Comments on: Forget careers. Blogging changes lives http://politicoholic.com/2008/12/12/forget-careers-blogging-changes-lives/ Thoughts on politics, media, & technology Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:20:57 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Robert http://politicoholic.com/2008/12/12/forget-careers-blogging-changes-lives/#comment-1813 Robert Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:51:25 +0000 http://nishachittal.wordpress.com/?p=118#comment-1813 "Daring to commit your opinions and your intellectual thoughts down in words, permanently etched into pixels in cyberspace, is unnerving. It takes balls that most people don’t have, and that is why the vast majority of users of the Web are what we so affectionately refer to as lurkers. They’re afraid to voice their opinion and let anyone who Googles them find them; afraid that someone will disagree and criticize them." Wow. Lurkers? I didn't even know they had a name for those people. And here I was about to do it again. I do it all the time. But in reponse to the above, I don't think that's the case for everyone, and definitely not the case for me. I never heard about personal branding or any of that until I recently started reading the whole lot of gen y blogs. I never cared about anyone googling my name- never thought anyone would, good luck finding me. But I am starting to learn that, yes, employers are googling our names. When it comes to reading a blog and not commenting, well there are numerous reasons why I lurk. Sometimes, like on older posts like this, I think, "what's the point?" The discussion is over and your opinion might not even be heard. Heck, some bloggers don't even respond to your comments. I don't know how many blogs I've stopped reading because I'd come through for discussion only to be ignored (I leave extremely revelant, insightful and positive comments, mind you.) And sometimes as a commentor I have nothing to add to the discussion. It may be a great article, or something I already know and everyone else is saying, "great article." Do I really need to add one more? But for me, courage was never an issue. I like to get my voice heard, but maybe i'm the minority? “Daring to commit your opinions and your intellectual thoughts down in words, permanently etched into pixels in cyberspace, is unnerving. It takes balls that most people don’t have, and that is why the vast majority of users of the Web are what we so affectionately refer to as lurkers. They’re afraid to voice their opinion and let anyone who Googles them find them; afraid that someone will disagree and criticize them.”

Wow. Lurkers? I didn’t even know they had a name for those people. And here I was about to do it again. I do it all the time. But in reponse to the above, I don’t think that’s the case for everyone, and definitely not the case for me.

I never heard about personal branding or any of that until I recently started reading the whole lot of gen y blogs. I never cared about anyone googling my name- never thought anyone would, good luck finding me. But I am starting to learn that, yes, employers are googling our names.

When it comes to reading a blog and not commenting, well there are numerous reasons why I lurk.
Sometimes, like on older posts like this, I think, “what’s the point?” The discussion is over and your opinion might not even be heard. Heck, some bloggers don’t even respond to your comments. I don’t know how many blogs I’ve stopped reading because I’d come through for discussion only to be ignored (I leave extremely revelant, insightful and positive comments, mind you.)
And sometimes as a commentor I have nothing to add to the discussion. It may be a great article, or something I already know and everyone else is saying, “great article.” Do I really need to add one more?
But for me, courage was never an issue. I like to get my voice heard, but maybe i’m the minority?

]]> By: Blogging and Empowerment « Drafting the Digital Design Fellowship http://politicoholic.com/2008/12/12/forget-careers-blogging-changes-lives/#comment-1195 Blogging and Empowerment « Drafting the Digital Design Fellowship Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:58:34 +0000 http://nishachittal.wordpress.com/?p=118#comment-1195 [...] the full post [...] [...] the full post [...]

]]> By: How to be Popular … ??? « MichaelKokkinos http://politicoholic.com/2008/12/12/forget-careers-blogging-changes-lives/#comment-1185 How to be Popular … ??? « MichaelKokkinos Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:07:56 +0000 http://nishachittal.wordpress.com/?p=118#comment-1185 [...] It’s simple – comment on other people’s profiles, twitters, and blogs, and they will automatically know they have a fan out there who cares about what they are trying to do with social media. Don’t be just another lurker. [...] [...] It’s simple – comment on other people’s profiles, twitters, and blogs, and they will automatically know they have a fan out there who cares about what they are trying to do with social media. Don’t be just another lurker. [...]

]]> By: Social Networking Just Got Better « Politicoholic by Nisha Chittal http://politicoholic.com/2008/12/12/forget-careers-blogging-changes-lives/#comment-1087 Social Networking Just Got Better « Politicoholic by Nisha Chittal Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:41:25 +0000 http://nishachittal.wordpress.com/?p=118#comment-1087 [...] my ideas into the internet, but it wasn’t really. I had been reading blogs for a while but was never an active participant, until the really nice guys at Brazen Careerist somehow found me and convinced me to join their [...] [...] my ideas into the internet, but it wasn’t really. I had been reading blogs for a while but was never an active participant, until the really nice guys at Brazen Careerist somehow found me and convinced me to join their [...]

