Comments on: Asymmetrical conflict in the blogosphere http://www.salas.com/2008/05/22/assymetrical-conflict-in-the-blogosphere/ Some stuff I just figured out Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:55:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Rick Reno http://www.salas.com/2008/05/22/assymetrical-conflict-in-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-35641 Rick Reno Wed, 28 May 2008 14:46:20 +0000 http://www.salas.com/2008/05/22/assymetrical-conflict-in-the-blogosphere/#comment-35641 What drives the anger. What drives the passion, the emotion. What is the difference between "mood management" (a billion dollar industry in those nations where psychology is close to law enforcement and buffering conflict due to deprivation issues associated with 'globalization' of economy,life chance reduction etc). Looking back at anger, Fidel Castro and his middle/upper middle class pals and gals in Havana and Santiago were a just handful who "unfairly targeted" the US way of doing things in "Latin America" and things got viral and folks rallied around them. So you say self censorship and other retentive behavior is best way to maintain some politically correct form of "democratic internet." I suspect what we really have here is "job creation" ramping up for reputation management enthusiasts, sort of like "fire insurance" for internet business. It is human nature for humans to "attack" at some point, aggressively, passively, non-attack attacks. Regardless of whether you are a small business, or a big corporate giant or an oligopoly industry globally, attacks will happen. The reality is that we will always live in a "first punch" and "shoot first ask questions later" world. The internet and its power as a medium enables those who like to "attack" exponentially. So there is a new growth industry out there sort of like a new virtual mommy coming out with a towel to clean up baby's mess. Like somebody closer to the sun once said... genius steals, excellence copies... See social psychologist Lev Vygotsky for details. What drives the anger. What drives the passion, the emotion. What is the difference between “mood management” (a billion dollar industry in those nations where psychology is close to law enforcement and buffering conflict due to deprivation issues associated with ‘globalization’ of economy,life chance reduction etc). Looking back at anger, Fidel Castro and his middle/upper middle class pals and gals in Havana and Santiago were a just handful who “unfairly targeted” the US way of doing things in “Latin America” and things got viral and folks rallied around them. So you say self censorship and other retentive behavior is best way to maintain some politically correct form of “democratic internet.” I suspect what we really have here is “job creation” ramping up for reputation management enthusiasts, sort of like “fire insurance” for internet business. It is human nature for humans to “attack” at some point, aggressively, passively, non-attack attacks. Regardless of whether you are a small business, or a big corporate giant or an oligopoly industry globally, attacks will happen. The reality is that we will always live in a “first punch” and “shoot first ask questions later” world. The internet and its power as a medium enables those who like to “attack” exponentially. So there is a new growth industry out there sort of like a new virtual mommy coming out with a towel to clean up baby’s mess. Like somebody closer to the sun once said… genius steals, excellence copies… See social psychologist Lev Vygotsky for details.

]]> By: francois gossieaux http://www.salas.com/2008/05/22/assymetrical-conflict-in-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-35027 francois gossieaux Fri, 23 May 2008 21:04:33 +0000 http://www.salas.com/2008/05/22/assymetrical-conflict-in-the-blogosphere/#comment-35027 Hi Pito - great post. I agree with you that responsible bloggers should think twice before slamming a company. I also think that this new consumer architecture of participation can and should be used to reverse the power imbalance that exists between many buyers and companies. I am not sure that there is an asymmetry between companies and their buyers - just a better balance of power. I have had many experiences where customer service issues only got resolved after I blogged about it. Now all that being said, I have also seen companies that were unfairly targeted who were able to get other bloggers to rally around them and in effect neutralize the attack. Just like a company needed an crisis management plan in the old days, they still need one today. The difference is that a crisis management plan in 2008 needs to be more than a plan - it needs to include a pro-active outreach to potential allies in the social media space. Francois Hi Pito - great post. I agree with you that responsible bloggers should think twice before slamming a company.

I also think that this new consumer architecture of participation can and should be used to reverse the power imbalance that exists between many buyers and companies. I am not sure that there is an asymmetry between companies and their buyers - just a better balance of power.

I have had many experiences where customer service issues only got resolved after I blogged about it.

Now all that being said, I have also seen companies that were unfairly targeted who were able to get other bloggers to rally around them and in effect neutralize the attack. Just like a company needed an crisis management plan in the old days, they still need one today. The difference is that a crisis management plan in 2008 needs to be more than a plan - it needs to include a pro-active outreach to potential allies in the social media space.

Francois

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