Subtitle: "A bunch of white guys linking around"
Starring: All the usual suspects
Lots of chatter about the A-list again. This time spawned by a Nick Carr post that likened the A-list to feudal barons, with the rest of us, the serfs. Funny post, much of which I agree with, some perhaps not, but that’s not what this post is about. That has been done already this week. In fact, most (not all) of the current conversation seems like nothing more than a rehash of a similar cycle a few months ago, and a similar cycle a few months before that and so on and so forth. Perhaps a few different players, but also many of the same. How does it go, you ask? Well, someone (in this case Carr) brings up the issue of the A-list and the long tail, in some form or other. And they’re off.
A bunch of white guys linking around. Lots of posts that say it’s a big problem because "they" won’t link to "us." Or if "they" do, it is at the price of a link to them, thus perpetuating the A-lister’s position at the top of the heap. The opposing view (A-listers and others) includes concepts like poo, piffle, this isn’t really a problem, anybody can rise to the top, it doesn’t matter, get over yourself. And so on. With varying degrees of civility.
"A-listers" feel attacked. Z-listers, downtrodden. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Here’s the thing. There’s an A-list in blogging, as in just about everything. It’s a fact. It’s also a problem. I also believe that in blogging, it doesn’t need to matter. We can make it NOT matter. At least not so much.
Wishing the A-list and associated mentality would go away just won’t make it so, and I for one have better things to do. Names may come and go on the LIST, but it will exist. There is always a top of the list, and we all can’t be on it. In any field, blogging included, some of the stars get to the top for the right reasons (fill in the blank on what you think is a right reason here), and others not. And my opinion about who deserves and who doesn’t won’t be the same as yours. That’s just the way it is.
In part because life isn’t fair and no matter what "they" told you, it really isn’t a meritocracy. Everyone does NOT stand an equal chance to become president of the USA, even though it does seem that you don’t have to be particularly bright to climb that mountain.
So if there’s a "big lie," that’s it — everyone won’t rise to the top simply on merit. There just isn’t enough room. But… that does not mean that those at the top don’t deserve to be there. Many do. Or that if you aren’t at the top of the list, you don’t have merit. There are systemic barriers in blogging just like in real life. And as the media companies dig in, some of the systemic barriers in blogging may get higher, not lower.
It stinks, and it’s hard to change it. But we can talk about it. That is how we make it not matter. And maybe even drive some change, but that’s a topic for another day. We need to keep talking about the A-list and the associated issues. And we need make sure that we’re also exposing people to the long tail. Not just the popular voices. Or the loudest. Or the crankiest. Sure, some bloggers wish to be "on the list." Others don’t care. But they all have a voice, whether they are number 1, 10 or 100,000.
Let’s start by forgetting the foolishness that the blogosphere is a pure meritocracy. Sure, merit matters, but so do a lot of other things. Assuming that those at the top are the "smart" ones to the exclusion of the rest is plain and simple stupidity. New bloggers, casual readers, everyone, needs to be reminded of this on a regular basis. If that means we have to have the A-list blog debate every few months, so be it.
Don’t sweep the problems of gender/ racial bias and marginalization under the rug. Expose them to the light of day on a regular basis, so people are aware. And perhaps take a little more time to investigate, to dig, to find an alternative viewpoint.
If we stop talking about the issues, they most definitely won’t get solved. We will be stuck with the Technorati 100 (blecch).
But, let’s try not to take it too personally. Because it really isn’t about you. It’s about the system. Speaking only for myself, when I criticize the underlying biases in the systems we use for blog discovery, I’m not accusing the A-list barons of deliberately setting out to keep the Z-list serfs on the farm or you of sexism. I can’t do anything about you (only you can) and I’m not that interested in trying.
What I am doing is pointing out a systemic problem that we should all wish to solve. Whether we are on the top of the list or the bottom.
Tags: A-list, gender bias, meritocracy
Sherrilynne Starkie says
Susan, you’ve hit the nail on the head with this post. The blogosphere is like any other community and you have to take the bad with the good. If you want to enjoy the thrill of sharing ideas with friends you’ve got to put up with alliances that exclude many.
It’s kind of like high school…la plus ca change…
Ethan says
Good post, however I am cringing somewhat about the “that’s just the way it is” assertions. My extendo-thoughts are accessible by clicking my name if you’re interested. There’s also a magnum opus about the A-list, but without rehashing all of it I will carry an observation forward that Hollywood’s “star system” seems to be more equitable than the blogosphere’s, in that there’s the A-List, then the B-list. In the blogosphere, we jump from A right to Z. How’s come why?
Anyway, I applaud your resolve to keep looking beneath the surface on these and other issues. Nothing worse than wags who insist it’s not worth the calories.
