Comments on: shirky’s law: “equality. fairness. opportunity. pick two.” http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/ "cartoons drawn on the back of business cards" Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:17:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Fun, money, honesty: pick any two? « Phil Ebersole's Blog http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/#comment-64481 Fun, money, honesty: pick any two? « Phil Ebersole's Blog Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:47:26 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=2061#comment-64481 [...] on shirky’s law: “equality. fairness. opportunity. pick two” for a related “law,” somewhat off topic, of which I also am skeptical.  I found the [...] […] on shirky’s law: “equality. fairness. opportunity. pick two” for a related “law,” somewhat off topic, of which I also am skeptical.  I found the […]

]]> By: Changing Way http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/#comment-9873 Changing Way Wed, 22 Feb 2006 10:35:37 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=2061#comment-9873 <strong>Standard Silliness</strong> I know I'm late to the party, but I feel moved to say a few words about Andrew Keen's Weekly Standard/CBS article. Keen criticizes Web 2.0 as a neo-Marxist movement that glorifies bloggers as the proletariat and vilifies traditional media as the bourge... Standard Silliness

I know I’m late to the party, but I feel moved to say a few words about Andrew Keen’s Weekly Standard/CBS article. Keen criticizes Web 2.0 as a neo-Marxist movement that glorifies bloggers as the proletariat and vilifies traditional media as the bourge…

]]> By: blob http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/#comment-9872 blob Fri, 17 Feb 2006 06:38:40 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=2061#comment-9872 <strong>Equality on the blogosphere - no gaping voids.</strong> Following up on a conversation with Hugh Macleod over on gapingvoid. To me, equality in the blogosphere is not about every blogger being the same in quantity or measure of what they write. And it is not about status, whether measured by outcome, traf... Equality on the blogosphere — no gaping voids.

Following up on a conversation with Hugh Macleod over on gapingvoid.
To me, equality in the blogosphere is not about every blogger being the same in quantity or measure of what they write. And it is not about status, whether measured by outcome, traf…

]]> By: Dave the lifekludger http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/#comment-9867 Dave the lifekludger Thu, 16 Feb 2006 09:17:19 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=2061#comment-9867 Hugh, re my comments around inequality. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner- I'm not going on all cylinders at the moment - this is why <a href="http://dnwallace.com/blog/2006/02/07/no-metal-required/" rel="nofollow">http://dnwallace.com/blog/2006/02/07/no-metal-required/</a> I'm pleased to say your questions got me thinking more deeply about the issues around inequality in the blog world and with the help of a colleague will be starting a conversation about it. We will be tagging it 'longtailjewel' would love your involvement! Suffice for now to say, to me, inequality is about 'separateness' or 'disconnection'. Hugh, re my comments around inequality. Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner– I’m not going on all cylinders at the moment — this is why http://dnwallace.com/blog/2006/02/07/no-metal-required/
I’m pleased to say your questions got me thinking more deeply about the issues around inequality in the blog world and with the help of a colleague will be starting a conversation about it. We will be tagging it ‘longtailjewel’ would love your involvement!
Suffice for now to say, to me, inequality is about ‘separateness’ or ‘disconnection’.

]]> By: Many-to-Many http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/#comment-9871 Many-to-Many Wed, 15 Feb 2006 04:03:04 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=2061#comment-9871 <strong>Powerlaws: 2006 Dance Re-mix</strong> Seems like the blogosphere is picking at it’s favorite scab again, from Seth’s Gatekeepers posts and subsequent conversation, to pointers to Clive Thompson’s A-Listers article in New York magazine, which article discusses the themes f... Powerlaws: 2006 Dance Re-mix

Seems like the blogosphere is picking at it’s favorite scab again, from Seth’s Gatekeepers posts and subsequent conversation, to pointers to Clive Thompson’s A-Listers article in New York magazine, which article discusses the themes f…

]]> By: Jack Yan http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/#comment-9866 Jack Yan Tue, 14 Feb 2006 21:34:24 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=2061#comment-9866 I I

]]> By: hugh macleod http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/#comment-9865 hugh macleod Tue, 14 Feb 2006 18:15:26 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=2061#comment-9865 What do you mean by "inequality", Dave? Inequality of Opportunity? Inequality of Outcome? Inequality of Traffic? Inequality of readership quality? Inequality of writing quality? Inequality of Technorati rankings? Inequality of blogging ROI? Inequality of attractive, sexually willing blog groupies? Just curious. What do you mean by “inequality”, Dave?
Inequality of Opportunity?
Inequality of Outcome?
Inequality of Traffic?
Inequality of readership quality?
Inequality of writing quality?
Inequality of Technorati rankings?
Inequality of blogging ROI?
Inequality of attractive, sexually willing blog groupies?
Just curious.

