:18:08 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142716 I absolutely agree that Keen is a shock jock, and noted the poor construction of his argument in my post. My point is that new freedom requires new social structures, and that those structures will require a critical eye for what works and what doesn't in the world as we have it today. If Keen & Co.'s arguments turns us from critics into cheerleaders, it's our loss. I absolutely agree that Keen is a shock jock, and noted the poor construction of his argument in my post. My point is that new freedom requires new social structures, and that those structures will require a critical eye for what works and what doesn’t in the world as we have it today. If Keen & Co.’s arguments turns us from critics into cheerleaders, it’s our loss.

]]> By: pauric http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142714 pauric Wed, 30 May 2007 15:50:15 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142714 Just came across a good post on why to blog <a href="http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/29/twentysomething-blogging-is-the-new-graduate-school/" rel="nofollow">Blogging is the new graduate school</a> "If you are interested in a subject but really don’t know much about it, creating a blog is a great way to learn. If you are really clueless at first, then start your blog as a clearing house for everything related to your niche. Scan the web for articles, create google alerts for key words and contact a few experts. Eventually you will absorb so much about the topic that you can write intelligent posts as often as you would like." Just came across a good post on why to blog
Blogging is the new graduate school

“If you are interested in a subject but really don’t know much about it, creating a blog is a great way to learn. If you are really clueless at first, then start your blog as a clearing house for everything related to your niche. Scan the web for articles, create google alerts for key words and contact a few experts. Eventually you will absorb so much about the topic that you can write intelligent posts as often as you would like.”

]]> By: rzklkng http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142713 rzklkng Wed, 30 May 2007 14:25:05 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142713 I tire of the "Cult of the Amateur" argument as well. It doesn't matter, in the end, if the product created by the amateur is crap. The fact that they undertook a new venture, sacrificed their ego by sharing it publicly, and learned news skills, and likely made connections to new people benefits all of us as a society. It benefits individuals, families, communities,corportations, nations, and industries. The problems we're likely to be facing in the future are going to require creativity and imagination, things that the workplace, educational institutions, and the media have beaten out of us (intentionally or not) since the Industrial Revolution. The other point to address is the why - why do the elitist pundits and attention gatekeepers take such offense at the new creative class? I'm looking at Keen, Carr, and Jaron Lanier - they are all worried that the status of the elite gatekeepers will be threatened...and they're right. Why should the word of the newspaper food critic be more relavent than a couple thousand reviews of some anonymous people online, or the word of a handful of people I actually know? Why should souless Top-40 music permeate my life as though it were the pinnacle of achievement? If printed encyclopedias are so much better than Wikipedia, then why doesn't the supermarket still offer Funk and Wagnalls? The Republic (by the chosen few) is a threat to Democracy (by the people) - and that metaphor covers society, industry, and government. I tire of the “Cult of the Amateur” argument as well. It doesn’t matter, in the end, if the product created by the amateur is crap. The fact that they undertook a new venture, sacrificed their ego by sharing it publicly, and learned news skills, and likely made connections to new people benefits all of us as a society. It benefits individuals, families, communities,corportations, nations, and industries. The problems we’re likely to be facing in the future are going to require creativity and imagination, things that the workplace, educational institutions, and the media have beaten out of us (intentionally or not) since the Industrial Revolution.

The other point to address is the why - why do the elitist pundits and attention gatekeepers take such offense at the new creative class? I’m looking at Keen, Carr, and Jaron Lanier - they are all worried that the status of the elite gatekeepers will be threatened…and they’re right. Why should the word of the newspaper food critic be more relavent than a couple thousand reviews of some anonymous people online, or the word of a handful of people I actually know? Why should souless Top-40 music permeate my life as though it were the pinnacle of achievement? If printed encyclopedias are so much better than Wikipedia, then why doesn’t the supermarket still offer Funk and Wagnalls?

The Republic (by the chosen few) is a threat to Democracy (by the people) - and that metaphor covers society, industry, and government.