Ethan says
OK I had a knee-jerk reaction to “that’s just the way it is” and woke up on the floor and saw my dumb comment. Sorry about that! I amend the above to say “testify!” Thanks.
Susan Getgood says
Ethan, thanks for the comments. I actually read your A-list post earlier this evening and thought it was very good.
Why A-Z? Well in part because we are all drama kings and queens 🙂 so we pick the biggest opposite. And of course, it doesn’t really matter, whereas the caste system in Hollywood was (and still is to some degree) directly associated with your earning power. Needed way more levels than two.
And as I am sure you have figured out, I do not particularly like the way things are, but I am a realist. Pretending doesn’t make it so. In order to change things, you first have to know what you want to change. I don’t care whether there is an A-list. I just don’t think it should matter so much.
Mary Schmidt says
I’ve read the same stuff – and I’m a happy peasant, thank you! Just going along tending my own little patch of blogville, producing a tomato or two…milking the goat…doffing the cap and tugging the forelock when an A-lister rides by…
All by way of saying, “Boy, you boys take this stuff wayyyy too seriously.” The power and potential of the Web (and blogging) isn’t a popularity contest or who’s the Big Dog. It gives us all the opportunity to talk to each other and have access to people (of all types and list categories) as well as the potential to make a difference. (And, yes, make some money in some cases. I get business from blogging.)
So what if “only 50 people” read my blog? If it’s the right 50, that’s terrific, particularly since those 50 can be all over the world. For example, a young man in Malaysia is linking to me. Why isn’t real clear to me – but hey, if he gets something out of it, that’s what it’s all about.
Lastly, there has never been a “pure meritocracy” We humans just don’t operate that way. Even with the best of intentions, we like some people better than others, develop inclinations and prejudices – and act accordingly. We’re never going to have a perfect world – particularly since my idea of perfection is likely different than yours.
Oops, gotta run – the goat is eating my tomatoes…
Mack Collier says
The thing I wanna know is, who decided that being an A-List blogger is a worthy goal that we should be aspiring to? The average person on the street has no idea who Doc, Jarvis, Scoble or any of the other ‘blogging superstars’ are.
I think that’s something that the A-Listers don’t like to talk about, but really being an A-List blogger is about as impressive as being the best bobsledder in Cuba.
Susan Getgood says
I agree with you. The A-list is nothing special and I certainly have no aspirations. It’s hard defending the top of a molehill 🙂 Even if I borrow Mary’s goat.
Problem is, when someone is looking for authoritative sources online, particularly in tech, marketing, policy and a few other fields, say in a Google or Technorati search, it is the A-list blogs that come up first. The natural tendency is then to assume that these are the best sources of information. Which may be true. It is also equally likely to be untrue.
So as boring as rehashing this debate can be, when we know how silly it really is, I do think it’s worthwhile. Just to make sure people don’t forget that simply being an A-list blogger does not equate to quality of thought.
It isn’t a meritocracy. That means that merit alone probably won’t get you to the “top.” It also means that just because you ARE at the top, doesn’t mean you have the most merit.
Mary Schmidt says
Gee, if I follow this line – you mean, our elected leaders aren’t automatically the smartest, most qualified people for the job? Or, that being a mega movie star who “reads a lot” doesn’t automatically make one a mental health expert? I’m shocked, I tell you. Shocked! 😉
Seriously, good point re Technorati and keeping up the awareness that the most popular (or loudest, or most obnoxious) isn’t necessarily best or right – In blogging and everything else.
Kami Huyse says
I don’t know why it hasn’t realluy caught on, probably because everyone lieks to bellyache about the A-List, but Dave Sifry talked about an area called the Magic Middle, blogs that have from 20-1000 links. There aren’t that maany, but it is an interesting place below the big A-list head and at the head of the long, long tail. That’s where most active bloggers sit, and it is a good place to be, IMHO.
Susan Getgood says
Kami, I suspect the problem comes from putting it on a continuum that has a top, middle and bottom. Middle is not the top, and the achievement culture says the “top” is where we want to be. We strive for the top of the mountain — no one got their names in the history books for making it to the middle of Mt. Everest. And so forth.
So for my money, the “magic middle” isn’t any better a label than “a-list.” It feels more like an attempt to make the middle feel better about not being at the top. Just my .02, YMMV.
Seth Finkelstein says
Interesting post, Susan. It ended up in a different place than where I thought it would, from the first few paragraphs. I very much agree with your takes on the framework of “a systemic problem that we should all wish to solve.”
Mary's Blog says
I dont care if only 50 people read my blog
Theres debate/discussion and woe is me navel gazing going on in working class blogville. Some of us are very frustrated we dont get more readers or more links or that the A-listers dont link to us. Well, we all hav…