There is a lot of discussion about the Internet and social media and whether or not they are creating Illegitimate Experts, Gurus, Leaders… or iPhony’s. Lets’ look at the definition of Illegitimate- not in accordance with the principles of valid inference. By this definition the Internet and social media may be creating illegitimate experts, but that’s the beauty of the Internet; a person does not have to be in accordance with a “valid inference.”
In the www. world you have to create your validity and my thought is “If people are listening and if you have an audience, influence, a voice, knowledge, experience, personality, talent, information… that people want to hear, you have just been legitimized” and therefore are not an iPhony.
Let’s take a look at a recent product that in my mind was not legitimate and it’s a product that everyone has seen, The Snuggie. Seriously a backwards robe is not a legitimate product and doesn’t serve a legitimate need. The Snuggie has sold over 4 million backwards robes; therefore legitimizing them. “So who am I and what do I know?”
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure… One woman’s phony is another woman’s expert.
Do you think the Internet and Social Media is Creating Illegitimate Experts, Gurus, Leaders… or iPhony’s? Share Your Thoughts!
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11 Comments Received
June 24th, 2009 @10:19 pm
back back back back back…..gone! Great point.
June 24th, 2009 @10:56 pm
As long as people stop believing everything they read, I think it’s fine. But I know people who use wikipedia info like it’s the gospel truth. Just because it’s the first hit on google doesn’t mean it’s going to have the best information. So I guess it depends on what you’re looking for. Advice? Opinion? Anecdotal evidence? Personal experience? Facts? or Truth?
June 24th, 2009 @11:14 pm
I think (snuggie excluded) content is king more and more because of the web. Part of the process though, is people have an opportunity to try a LOT of content to see what’s good. I think the next levels will be the integration of things like Digg.com into our everyday tools (i.e. facebook, twitter, friendfeed) so that we’re able to sift through the ‘illegitimate’ and ‘legitimate’ more easily…
But seriously… who DOESN’T need a blanket with arms?!!
June 25th, 2009 @8:35 am
It get’s cold in Oklahoma right? You MUST have know the snuggle would be a hit, here in South Florida we were like, ” a robe that keeps you warm, NOOOOOOOOO!!!!
People are always looking for answers… they search and are attracted to people who they identify with OR are drawn to (magnetism and influence), there is responsibility on both ends..to the writer/publisher of idea/blog/snuggle…and to the listener/buyer.
We are all accountable for our won actions at the end of the day.
My 2 cents
June 25th, 2009 @9:10 am
“if you have an audience, influence, a voice, knowledge, experience, personality, talent, information… that people want to hear, you have just been legitimized.”
Hah! I knew I was too legit to quit! What? OK, so I only have a few readers. That qualifies as “an audience”, right?
Say, does anybody know where I can order a SnugWow? I can’t even find the wikipedia reference for one…(grin)
June 25th, 2009 @10:14 am
Yes. There is a vast difference between rhetoric and results. Consulting is quite easy, being a practiontioner isn’t always easy. I enjoy the rhetoric and throw my own out there. At the end of the day (one of my fav Scott Williams phrases), the results are what counts. I’d better get back to work now
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June 25th, 2009 @12:30 pm
I think the internet has made gurus out of your typical “who the heck is that” guy, but its also given us access to HELPFUL voices who would have lived in relative obscurity and are now a benefit to MANY people.
For example, w/o Twitter I would NEVER have know who you are :0)
June 25th, 2009 @6:27 pm
The Snuggie is a blanket, not a robe. There is a difference. And how many robes come with a complimentary booklight? As we all know – a blanket can slip and slide and leave your hands trapped inside, etc.
One thing I’ve learned from my Snuggie Internet experience in launching SnuggieSightings.com, SnuggiePubCrawls.com, SnuggieBook.com – the Social Network with Sleeves, etc. is that even ‘legitimate’ news sources care more about page views, subscriptions, and ad rates than publishing the truth. If it is a story that has legs, they are going to run with it…and I must note that if one is going to run (or Pub Crawl) in a Snuggie, perhaps they should opt for the Snugglette (the shorter length keeps your feet free, and is closer to the size of…some would say…a backwards bathrobe)
June 25th, 2009 @8:07 pm
OMG. A serious snuggie comment! We’re not worthy. The snuggie is a blanket, not a robe. I can work with that…(grin)
July 1st, 2009 @10:25 pm
I think it all depends … you make a persuasive argument, however, just because someone says something and millions of people think its true or right, does not make it true or right. Please don’t anyone mistake this as a slam on Obama, but he got into office by being very smooth and convincing in his words … but if you analyze everything he said … he never told anyone how he was actually going to “change” things for the better. So, my question to you is … is Obama an expert? Millions of people believe he is going to change things, yet he didn’t use any facts or figures or explain any great strategies for how he was going to do it.
OK, enough politics (I do not want to get into politics), but my point is anyone gifted in speech or writing can be persuasive, and have lots of followers or believers, but that doesn’t make what they are saying true. So, therefore, even if someone has millions of blog followers, that person is not necessarily an expert. They could simply entertaining or interesting to listen to … but not an expert.
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