May 3, 2005

Bzz controversy

There's been a storm of comments about BzzAgent's deal to promote Creative Commons. Peter Caputa has written something that just about captures my own view: essentially that criticism of BzzAgent is often overdone and a bit self-righteous. And that Dave Balter went a bit OTT in response (credit to him for subsequently apologising).

I've been self-righteous myself from time-to-time, it can be very satisfying in the short run to be so damn smart and so damn right. I know the pleasure of nailing up a forensic list of the 12 fatal flaws in other side's position. This is the joy of advocacy over enquiry. But in the end, I find respectful dialogue is more sustainable. (Learning instead of problem-solving).

Peter also picks up this great insight from Kevin at Corante's Many to Many:

I think this is because BzzAgents crosses the line between the two moral syndromes that Jane Jacobs identifies in Systems of Survival - the Guardian syndrome, which is based on loyalty and social groups, and the Commercial one, which is based on honest dealing and collaboration with strangers.

Posted by Johnnie Moore at 09:34 in Blogs & networks , Branding , Facilitation
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Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Bzz controversy:

» BzzAgents...Creative Commons...Common Ground? from Crossroads Dispatches
It's rather sad that the Creative Commons loyalists and word-of-mouth marketing company BzzAgents can't see any common ground. Both are attempts at changing established rules of play. It's rather sad that a conversation isn't happening. If blogs are a ... [Read More]

» BzzAgent Doesn't Handle Negative Buzz Very Well from pc4media
I was quick to defend BzzAgent when Suw Charman criticized them recently: More whining about bzzagent. (Even when they are doing good things like supporting Creative Commons.) I really think that people need to see bzzagent as just another way [Read More]

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