Last Updated on October 22, 2016
John Scalzi, of “Whatever” and “By the Way,” has had it up to here with the constant accusations that he’s had to suffer. Unfair accusations, I might add.
And he’s spoken his peace at this entry.
Good for you, John! Good for you!
I don’t hold John or Joe responsible for this. As I’ve stated, the fact that AOL kept them in the dark about the start date of the banner ads tells me a great deal of the story. If they’re the ones AOL wants to keep people informed, and AOL isn’t informing them, well, that’s something to ponder.
It’s easy for people who are only involved because their blogs are (or have been) on AOL to sit back and say that John should have broken this news to us as soon as the first mention of it was made. It’s also easy for them to say that he should have launched some elaborate public battle.
It’s less easy for the same people to contemplate going against their own employer, the company that signs the checks that keeps food on their dinner table for their families, to just up and declare war on their bosses. Funny that these people aren’t considering that fact.
This is an AOL problem. If you want a person to blame, you’re already off on the wrong foot. There’s no one person. Blame the mentality that said, “Hey, we’ve got this good thing going with journals…let’s try to make another buck on it.” Blame the journal writers themselves who have made AOL J-land such a successful entity that advertisers would consider buying ads there.
But don’t blame the people who are spoke up beforehand and tried to warn AOL’s management that this was a bad idea. Don’t blame the people who continue to pass — at times unnecessarily nasty — comments along to those same managers.
And for that matter, don’t even blame the advertisers for buying the space: if they hadn’t, someone else would have. AOL came to them and said that this space was available. The advertisers aren’t required to then survey every user of a particular space to make sure that those who are there wouldn’t mind seeing their ad: the advertiser would logically assume that this would be AOL’s responsibility and they’d be right. If these advertisers pull out their ads, do you think AOL wouldn’t put someone else’s ads in their place???
I’m not encouraging anyone to leave the AOL service. That has to be your decision, and there are a lot of people who have very valid reasons for staying. I have no problem with that. But consider this: if you’re going to be this angry with an individual, then why stay? Is it healthy? What’s that anger really accomplishing if it’s directed at someone who is doing all he can in a situation in which he’s caught in the crossfire?
Uh, Patrick? I think that “blame” word, as applied to journalers, was a little ill-chosen, n’est-ce pas? I take it what you mean is, we built outselves a nice neighborhood, so naturally, our landlord decided to make some money off it, because that’s the nature of the business.
They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot – or, more to the point, a multimedia billboard.
Karen
http://outmavarin.blogspot.com
http://mavarin.blogspot.com
Both John and Joe are big boys. They knew this would blow up and that they would be on the front line. It’s part of the job. May not be fair, but it’s why these corporations hire them. So the big boys can play golf.
But I, personally, don’t blame either one of them, most especially Scalzi. Neither of them is high enough on the food chain to have made or unmade this decision. But as long as their employer continues to shove both of them out there, into the line of fire, without a shred of backup, they’re gonna get pelted.
I was glad, though, to see John be as blunt as he was. What we need in this mess is bluntness. And honesty.
But I’m not holding out hope for that either.
Blame the journal writers for making such an irresistible product. Why thank you Patrick. I know you were talking about me. That’s the best chuckle I’ve had all day. ;o)
“Blame the journal writers themselves who have made AOL J-land such a successful entity that advertisers would consider buying ads there.”
Are you kidding me?! Blame the writers?! How is that different than “blame the scantily clad woman for being raped simply because she turned the guy on.”
Beyond that, you’re defeating a straw man. I don’t know how many people blame these guys that it happened in the first place – but are angry about their response to the paying customer.
If they CHOOSE to continue working for a company they claim ambushed them, then they are CHOOSING to accept the wrath of the angry customer who the Execs are too spineless to face.
If they’re going to feed their families on AOL’s dime, then they’re going to receive the brunt of our anger.
It really /is/ that simple.