]]> By: Dave the lifekludger http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/#comment-9864 Dave the lifekludger Tue, 14 Feb 2006 17:35:33 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=2061#comment-9864 Hugh. In the addendum of the Power Laws, Weblogs, and Inequality post you refer to there is a link that David Sifry, had created the Technorati Interesting Newcomers List. However the link boes nowhere! Do you know if such a link still exists somewhere or any sites using the current wave of tags and link data to proactively highlight the thin end if the long tail? Or is inequality just being met in the virtual space as it is in the physical world and accepted as a fait accompli? dnw - David N Wallace - Dave the Lifekludger Hugh. In the addendum of the Power Laws, Weblogs, and Inequality post you refer to there is a link that David Sifry, had created the Technorati Interesting Newcomers List. However the link boes nowhere! Do you know if such a link still exists somewhere or any sites using the current wave of tags and link data to proactively highlight the thin end if the long tail?
Or is inequality just being met in the virtual space as it is in the physical world and accepted as a fait accompli?
dnw — David N Wallace — Dave the Lifekludger

]]> By: think mojo http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/#comment-9870 think mojo Tue, 14 Feb 2006 17:13:25 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=2061#comment-9870 <strong>Just for the glossy pictures</strong> Seems the traditional media is running behind again. Smart Mobs point to the recent article in New York Magazine, ‘Blogs to riches‘, a piece re-hashing for the masses what some in the ‘Sphere have been saying for a while: If you launc... Just for the glossy pictures

Seems the traditional media is running behind again.
Smart Mobs point to the recent article in New York Magazine, ‘Blogs to riches‘, a piece re-hashing for the masses what some in the ‘Sphere have been saying for a while:
If you launc…

]]> By: Dennis Howlett http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/#comment-9863 Dennis Howlett Tue, 14 Feb 2006 16:44:23 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=2061#comment-9863 Very true Hugh...I'm working with several budding Global Microbrands...but as I'm an accountant I don't have the imagination to think much outside my own profession. It doesn't matter. Because what I'm doing is workig and well. And as we both know Hugh, I don't hide behind jargonese BS. Even when it makes me look stupid. 'Cos then I learn - another defining characteristic of social networks - a place to learn and explore things that don't necessarily make sense at first pass. I'm off this topic now but I think there's an encouraging question any aspiring blogger can reasonably put to anyone who has an idea they don't understand or who just wants a leg up in the game of life. Why? It's the first rule of journalism when you're stuck. It works just as well here. Very true Hugh…I’m working with several budding Global Microbrands…but as I’m an accountant I don’t have the imagination to think much outside my own profession. It doesn’t matter. Because what I’m doing is workig and well.
And as we both know Hugh, I don’t hide behind jargonese BS. Even when it makes me look stupid. ‘Cos then I learn — another defining characteristic of social networks — a place to learn and explore things that don’t necessarily make sense at first pass.
I’m off this topic now but I think there’s an encouraging question any aspiring blogger can reasonably put to anyone who has an idea they don’t understand or who just wants a leg up in the game of life. Why? It’s the first rule of journalism when you’re stuck. It works just as well here.

]]> By: hugh macleod http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/#comment-9862 hugh macleod Tue, 14 Feb 2006 15:32:12 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=2061#comment-9862 Interesting points, Dennis. One thing I've never denied is my interest in the commercial applications of blogs. I've been writing about that pretty much since Day One, long before my daily readership exceeded a handful of people. The thing that interests me the most about blogs is what I call "The Global Microbrand". From our conversations, I'd say the same is true with you. Interesting points, Dennis.
One thing I’ve never denied is my interest in the commercial applications of blogs. I’ve been writing about that pretty much since Day One, long before my daily readership exceeded a handful of people.
The thing that interests me the most about blogs is what I call “The Global Microbrand”. From our conversations, I’d say the same is true with you.

]]> By: Bjorn http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/#comment-9861 Bjorn Tue, 14 Feb 2006 09:42:00 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=2061#comment-9861 I disagree, someone can do something clever or find out interesting information and be featured on a site like slashdot or digg and skyrocket to blogstardom. This is not like any other media, and there are gatekeepers, but it's not the same because anyone can publish and anyone can access it. The technology, everything is different. I disagree, someone can do something clever or find out interesting information and be featured on a site like slashdot or digg and skyrocket to blogstardom. This is not like any other media, and there are gatekeepers, but it’s not the same because anyone can publish and anyone can access it. The technology, everything is different.

