Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I Stopped “Creating Content”

refactoringenglish.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 249 posts

Re: I Stopped “Creating Content”

#61

Post by criddell »

keiferski wrote: post #18

I actually really like the term content creator , because it removes the artificial boundaries that come with being a writer, photographer, filmmaker, etc. and just lets you make stuff. The medium doesn't matter if you're a content creator, to a large extent. The alternative is "art" but that comes with a lot of other baggage that often sounds unintentionally pretentious, especially if you aren't actually creating pa…

"Content" is giving in to the idea that what you make only has value because it can fill some hole between ads in somebody else's CMS. What it is doesn't matter, it's just content. Meh.

> The alternative is "art"

Maybe. Or alternative could be to use the words you used in your first sentence: writer, photographer, filmmaker.

If you talk about your work using deflationary words like content then that could affect how you think about it and present it. Do yourself a favor and use grand words because I bet it's important to you.

Re: I Stopped “Creating Content”

#62

Post by arjie »

mtlynch wrote: post #57
arjie wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is your sentence supposed to be analogous? The difference between a great lead and a bad lead in that context would be sending a patient with a skin lesion to a dermatologist (great lead - “someone who will be happy with what I can do”) vs sending a patient with a brain tumor to a dermatologist (bad lead - “I can’t help this person”). In this context, a “great lead” is someone who has been appropriately prequalified…

I think we disagree on the connotation of the word "lead." To me, if someone describes me as a "lead," it implies that they are focused on making the sale rather than on anything else about the business relationship. I would also find it unsettling if a doctor told me that I was a "good lead" because I had a disease they treat.

Jargon is field-specific. In medicine you’d be a good referral (“I’m glad they sent you to me”) or an interesting case. The field does not use “lead” for that in the way that contemporary sales does. Discordant terminology is reasonable to be wary of.

Consider for the moment the two cases of an agent for a player or actor and a doctor. It’s normal for an agent to discuss commission and for a doctor to not, though both will make money off you participating. If you had an agent who said he’s just trying to get you the best deal and “don’t worry about money” that would also trigger red flags as much as a doctor discussing commission rates for referrals.

That doesn’t mean commissions are worse than undiscussed rates. Just that norm-violators are risky deal participants.

Given this discussion, I suspect the best interpretation of your post is not that it is grievance text. It is that unfamiliarity with the terminology of a field has resulted in transferring connotations from unrelated contexts.

To lighten the tone, I am reminded of a HN comment where someone said that “Khan Academy” was a terrible name because it naturally brings to mind a “con man”. Of course, this must have been natural because the two words are homophones in his accent (they are not so in mine). An example of connotation mistaken.

Re: I Stopped “Creating Content”

#63

Post by neochief »

mtlynch wrote: post #8
neochief wrote: post #4

I feel that all the terms mentioned are useful in specific contexts. Web traffic brings visitors to your resource. If they read your blog, they become readers. If they use your products, they become users. When someone buys something from you, they become a customer.

OP here. Thanks for reading! > I feel that all the terms mentioned are useful in specific contexts. Web traffic brings visitors to your resource. If they read your blog, they become readers. If they use your products, they become users. When someone buys something from you, they become a customer. I'll respectfully disagree. I think those terms make sense if you're talking in general terms, but if you're an individua…

Totally agree with this one: being an indie business owner, you can do it however you want.

Re: I Stopped “Creating Content”

#64

Post by lemonberry »

EPWN3D wrote: post #38
glial wrote: post #33

I appreciate this push-back. I keep a running list of words like this...content, product, device, experience, space, vehicle, resource, etc. I can't put my finger on why, but all of these make me distrust the speaker.

Yeah I have a similar list. Mine also includes "journey". As soon as a word gets adopted by MBAs to abstract away the real world, it gets added to my list. They're words that project the idea of a smart person but only to stupid people.

I saw a news article recently where the headline was something about someone's "cancer journey". Maybe I'm old - only 51! - but I thought it was kind of a tasteless way to put it. That said, language is a malleable thing and no one needs my approval.

Re: I Stopped “Creating Content”

#65

Post by [deleted] »

firefoxd wrote: post #35

Content used to be a bad word, now kids want to become content creators when they grow up. I was hired at a job the very same day Google released their first Panda update[0]. This was the update that nuked all content farmers from search results. It was complete chaos, I sat in an empty cubicle, not knowing if I should stay or leave while the manager cursed and paced. Our ad revenue went from millions to zero, overni…

[deleted]

Re: I Stopped “Creating Content”

#66

Post by duggan »

tayo42 wrote: post #60
duggan wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For me it's when companies talk about themselves as brands.

What else would you call smaller companies and products within a company?

Whatever they are! Using the literal word "brand" in public messaging is leaking the marketing team's lingo to customers.

Re: I Stopped “Creating Content”

#67

Post by minusLik »

Despite not quite being an artist, this resonated with me. This fits well in line with my favourite example of corpo-speak: "challenge" instead of "problem". Lately, I find myself replacing these two in my mind occasionally when reading them and the texts still don't change their meaning.

It's a bit depressing watching language get shallow …

Re: I Stopped “Creating Content”

#68

Post by BLKNSLVR »

Words matter. If you use words that remove meaning to describe a thing, then the thing itself will have have diminished meaning. It's the same with politicians using dehumanizing words to describe a group of people that they want those listening to think of as less than human; "illegals" as topical example.

Ie. If you see yourself as a 'content creator' then the best you're going to be is a slop merchant. If you see yourself as an author or a writer then you at least have a chance at being a real artist, like Michaelangelo.

It uses lots of words to make it's point which, for me, smacks of 'content' (I was expecting there to be a recipe at the end). They haven't stopped 'creating content' but they're attempting to stop calling it that.

That's what I got out of it anyway. But then again I may just be salty that I'm not also a Don Draper (slop merchant).

Re: I Stopped “Creating Content”

#70

Post by ekelsen »

firefoxd wrote: post #35

Content used to be a bad word, now kids want to become content creators when they grow up. I was hired at a job the very same day Google released their first Panda update[0]. This was the update that nuked all content farmers from search results. It was complete chaos, I sat in an empty cubicle, not knowing if I should stay or leave while the manager cursed and paced. Our ad revenue went from millions to zero, overni…

Truly curious - why did you choose to work at a content farm?
Post reply on HN