Comments on: Blog hard for the money

By: Roberto

Roberto — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t know, Bea. To me, that’s like watching TV. I don’t exactly go running to the telephone every time I see Sally Struthers asking for help or when I see televangelists trying to reserve a seat for you in heaven – for a fee, of course. Rather than picking a fight with the blogger or getting offended over it, if eveyone ignores it, it’ll go away. And if the blogger makes a big deal about it, feel free to give it to him/her with both barrels.

In the end – just like TV – you can always choose to “turn to a different station.”

By: Beatriz

Beatriz — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Oh yes, definitely people have choices. It still doesn’t keep me from thinking the way I do :-) It is not that I’m going to stop reading a blog because they are asking for money, that would be silly.

It’s not about “turning to another station“. It’s about people using their online status to get money or making others pay for stuff that is their responsibility, which personally I think is wrong.

While it’s always good to help others, most of the time I just find tip-jars and funds for stuff people don’t really need or stuff others shouldn’t be paying for. That is what strikes me, it’s nothing personal, just my own standards for life.

By: Roberto

Roberto — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

"It's about people using their online status to get money or making others pay for stuff that is their responsibility . . ." (Emphasis added). Here's what I don't get, Bea: how are they "making" others pay for stuff? That's the beauty of choice. I somewhat agree with you in that I think it's tacky, but so what? It's their choice whether to ask and it's your choice whether to give. No skin off my back (or $$$ off my wallet) either way. If others want to give them some "Blog Money" that's their problem. And on that note, we can agree to disagree.

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I would gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.

By: alysha

alysha — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I totally agree with you, Bea!

By: Shawn

Shawn — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ooh, touchy subject. Basically, I agree with you. I don't want to say more and suffer from foot-in-mouth disease.

By: Desiree

Desiree — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

My thinking is that for the folks that offer something like a commenting system, blogrolling…. uh oh w.blogger (that is a great program)… these things are worthy of a donation, but good thing of them, they all offer choice.

The people looking for $$ for surgery, car, education, uh… whatever… get the heck outta here, get a job, go about your community… whatever, but not here on the web asking for money.

By: Daphne

Daphne — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I’m pretty much with Roberto on this one – I wouldn’t personally feel comfortable asking for money (or offering the option of a donation) if I weren’t providing a “real” service (i.e. BlogRolling vs. my tutorials) but I don’t hold it against anyone for doing so.

I do think it’s a perfectly legitimate arena for requesting help with something. I have no problem when people ask for my opinion on something – money, while certainly a touchier subject – is very similar. I don’t think less of them for asking for one thing they need as opposed to another simply because I am less likely to give it. I also don’t really see a difference between asking around the community here and asking areound your local community.

Also: a lot of the time people are eager to help friends if they know they need it – just because I may not want to [help in that way] doesn’t mean I don’t think people should have the opportunity to.

By: Beatriz

Beatriz — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Oh, sure Daph… You can go asking people around you to give you money to pay for a vacation or a new computer? I can’t. If it’s for some kind of REAL problem I’m more than glad to help, but not to buy stuff. People act differently online and offline.

What I’m talking about here is not money for help when we have a problem. I’m talking about money to buy things.

By: kane

kane — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Wonderful post. No matter what my financial situation, I can’t see myself asking those that visit my site for money. Like you, I felt uncomfortable about the Amazon wishlist, but a friend told me that it’s more of a way for others to see what people are interested in reading, rather than a request for someone to purchase something.

I love the Colombian saying of “the dirty clothes are washed at home”. :)