]]> By: Mack Collier http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/#comment-9860 Mack Collier Tue, 14 Feb 2006 09:05:12 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=2061#comment-9860 "The fact that you think I'm "dependant" on A-Lister linklove suggests to me that (A) you know very little about how my business works and (B) you know very little about how the blogosphere works." Come on Hugh, you might not be 'dependant' on linklove from so-called A-Listers, but you do everything you can to encourage it. The posts you left on the 8th and 9th of last week could have just as easily simply listed the 'A-Listers', without linking to every single one of them. And such posts appear here often. And there's nothing wrong with that. But to imply that you don't feel the need to link to 'A-Listers' rings a little hollow to those of us that have read this blog for more than a week. “The fact that you think I’m “dependant” on A-Lister linklove suggests to me that (A) you know very little about how my business works and (B) you know very little about how the blogosphere works.“
Come on Hugh, you might not be ‘dependant’ on linklove from so-called A-Listers, but you do everything you can to encourage it. The posts you left on the 8th and 9th of last week could have just as easily simply listed the ‘A-Listers’, without linking to every single one of them. And such posts appear here often.
And there’s nothing wrong with that. But to imply that you don’t feel the need to link to ‘A-Listers’ rings a little hollow to those of us that have read this blog for more than a week.

]]> By: Dennis Howlett http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/#comment-9859 Dennis Howlett Tue, 14 Feb 2006 06:16:33 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=2061#comment-9859 Isn't everyone forgetting something fundamental here? Blogs are part of social networks. That implies there's a societal component. When I was studying the topic the definition of sociology was 'the study of inequality.' Doesn't matter whether you're Marxist (where sociology usually starts), a post-modern deconstructionlist a la Foucault or any shade in between (for which see TAN for one interesting take) - inequality is a fact of life. There's no answer to this. It's called the human condition. Greed and power are powerful motivators. Being in an electronic environment doesn't change that. Blogging and social networks give ideas that have the potential of turning into something useful an opportunity to take root they might not otherwise get. That's largely because the A-listers appear interested in a different form of power. The spread of ideas that could make a difference. It's a mathematical certainty that as the number of active bloggers expands that 'promise' diminishes. It's called first mover advantage in the lottery of life. Unless of course A-listers are prepared to give others oxygen. Think about successful (and plenty of unsuccessful) revolutions. Who rose to the top? The sycophants of the leader(s) - everyone else stayed put or was suppressed. Those who lost, lost more than their dignity. At least Hugh is honest about it. He's in it for the money. But deep down, I suspect it's the power that really seduces. In fact I'm pretty certain. Because when I heard Scoble say "The world follows me" the genie got let out the bottle. As it does on Tech.me-me-orandum - with boring regularity. Isn’t everyone forgetting something fundamental here? Blogs are part of social networks. That implies there’s a societal component. When I was studying the topic the definition of sociology was ‘the study of inequality.‘
Doesn’t matter whether you’re Marxist (where sociology usually starts), a post-modern deconstructionlist a la Foucault or any shade in between (for which see TAN for one interesting take) — inequality is a fact of life.
There’s no answer to this. It’s called the human condition. Greed and power are powerful motivators. Being in an electronic environment doesn’t change that.
Blogging and social networks give ideas that have the potential of turning into something useful an opportunity to take root they might not otherwise get. That’s largely because the A-listers appear interested in a different form of power. The spread of ideas that could make a difference.
It’s a mathematical certainty that as the number of active bloggers expands that ‘promise’ diminishes. It’s called first mover advantage in the lottery of life. Unless of course A-listers are prepared to give others oxygen. Think about successful (and plenty of unsuccessful) revolutions. Who rose to the top? The sycophants of the leader(s) — everyone else stayed put or was suppressed. Those who lost, lost more than their dignity.
At least Hugh is honest about it. He’s in it for the money. But deep down, I suspect it’s the power that really seduces. In fact I’m pretty certain. Because when I heard Scoble say “The world follows me” the genie got let out the bottle. As it does on Tech.me-me-orandum — with boring regularity.

]]> By: AdPulp http://gapingvoid.com/2006/02/12/shirkys-law-equality-fairness-opportunity-pick-two/#comment-9869 AdPulp Tue, 14 Feb 2006 05:34:25 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=2061#comment-9869 <strong>Hyperlinks Subvert Hierarchies</strong> Doc Searls is considering the big bloatospheric issues again. I have this idea that the blogosphere is the one place in the world — or perhaps an entirely new world, or a part of a new world, created on the... Hyperlinks Subvert Hierarchies

Doc Searls is considering the big bloatospheric issues again. I have this idea that the blogosphere is the one place in the world — or perhaps an entirely new world, or a part of a new world, created on the…

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