Want to be popular on the Internet? Be a jerk!
That link goes to an article on MSNBC that basically confirms that obnoxious behavior seems to generate the most traffic and attention on the Internet. I realize that is almost as revolutionary of an idea as "water is wet" and "Thursday follows Wednesday", but it is interesting to see some level of rigor and analysis behind it.
So...
Does this mean I should take pot-shots at The Motley Fool? Should I try to metaphorically de-pants Warren Buffett? Should I obnoxiously target those who disagree with my analysis? Should I pull out the soapbox and pronounce from on high why I am a genius and Bernanke, Obama, Goldman Sachs, CNBC, et al are clueless idiots?
Nah...
Life is to short to be a jerk. I'd rather just do what I do - if people want nasty, they can go somewhere else. And if not being nasty means I don't get to be popular ... well, I guess I'll just contentedly toil away in obscurity.
P.S. For those who know me and/or have read my writing for years ... this doesn't mean I'm going to stop being a smart-ass! lol
2 comments:
I guess if one gets paid (or one's ego gets boosted) based on number of viewers, it makes sense to pursue a least-common-denominator strategy. Lord knows it used to work for the networks in the sixties, decidedly an age of limited choices. But many of us are hoping the internet would provide something more than just the millenial analog to "Gilligan's Island". Hopefully there will always be room for sites that shed more light than heat (yes, I consider this one of the latter.)
Thanks! I appreciate that.
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