Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Hey, Technorati! Why So Fickle?


I know it's crazy to pay any attention to a little thing like a technorati score, but ever since I installed that damn widget, I can't take my eyes off it. It teases me by changing almost daily--up one point one day, and down one the next. It was only six months ago that I became aware that there was such a thing as a technorati score. The widget lists favorite tags, and I guess if I really wanted to, I could get smarter with my tags. I could pay attention to the momentary fashion of popular tags and label my post with a key word that would jack up my technorati score artificially, but that would be dishonest, and I hate the fact that I give a shit what my technorati score is. I have recently caught myself in so many instances of shallow, foolish, and perhaps hurtful, word flinging, that maybe it's time I put myself in the corner and told myself not to approach the keyboard until I am ready to be smart and witty and write well just for the fun of it, and not give a damn what technorati thought about my tags.

Technorati, you are like the evil stepmother in Snow White with a magic mirror. One of these days, I'm going to take you off that wall, because you've been really pissing me off.

And by the way, Comrade Kevin, my widget really loves you.

11 comments:

susan said...

I stopped labeling my posts (except for the odd generic word like watercolor) about a year ago after a few argumentative commenters showed up. I think of phantsy as a bijou blog for friends and whoever arrives out of the blue. I'm far too lazy or otherwise occupied to keep up with media trends but I don't object to commenting on them on other friends sites. My political opinions tend to be revolutionary but I have no urge to argue with people who have an agenda.

Utah Savage said...

From one revolutionary to another, I'm glad you aren't as mad at me as I am about caring how popular I'm not.

Dr. Zaius said...

The whole thing is a scam to boost Technorati and not much else. My main complaint about Technorati is that it does not promote creativity in any way shape or form. This is the technorati widget that I put on my blog. (I made it myself! Hee hee!)

Spadoman said...

I certainly have wondered if anyone is reading my blog. Back in the day, I had plenty of readers, but that dropped off for a variety of reasons, most of which I accept and understand. I can say I write for myself, but I do want people to read and comment.I want the exchange of ideas, comments. I want the reward of the back and forth dialogue.

But the bottom line is this, I keep writing, and saving my work. I know someday my Grand children will read this stuff and have a good idea of who I was.

I use Statcounter. I can see how many times someone came to my blog, and in most cases, from where they got there. I've seen Technorati, but I never made sense of it. Having addictive personality like I do, I would be checking it every 10 minutes to see if it has changed. I'd rather be doing something else. Something inspiring, something grand that I enjoy, and hopefully share with others.
But with PTS, I understand and accept the inevitability of loneliness as I struggle to be understood.

Peace to All.

lisahgolden said...

I don't understand technorati. If I really thought I could blog for a living, I suppose I would have to care, but I don't. I'm much more interested in the number of visitors and comments I get, especially the regulars. When they fall off, I know that something is up. I've had lots of turnover, for example, when I stopped writing about politics.

Anyway, I propose we start calling it Technortwati just because.

Oh and on the new blog, I've tried to limit my tags to things I can go back and find when I need to. It's half working.

Kulkuri said...

The tags have meaning?? Oh well.
I have no idea what a technorati is and no desire to have one.

Randal Graves said...

What's this about a revolution? Do we have a enough guillotines?

La Belette Rouge said...

I check my Technorati score at least once a week. I check my subscriber count on feedburner daily and I look at Statcounter several times a day. I am embarrassed that I care and yet that is not enough to stop me from caring.

Unknown said...

The good Dr Zaius has it right. Technorati is total self-serving fuckery.

Technorati ranks me higher than most blogs I read..yet I don't have half the readers or a quarter of the comments..go figure!

Forgetaboutit!!!! Your read by people that adore you Peg, so don't stress on your popularity. This ain't highschool m'dear woman.

Utah Savage said...

Well, you guys are right. And Dusty, right on!

I never expected to be read when I started this adventure. I just needed to write. I always wrote, but not this much and every day. But when readers showed up I was hooked on the relationship. You guys have taught me so much: about blogging, and linking, and imbedding, and commenting and life. Who could ask for anything more? Well, I could, I guess. I seem to want it all. These are the best times of my life and I want them to just get better and better. I think removing that technorati widget is a start. Mirror, mirror on that wall, you are coming down. The broad I see in your reflection looks way too much like my mother.

Life As I Know It Now said...

The only thing I used technorati for is to see if someone is linking to me so that I can be sure to link back. I think that's a good and valid reason all in itself. It doesn't change much for me but that's just cuz I'm small but that's okay. What bugs me about technorati is when it doesn't work and I find links that I didn't know about.