]]> By: Josh http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142711 Josh Wed, 30 May 2007 14:16:19 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142711 Well said, Britt. I suspect that some of the same people who lament the rise of blogging are at least a tad fearful that their livelihood is at stake. But you're right: great writers, and great talent in all areas, <em>almost</em> always rises to the top. I see blogging as perhaps a kick-start for those hidden talents who, for some reason or other, haven't been practicing as much as they could have. Well said, Britt. I suspect that some of the same people who lament the rise of blogging are at least a tad fearful that their livelihood is at stake.

But you’re right: great writers, and great talent in all areas, almost always rises to the top. I see blogging as perhaps a kick-start for those hidden talents who, for some reason or other, haven’t been practicing as much as they could have.

]]> By: Parrot http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142710 Parrot Wed, 30 May 2007 14:14:20 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142710 I wonder how journalists define that content is poor? I can say the same about any magazine. Every magazine is about specialized topic. If you aren't interested in it you don't read it. Blogs are similar to magazines. So what's wrong in this? I find it extremely useful I wonder how journalists define that content is poor? I can say the same about any magazine. Every magazine is about specialized topic. If you aren’t interested in it you don’t read it. Blogs are similar to magazines. So what’s wrong in this? I find it extremely useful

]]> By: Britt Raybould http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142708 Britt Raybould Wed, 30 May 2007 14:08:16 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142708 I suspect similar arguments were made when people started learning to read and write and didn't rely on their priest for communication. For illiterate individuals, everything was filtered through the viewpoint of their religious leaders. People were also critical that Gutenberg wanted to make books available on a mass scale. The masses didn't really need to <i>know</i> all that much. Now, with blogging and other "user-generated" content we are again moving away from having our information filtered by a central authority. And for all the lament over quality, I suspect few writers emerged from the womb with a pen in hand and produced astounding prose. Didn't <i>Ulysses</i> take Joyce around 12 years to produce? True writing talent can be a rare thing, but no one ever got better at writing by not writing. And heaven forbid pundits be relegated to the corner. Regardless of how crowded the room gets with amateurs, those with real talent needn't fear because they'll continue to stand out. I suspect similar arguments were made when people started learning to read and write and didn’t rely on their priest for communication. For illiterate individuals, everything was filtered through the viewpoint of their religious leaders. People were also critical that Gutenberg wanted to make books available on a mass scale. The masses didn’t really need to know all that much.
Now, with blogging and other “user-generated” content we are again moving away from having our information filtered by a central authority. And for all the lament over quality, I suspect few writers emerged from the womb with a pen in hand and produced astounding prose. Didn’t Ulysses take Joyce around 12 years to produce?
True writing talent can be a rare thing, but no one ever got better at writing by not writing. And heaven forbid pundits be relegated to the corner. Regardless of how crowded the room gets with amateurs, those with real talent needn’t fear because they’ll continue to stand out.

]]> By: pauric http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142706 pauric Wed, 30 May 2007 13:00:12 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/cult-of-the-pundit/#comment-142706 Among all the valid issues highlighted I'd like to underline your point about the quality of the mass media in the US. I came here from the UK about 5 years ago. Havent owned a TV for the last 3 years, rarely buy a paper. I think there are separate issues driving the decline of 'news' content in those mediums. Paper having an inefficient distribution model, TV nailing itself to the floor with too much advertising. Both face a challenge of the specialist 'channels' served up by the blog format. Being in a position to compare from across the pond, mass media content quality is very wanting. Nicole-Smith dominating the news, albeit briefly, during one of the bloodiest wars in recent memory is indicative of the issue. Until the professional journalists collectively find their spine and go in depth on real issues, the amateurs not following the advertising dollars will take up the slack. Among all the valid issues highlighted I’d like to underline your point about the quality of the mass media in the US. I came here from the UK about 5 years ago. Havent owned a TV for the last 3 years, rarely buy a paper.
I think there are separate issues driving the decline of ‘news’ content in those mediums. Paper having an inefficient distribution model, TV nailing itself to the floor with too much advertising. Both face a challenge of the specialist ‘channels’ served up by the blog format.
Being in a position to compare from across the pond, mass media content quality is very wanting. Nicole-Smith dominating the news, albeit briefly, during one of the bloodiest wars in recent memory is indicative of the issue.
Until the professional journalists collectively find their spine and go in depth on real issues, the amateurs not following the advertising dollars will take up the slack.

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