DIVERSITY + FREEDOM= INEQUALITY
EXTREME INEQUALITY
Each minute of the day there is someone in the world blogging, about to blog, or thinking of blogging. Within minutes ideas are flourishing and the most popular ideas are making headlines. As a new member of the blog world myself due to the Digital Networks class I have learned so much about blogging. I now find myself looking at blog sites interested to see what people are blogging about! However, there was something very interesting that I noticed when I googled Blog sites. The first thing I noticed was the choice that listed the top blog sites. The websites name was choice number two called http://www.topblogsites.com/. This website serves as a directory for the top blogs in each category. From that very experience of blog searching, I was able to fully understand what the power law reading described. It described this idea that although blogs are open to all for free writing only the ones with the most popular reviews are really looked into and praised by readers. The success of a blog all depends on how popular it is. Not everyone’s blog is heard although it is made easy for everyone to put anything online. Usually the same kind of people will like a certain blog not leaving enough room for diversity. The more blogs are created the less likely it is for the ones at the bottom to become read. Those that were first aware of blogging influence others thus, making blogs a system in which preference is key.
The essential point made by the article is the idea that “Diversity plus Freedom of Choice creates Inequality, the greater the diversity is, the more extreme the inequality will come to be." This stood out to me as a very ironic idea. However, becomes an idea that is very well comprehensible and understood. The idea that now anyone can put something up and has the freedom to do so doesn't specifically mean that their blog will have an equal opportunity to be looked upon. The idea creates a concept of a bell curve format. Blogs by top performers are at its height while those with the least followers, although have great points are at the bottom. There is an unequal opportunity to be noticed due to a "preferential" element to blog creation.
A very important point the author makes is that”few blogs will be more popular than average and a few less, of course, but that will be statistical noise." It all depends on how likely it is to be read. This in a way connects in a way to favoritism. The author breaks down the preference level in a blog by what it has to offer and explains 3 different factors which include,
1.) Preference Quality: (Recommendation of others)
2.) Preference Marketing: (Value in reading Blogs people you know read)
3.) Solidarity Goods: (The most enjoyable to read)
Blogging in a sense is like a competition. Everyone wants to get their voice out and has the right to do so. However, only those with an already set kind of popularity set are more successful at blogging. The more the blogs the harder it becomes. I thought this article was very interesting and gave out a lot of good points. It really related to my own life and experience with blogs. When searching for blog sites I was more interested in the ones with the most comments and ratings then the rest. I am an example of a person who looks into blogs with the most views and comments in order to make a decision. Blogs are very influential depending on how many people like you or that you may know are reading them as well. Blogs are like a popularity contest the ones on top will be most likely to be more appealing.
good--be careful, though, the bell curve is different from the curve or distribution associated with power laws; remember the curve of a power law looks like an L (for loser)
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