More MetaBlogging

Lindsay's post makes me sad, but also adds weight to the theory that the blogoshphere is more about social psychology than journalism. In fact, as a journalist, Lindsay has what I personally consider to be a soberingly depressing view about journalism in general. I always thought it would be all high ethics - but she'll happily concede that a story of Britney looking fat in a swimsuit, is more interesting to most people than the fluctuations in interest rates. (c'mon, which link did you click?) and journalism isn't history, right?

So why is Robert Scoble considered influential? Because the social dictum that he's speaking to have elected to make him so. Again, the meme-centric view simply doesn't feature. It's not content-value that determines power, it's arbitrarily assigned by the people themseleves. The popularity of the various trashy media outlets (like here and here and here) is sadly, not driven by content. It's driven by people's general perception, habit and social stigma.

I'm still not convinced that reading a blog is much different from a conversation, just becuase it's written down in public. If you were to speak personally with Scoble, or Bill Gates, there'd be a clear understanding that each would be representing Microsoft. You would likely get as much propoganda from them verbally as you would through any unmoderated post from a Microsoft employee. And yet you can't moderate people's conversations...