]]> By: Melissa http://politicoholic.com/2008/12/12/forget-careers-blogging-changes-lives/#comment-630 Melissa Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:40:01 +0000 http://nishachittal.wordpress.com/?p=118#comment-630 Hi Nisha! Wow, I loved your post - I found your blog through feministing.com., and am so glad that I did. What you wrote, is what I have been going through for the past 2 years. I have been invisible- living up to the expectation of my parents/friends, afraid to voice my opinion, fearing criticism, and I didn't know how to get past it. Earlier this month I started a blog. No One reads it, because I haven't shared it with anyone yet. I'm still trying to just write as honestly as I can...making sure that everything I say and do is honest to myself...and not everyone else. And ever since then, I see myself growing as an individual. One who will voice her opinions in conversation, and I'm feeling so empowered and enlightened. There's still so much more room for me to grow--because this has been a rather slow process...but I can feel it happening! Thank you Thank you for writing this blog. It was inspiring! Melissa Hi Nisha!
Wow, I loved your post – I found your blog through feministing.com., and am so glad that I did. What you wrote, is what I have been going through for the past 2 years. I have been invisible- living up to the expectation of my parents/friends, afraid to voice my opinion, fearing criticism, and I didn’t know how to get past it. Earlier this month I started a blog. No One reads it, because I haven’t shared it with anyone yet. I’m still trying to just write as honestly as I can…making sure that everything I say and do is honest to myself…and not everyone else. And ever since then, I see myself growing as an individual. One who will voice her opinions in conversation, and I’m feeling so empowered and enlightened. There’s still so much more room for me to grow–because this has been a rather slow process…but I can feel it happening!

Thank you Thank you for writing this blog. It was inspiring!

Melissa

]]> By: Nisha Chittal - Do what you WANT to do; not what you're expected to do | Viralogy | Awesome Bloggers http://politicoholic.com/2008/12/12/forget-careers-blogging-changes-lives/#comment-509 Nisha Chittal - Do what you WANT to do; not what you're expected to do | Viralogy | Awesome Bloggers Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:13:20 +0000 http://nishachittal.wordpress.com/?p=118#comment-509 [...] Forget about careers, blogging changes lives [...] [...] Forget about careers, blogging changes lives [...]

]]> By: Bryan Povlinski http://politicoholic.com/2008/12/12/forget-careers-blogging-changes-lives/#comment-474 Bryan Povlinski Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:34:24 +0000 http://nishachittal.wordpress.com/?p=118#comment-474 Nisha, This is wonderful post, and congratulation on winning the Brazen contest and getting the opportunity to go to SXSW. A lot of what you said here resonated with me because, as a college student, I know that it's not looked upon very favorably to have a blog and it's hard to constantly put yourself out there. Your thoughts have definitely motivated me to interact even more than I do because it is truly valuable. Keep up the great work! Nisha,

This is wonderful post, and congratulation on winning the Brazen contest and getting the opportunity to go to SXSW. A lot of what you said here resonated with me because, as a college student, I know that it’s not looked upon very favorably to have a blog and it’s hard to constantly put yourself out there. Your thoughts have definitely motivated me to interact even more than I do because it is truly valuable. Keep up the great work!

]]> By: How to be Popular on Social Media | Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel http://politicoholic.com/2008/12/12/forget-careers-blogging-changes-lives/#comment-456 How to be Popular on Social Media | Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:16:47 +0000 http://nishachittal.wordpress.com/?p=118#comment-456 [...] It’s simple – comment on other people’s profiles, twitters, and blogs, and they will automatically know they have a fan out there who cares about what they are trying to do with social media. Don’t be just another lurker. [...] [...] It’s simple – comment on other people’s profiles, twitters, and blogs, and they will automatically know they have a fan out there who cares about what they are trying to do with social media. Don’t be just another lurker. [...]

]]> By: Just in case you hadn’t heard enough about SXSW:some final thoughts | Bizzy Women http://politicoholic.com/2008/12/12/forget-careers-blogging-changes-lives/#comment-361 Just in case you hadn’t heard enough about SXSW:some final thoughts | Bizzy Women Sun, 22 Mar 2009 11:19:59 +0000 http://nishachittal.wordpress.com/?p=118#comment-361 [...] this blog since the beginning –which, okay, is not really that long ago — will know I wrote this crazy post on how blogging impacted my life in December for the Brazen blog contest, and by some miracle I [...] [...] this blog since the beginning –which, okay, is not really that long ago — will know I wrote this crazy post on how blogging impacted my life in December for the Brazen blog contest, and by some miracle I [...]

]]> By: Just in case you hadn’t heard enough about SXSW: some final thoughts « Politicoholic by Nisha Chittal http://politicoholic.com/2008/12/12/forget-careers-blogging-changes-lives/#comment-346 Just in case you hadn’t heard enough about SXSW: some final thoughts « Politicoholic by Nisha Chittal Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:13 +0000 http://nishachittal.wordpress.com/?p=118#comment-346 [...] blog since the beginning –which, okay, is not really that long ago — will know I wrote this crazy post on how blogging impacted my life in December for the Brazen blog contest, and by some miracle I [...] [...] blog since the beginning –which, okay, is not really that long ago — will know I wrote this crazy post on how blogging impacted my life in December for the Brazen blog contest, and by some miracle I [...]

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