Comments on: Is it better to be original or to echo

By: 82 Blog Post Ideas You Can Use - Serious and Silly | Broadcasting Brain - different thoughts about thinking differently

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:38:40 +0000

[...] Complain about “echo” in the blogosphere [...]

By: Four types of people who benefit from Alltop.com | Broadcasting Brain

Four types of people who benefit from Alltop.com | Broadcasting Brain — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:53:47 +0000

[...] are writing about similar topics: this gives you a feel for whatever ideas are bouncing through the echo chamber at any given time and you can see trends starting to form. It’s not necessarily the most [...]

By: markdykeman

markdykeman — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:24:25 +0000

@Rob O – that’s true, and bringing a unique perspective to a conversation helps you to avoid the “echo chamber” effect.

By: Rob O.

Rob O. — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:18:05 +0000

I do strive to avoid the “echo chamber,” but I also feel that originality can also be simply bringing your own unique perspective or, as others have said, adding value to an existing topic. Sometimes, YOUR spin on an issue can be more central – or at least more interesting – than the issue itself.

Check out Tuesdays Are Twos Days from Rob O.

By: WinExtra » From the Pipeline - 5.30.08

WinExtra » From the Pipeline - 5.30.08 — Sat, 31 May 2008 08:21:25 +0000

[...] Is it better to be original or to echo :: Broadcasting Brain – a really good thoughtful post by Mark on the value of being a part of the echo chamber and still trying to be original. [...]

By: markdykeman

markdykeman — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:47:10 +0000

@Ryan – cool, I’ll check out your post, thanks.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Fri, 30 May 2008 14:23:28 +0000

Mark,
I was working through this same idea a couple of days ago. You can check out my lengthy thoughts at http://tillingthesoil.wordpress.com/2008/05/28/communicating-with-integrity-part-4/
The jist, though, is that we should make sure that what we are saying adds value. We have social tagging if we just want to point people to what others are saying. There’s no point in posting a blog saying go here, here, and here. We have to be adding something (of value) to the conversation. Otherwise, we’re just contributing noise to the system.

Check out Communicating with Integrity – Part 6 from Ryan

By: markdykeman

markdykeman — Fri, 30 May 2008 09:33:29 +0000

@Steven – yes, the potential for readership growth from echoing is seductive, no question.

@Robin – good point about YackTrack. I’ve tried it once, should do so again (hi Rob Diana!)

By: Robin Cannon

Robin Cannon — Fri, 30 May 2008 09:13:48 +0000

I think well worthwhile to provoke different and new discussions. Certainly your posts over the last couple of days have been great for provoking new thoughts. I think it’s all too easy (and we all succumb to a greater or lesser extent, because it’s how humans interact) to become part of the echo chamber. Social networking as a method of communication makes it really easy to do so.

One thing about moving in an original direction, starting a new conversation. With the development of the likes of FriendFeed and the general fragmentation of discussion, it can sometimes feel like that conversation isn’t happening. You have what you feel is an interesting or controversial topic, and your blog sits there with no comments.

Discovered, and utilised, yacktrack.com yesterday. Was amazed to discover how much discussion had occurred about some of my blog posts away from my blog.

Check out Two Great Apps That Help Your Network from Robin Cannon

By: Steven Hodson

Steven Hodson — Fri, 30 May 2008 06:49:23 +0000

It is difficult to find that balance of original and echo but if you can it can be the most rewarding. You readership may not go up as quickly as compared to strictly going the echo route but I think that is a fair trade off for self-statisfaction.