I think this is a reasoned view to take towards Bid Bots. Assigning strong feelings sometimes makes it difficult to listen and weigh opposing view points. I am glad you were able to meet and discus this issue. I really believe @dan made a comment once which went something like this: You can make the world a better place by aligning economic incentives with “so called” good behavior, whatever that truly means, and reward the behavior you wish to see and you’ll see more of it. I think we shouldn’t demonize bidbot owners but instead see the reality that they are fulfilling a need in the ecosystem and the ecosystem rewards them.
I think when we lose the labels good and bad we are bettter able to analyze things and people are more open to discussion.
Thanks for taking the risk to discus this as emotions run high in this issue. You have an audience and I think this message needs to be heard.
I am hoping that eventually the bots are earning very well, but the users are not expecting any profit whatsoever other than what they can gain by getting their content in the eyes of an audience, like actual advertising. If we can create a place where people are willing to advertise because of the market potential, we are doing okay.
Talking face to face is always better than keyboard to keyboard. Generally when people talk directly, it is more tempered and human.
I think it’s a good idea for it to be advertising. And I think it’s a common desire to get some eyes on your work. To many feel they have no audience without bots. I agree that technology separates us in ways which make uncivil behavior easier. I hope it eventually evolves into the opposite, that people overcompensate for the cold impersonality of the key board with warm and caring words.
Me too. I watched a family at a cafe today sit on their phones and barely talk to each other, while my wife, daughter and I laughed away together at the table next to them. Disconnection from people leads to depression, and we are separating ourselves from the people we are closest to.
That’s both funny and sad. My wife and I have a rule, when we take people out to dinner cellphones are not to be used except when you go to the bathroom or when we leave. Whoever we take to dinner commands our full attention. The funny thing is the young people have started looking forward to their dinners with us because it’s peaceful and of course all about them. LOL I think they truly grave real human connection.
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It is the irony of technology and social networks - designed to connect for personalized attention, drives people apart toward loneliness.