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It's fair & fine to come to the conclusion that the content is fluffy (plus I happen to agree with that conclusion here.) On the other hand, does being cynical

by dahart 6y ago

It's fair & fine to come to the conclusion that the content is fluffy (plus I happen to agree with that conclusion here.) On the other hand, does being cynical automatically make an observation accurate? I think the question by @chance_state above is legitimate, inclusion of a cloud service in the page source is not strong evidence of your conclusion. The problem is that the online services in the page source are not created by the author and cannot be assumed to reflect directly on the content, and that all pages on the internet are intentionally designed to draw traffic. How many pages do you read that don't have a signup form, don't invite the reader to subscribe, aren't offering a value exchange of some kind?

ColinWright 6y ago
> ... does being cynical automatically make an observation accurate? Not at all, and that's not the claim made by GBS. It's the converse, that things that are accurate and true are often incorrectly dismissed under the umbrella of "cynicism". > I think the question by @chance_state above is legitimate, inclusion of a cloud service in the page source is not strong evidence of your conclusion. Agreed, but it did serve to crystallise the feeling that had been developing. > ... all pages on the internet are intentionally designed to draw traffic. Actually, that's not true. It' might be true in the world you inhabit, but most of the content that's directly relevant to my work is provided "as is", information and ideas, offered without a follow-up "Sign up for my weekly email". > How many pages do you read that don't have a signup form, don't invite the reader to subscribe, ... For me, most of them. I suspect we inhabit different circles, mine isn't full of people trying to develop a following. This isn't a criticism, it's an observation. I do, however, feel that when I read many of the more popular items linked from HN and other tech forums that I'm walking through a carnival and being beset by hawkers and barkers.

by dahart 6y ago

ColinWright 6y ago

> ... does being cynical automatically make an observation accurate? Not at all, and that's not the claim made by GBS. It's the converse, that things that are accurate and true are often incorrectly dismissed under the umbrella of "cynicism". > I think the question by @chance_state above is legitimate, inclusion of a cloud service in the page source is not strong evidence of your conclusion. Agreed, but it did serve to crystallise the feeling that had been developing. > ... all pages on the internet are intentionally designed to draw traffic. Actually, that's not true. It' might be true in the world you inhabit, but most of the content that's directly relevant to my work is provided "as is", information and ideas, offered without a follow-up "Sign up for my weekly email". > How many pages do you read that don't have a signup form, don't invite the reader to subscribe, ... For me, most of them. I suspect we inhabit different circles, mine isn't full of people trying to develop a following. This isn't a criticism, it's an observation. I do, however, feel that when I read many of the more popular items linked from HN and other tech forums that I'm walking through a carnival and being beset by hawkers and barkers.