Stagnation & Self-Righteousness

Vast difference between critics and haters. They do deserve to have different names.

For instance, pretty much every comment you've left on my blog for the last several weeks has been contrary to my post. I've been eager to write, "The sky is blue" to see if you'll go red or orange. : )

Contrarians are interesting types. You're doing a wonderful job of helping others take a different approach and that's great. It's good that you've got different views than me and that you voice them. By all means.

It's when people go right down to the "you're wrong and I'm right" that I get a little frustrated. Movie reviewers do that often.

Do I do it? Sometimes. I think we all do. We fall into it.

But is there a difference between critics who are adding value to the landscape versus critics who just want to be contrary? Oh, I'd say so.

Well said Danny!

When we see mistakes being made I think we can examine them from an educational perspective to see what can be learned and how we might make things better, but we don't need to mock or ridicule others to do that. As many have said we're all still learning, no matter how long we've been working with social media. If we can work together and share best practices and advice rather than pointing fingers we can all gain knowledge and improve our strategies. This also helps our collective reputations more than does name calling.

I also think that many of the mistakes that may seem so obviously stupid to us are often the missteps of the beginner who is just finding his or her footing. I expect we all stumbled a bit when starting out. (And will stumble more as we continue to learn.)

The knowledge that we take for granted now wasn't always in our heads. It came with time and practice.

I was reminded of this last fall when giving a presentation on social media to a group outside of our industry. Very few in the crowd were even on Facebook let alone writing blogs. We talk amongst ourselves so often in this industry that we forget that we've acquired knowledge over time that others may not yet have. So we can't really blame them for not knowing the things that we have learned over the course of the past several years. What we can do instead is point them to resources and information that will guide them in the right direction.

What happens in social media reminds me of something I read a long time ago about the lifecycle of an email list. I feel like there are people online who think they know how things should be done and are going to pound that nail until everyone does things their way.

But, I've always said that there are "RULES" and then there are "rules" and how you choose to use social media personally or for your business are going to vary greatly depending on where you live, your industry and your personality. As people, you get the most traction if you are personable, available, consistent and promote others more than yourself. As businesses, your mileage can vary greatly depending on your audience and what your objectives are in the social media space.

Thanks Danny, as someone who was very very patient and very kind to me when I was starting out, I can vouch, you practice what you are preaching here! Especially when my opinions were stupid (which is often :) )

Danny --

I just wanted to say I still love you and your outfit is fabulous.

XOXOXO,

Perez

Hey Danny,

I always try to remember that usually there is a kernal of truth in every joke and criticism. If I take it personal, I will never get very far, but if I get out of my own way, I just see it as results and results should be tinkered with for sure.

It's still personal, otherwise it would be meaningless, but the way I take it personal changes. I take progress and my goals as personal and see the critics as making my product or industry better.

Until a law has been tried and tested in the courts, you never really know if it is constitutional or not. The social media industry trying to escape this part of the growth process is like a writer trying to escape his editor, only to release a lousy article.

Thanks for reminding us that responding to criticism with criticism is just plain easy, but easy doesn't mean effective. It certainly is the opposite of proactive.

Amen! Preach, Danny!

Who in their right mind expects businesses to 'understand' all of this when the industry itself doesn't agree on very much?

Kinda silly to complain about everyone when, as Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits once sang,

"When you point your finger cuz your plan fell through, you got three more fingers pointin' back at you, yea."

I agree, Danny. Let's work on helping each other understand this more. There is plenty of room for everybody. Also, by letting the 'industry' be dominated by a few extra big and loud voices we are really not doing much of a service to those who truly need help. Variety of views and opinions will be essential moving forward.

Thanks again Danny for making me think.

Nicely said Danny. I am always astounded by the number of people talking about social media from the angle of "expert".

Ridiculing those that aren't using it, telling people their business is doomed without it and proclaiming one method is the only way to do business right...

Only 4 years ago, most people didn't know what Facebook was. That is about the length of the average University or College Degree. I know I wouldn't consider anyone an expert right out of their schooling so why are we so quick to point fingers and judge people with our own limited experience?

I'm with Andrew.

Excellent, excellent, Danny. Couldn't agree more. This is exactly why I've respected you from day one and applauded the work you do. Because you are the definition of community.

Thanks buddy. :)

I'll start the slow clap... *clap*.... *clap*.... *clap*....

Bravo, sir. Bravo.

Vast difference between critics and haters. They do deserve to have different names.

For instance, pretty much every comment you've left on my blog for the last several weeks has been contrary to my post. I've been eager to write, "The sky is blue" to see if you'll go red or orange. : )

Contrarians are interesting types. You're doing a wonderful job of helping others take a different approach and that's great. It's good that you've got different views than me and that you voice them. By all means.

It's when people go right down to the "you're wrong and I'm right" that I get a little frustrated. Movie reviewers do that often.

Do I do it? Sometimes. I think we all do. We fall into it.

But is there a difference between critics who are adding value to the landscape versus critics who just want to be contrary? Oh, I'd say so.

Well said Danny!

When we see mistakes being made I think we can examine them from an educational perspective to see what can be learned and how we might make things better, but we don't need to mock or ridicule others to do that. As many have said we're all still learning, no matter how long we've been working with social media. If we can work together and share best practices and advice rather than pointing fingers we can all gain knowledge and improve our strategies. This also helps our collective reputations more than does name calling.

