langreiter.com plain, simple: comment-2002-06-06-1

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comment-2002-06-06-1

CREATED BY David Ness • LAST EDITED BY David Ness 8303 days AGO

Winer's piece follows on in what I have come to understand is his tradition of `self-important muddled thought'. He appears to be one of the wold's best at this, raising both `self importance' and `muddled thought' to higher levels than are usually obtainable.

I won't follow the line of analyzing the perceptiveness of _anyone_ who'd think Scoble is a `marketing guy', choosing instead to comment on his general ignorance of what `journalism' is all about. To be a journalist, at least in my opinion, _does not_ mean that you have to choose to fight _all_ battles. You are `entitled' to fight whatever battles you choose to fight. Any marketing guy who _doesn't_ chase down all leads is dumb. Any journalist who _does_ chase down all leads is equally dumb.

Winer could take a lesson from a recent episode of the wonderful American TV series `The West Wing'. The title of the episode was `The US Poet Laureate' and was a charming story of a Poetess who was to be honored by the very thoughtful American President (needless to say _not_ modelled on the current incumbent). She initally felt that she had the obligation to make a particular political statement. Over the course of the episode she grew to understand that this was a separate matter from honoring literature, and that she did not have to use _every occasion_ to fight _every battle_. It seemed like wisdom to me.

As to the `cleverness' of talking about Mr. X etc, then only to identify them at the end, I fail to get why Winer thinks this is a clever conceit of some kind. Seems stupid to me.

But, then, so does he. Not that I feel strongly about it, mind you.