I also think that many of the mistakes that may seem so obviously stupid to us are often the missteps of the beginner who is just finding his or her footing. I expect we all stumbled a bit when starting out. (And will stumble more as we continue to learn.)

The knowledge that we take for granted now wasn't always in our heads. It came with time and practice.

I was reminded of this last fall when giving a presentation on social media to a group outside of our industry. Very few in the crowd were even on Facebook let alone writing blogs. We talk amongst ourselves so often in this industry that we forget that we've acquired knowledge over time that others may not yet have. So we can't really blame them for not knowing the things that we have learned over the course of the past several years. What we can do instead is point them to resources and information that will guide them in the right direction.

What happens in social media reminds me of something I read a long time ago about the lifecycle of an email list. I feel like there are people online who think they know how things should be done and are going to pound that nail until everyone does things their way.

But, I've always said that there are "RULES" and then there are "rules" and how you choose to use social media personally or for your business are going to vary greatly depending on where you live, your industry and your personality. As people, you get the most traction if you are personable, available, consistent and promote others more than yourself. As businesses, your mileage can vary greatly depending on your audience and what your objectives are in the social media space.

"Letu00e2u0080u0099s quit the bitching and the pointing fingers, and instead point ideas in the same direction instead."

My dad always said - "If you don't have a solution to the problem, shut your mouth until you find one."

Wisdom from the both of you.

Thanks Danny, as someone who was very very patient and very kind to me when I was starting out, I can vouch, you practice what you are preaching here! Especially when my opinions were stupid (which is often :) )

Danny --

I just wanted to say I still love you and your outfit is fabulous.

XOXOXO,

Perez

Hey Danny,

I always try to remember that usually there is a kernal of truth in every joke and criticism. If I take it personal, I will never get very far, but if I get out of my own way, I just see it as results and results should be tinkered with for sure.

It's still personal, otherwise it would be meaningless, but the way I take it personal changes. I take progress and my goals as personal and see the critics as making my product or industry better.

Until a law has been tried and tested in the courts, you never really know if it is constitutional or not. The social media industry trying to escape this part of the growth process is like a writer trying to escape his editor, only to release a lousy article.

Thanks for reminding us that responding to criticism with criticism is just plain easy, but easy doesn't mean effective. It certainly is the opposite of proactive.

You remind me why I'm happy to be a part of your tribe, Danny, knowing your presence keeps it from becoming a 'mob.' Kudos.

But bitching and moaning is so much. haha no but seriously...very nicely said Danny.

I often get frustrated at the fear associated with jumping into the social web. These fearful companies either shit themselves and back out or they shoot themselves in the foot by not opening up enough...when this happens I get so frustrated that I social media doesn't have the credibility that PR industry does. I often think to myself: if only social media had this credibility these companies wouldn't be so dam fearful.

But I guess like you've said, if we focus on the positive then positive things will come to be. So I guess the solution to this credibility issue is for us all to conduct ourselves (use our actions) in a manner that is worthy of such credibility as that of PR and advertising...then one day, maybe, just maybe, it will be!

Thanks for the inspiration Danny

Amen! Preach, Danny!

Who in their right mind expects businesses to 'understand' all of this when the industry itself doesn't agree on very much?

Kinda silly to complain about everyone when, as Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits once sang,

"When you point your finger cuz your plan fell through, you got three more fingers pointin' back at you, yea."

I agree, Danny. Let's work on helping each other understand this more. There is plenty of room for everybody. Also, by letting the 'industry' be dominated by a few extra big and loud voices we are really not doing much of a service to those who truly need help. Variety of views and opinions will be essential moving forward.

Thanks again Danny for making me think.

..and while we're at it, can we stop doing that to each other as well.. if I have to read one more rant by a social media "expert" calling out the "so called social media gurus".. I swear I'll change my name to.. ermm.. uuhh.. what can I change my name to??

i concur.

imagine if all the energy that is expended bitching and moaning, hate this, fail that, were instead to be channelled into something more productive, like raising their own game or serving others in a supportive way.

anything and everything would be possible.

Nicely said Danny. I am always astounded by the number of people talking about social media from the angle of "expert".

Ridiculing those that aren't using it, telling people their business is doomed without it and proclaiming one method is the only way to do business right...

Only 4 years ago, most people didn't know what Facebook was. That is about the length of the average University or College Degree. I know I wouldn't consider anyone an expert right out of their schooling so why are we so quick to point fingers and judge people with our own limited experience?

Can we still make fun of stupid people?

I'm with Andrew.

Excellent, excellent, Danny. Couldn't agree more. This is exactly why I've respected you from day one and applauded the work you do. Because you are the definition of community.

Thanks buddy. :)

Yeah! What he said! Let's lynch the critics, the degnerate little bas...wait, what? Whaddya mean, "Not in the spirit of the post?"

Le sigh...

No, seriously: Being an armchair critic is easy. Any jackass with a Twitter account thinks he's a social media consultant, as funny as Conan O'Brien, and worthy of attention.

Now DOING something? That's good stuff. Critics are everywhere, and of little import. Men of action (and women!) get to shape the world.

I'll start the slow clap... *clap*.... *clap*.... *clap*....

Bravo, sir. Bravo.