Comments on: The Dark Side of Blogging: It Isn’t All Glitter & Gold

By: Prairie Wife

Prairie Wife — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 23:33:55 +0000

Thanks for this post. As a new blogger I am trying to get all the information I can. I have come to your site several times and it has been a big help! It is disheartening to know that not all people out there are being honest. In the end I think it is important not to let a few bad apples spoil it for everyone. As long as people with passion and integrity continue to use blogging as a way to support and help others, good will win out!
Thanks again for the great info!

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 22:56:01 +0000

To me it is the group giveaways that infuriate me, a bunch of bloggers with low stats promote a mega bloggers giveaway with copy and paste posts and rafflecopter widgets with a gazillion entries. People entering have to like about 100 FB pages etc and it creates false stats for the wanna be mega bloggers because the person entering does not even visit their page but likes from a page of 100 or more like buttons. So the wannabe suddenly has 10,000 FB likes after several of these but there is no interaction on their FB page. It is insane that PR firms still look at just numbers. I hope more and more get wise to this because it is crazy.

By: Ziba

Ziba — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:02:37 +0000

Oh, this is awful. The worst part are the comments that the Fashionista.com article has spawned. It’s now basically just a pile of bloggers trash talking other bloggers. While it is interesting to know that there are bloggers out there who this, the tone and the manner in which Fashionista calls them out more along the lines of mocking and ridiculing. I agree with Kimberlee, I think the author of that article could have been more thoughtful as to why bloggers are doing this. Which is why I really appreciate your thoughtful approach to this matter!!

Anyhoo, to answer your questions above. I started blogging because I needed to have a blog for my online cosmetics shop. But as I began to blog, I realized that I really enjoy blogging and writing, reading up, researching on beauty, health and wellness and sharing the information I have with my readers. My blog has taken a life of its own, well apart from my original commercial intentions.
Tweet Me:ZibaByNature

By: Kyla

Kyla — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 18:48:17 +0000

Isn’t this a problem with humanity as a species, not just blogging? I mean, humanity consistently chooses immediate gratification over long-term sustainability and growth. Just look at the oil situation. And the deterioration of the rainforests. Not to mention, world hunger, poverty, and the economic crisis. All of these are byproducts of humanity’s consistent choice of immediate gratification (what they want right NOW) over sustainable growth (what’s good for us overall).

If we could teach this one lesson to everyone in the world, we could begin to truly fix everything that’s wrong with our society. Everything.

But can any of us say that we don’t suffer from this same problem? Haven’t you ever walked into a restaurant, intending to make the healthy meal choice, and instead picked the burger and fries you’ve been craving all day? Or gone grocery shopping, planning to spend within your set budget, only to spend $50 to $100 more than that? That’s the same thing you’re describing. It even involves lying to yourself to make it seem okay. Not to mention, cheating yourself out of a healthy, financially secure future. Are actions like these, ones that many of us do every single day, really all that different from what you’ve just described?

If humans could learn to view the big picture rather than their immediate wants and needs whenever making important decisions like this, the world would be a better place. I, personally, agree with that sentiment whole-heartedly. And I intend to start looking at the big picture rather than my immediate wants from now on. In fact, that’s why I started my blog. To track my progress in becoming the person I want to be (big picture), and to be socially accountable for this change. Because sustainable, long-term rewards are better than immediate gratification. They last.

You might want to read a book called Drive by: Daniel H. Pink. Because as long as we live in a society that rewards results without caring about the manner in which those results are sought, we encourage immediate gratification thinking. Pink has a vision of a world run by what he calls Motivation 3.0. It’s actually quite an interesting idea and useful for more than just a business construct.

Anyway, thanks for this really interesting post. I wish you luck in your quest to change blogging society and I hope you’re having a wonderful day!
Tweet Me:KylaRucci

By: Eboni Ifé

Eboni Ifé — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 19:58:25 +0000

I’m super late, but this is just so bizarre to me…although, I have to say that I’m actually not shocked! But still disappointed. Like you, I take a lot of pride in the fact that I put my money where my mouth is…and I think the fact that my readers know that I buy a lot of what they see on the blog really builds a relationship of trust and integrity. Since I’m not always pushing products that I didn’t pay for, my readers don’t get annoyed when I do promote a gifted item here and there. They trust my opinions because they know I spend money on stuff just like they do…

…and besides, bloggers give brands enough free pub…why short change yourself even more by faking a relationship that isn’t real. If this is a brand that you really love and want to work with, I’d think faking a relationship would just jeopardize the chances of any real partnership in the future. So, now you’ve just shot yourself in the foot…

…and finally…lying is just tacky! Lol.
Tweet Me:FashionNextDoor

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:39:06 +0000

The problem is that there is no rules. That is what it comes down too. Also new bloggers see nothing but the success of successful bloggers, and not the hard work that is put into it. It looks so easy, That is why there is so many people trying to become a blogger and the same reason why a lot of people discredit us.

By: Spashionista (Alicia)

Spashionista (Alicia) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 04:04:06 +0000

I am totally in agreement with you. There’s something about people who feel compelled to misrepresent themselves that really repels me. I am honest to a fault and I strive to successfully represent my niche and POV. I would never lie to achieve prestige or notoriety. I’d rather work hard and earn whatever success comes my way.

Spashionista (Alicia)
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By: Bella Q, The Citizen Rosebud

Bella Q, The Citizen Rosebud — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 22:13:22 +0000

First off, it is sooo good to “hear” your voice here, B. I don’t care what you talk about- I always get a thoughtful perspective, and an honest authentic voice. I am not a bit surprised BUT I think its because of the insular, virtual quality of blogging. In real life you think, this is real, I have to account for it. But as a faceless, idea of something maybe we live in fantasy a bit too much so “play” at blogger? I’m not surprised, but I think it is wrong and worse, ridiculously stupid.

Blogging aka fashion blogging is a weird world, and sometimes it is good to pull fashion-able head out of one’s c/o by Anthro ass and look around. Real life, real people. Real consequences.
Tweet Me:citizenrosebudz

By: Joy @ OSS

Joy @ OSS — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 04:11:08 +0000

Thank you, this was super powerful read. I miss your blogging so glad you wrote this post 🙂
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By: Kimberlee

Kimberlee — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 22:17:47 +0000

I was also naive like you when my blogging buddy showed me the Fashionista article. I totally did not understand. If they could afford the Coach, bravo! And I agree with you (and Ashe who wrote on IFB) that you should proudly show you’re willing to put your money where your mouth is with certain brands. I also didn’t like the fashionista article how it said that other bloggers laugh at the one blogger who does it and I didn’t like @bagsnob’s tweet. If these girls feel like they need to do these things, I find it sad. They shouldn’t MOCK THEM! #meangirls I completely understand being swept up in this competition and feeling like you need to have what “top tier” bloggers (like Bag Snob) have. I struggled with it during the beginning of my blogging and quite frankly was broke every month. It’s not realistic. Blogging also feeds into our consumer culture we feel the need to buy buy buy and bloggers feed that by sharing products they love, sales, sample sales, etc. I honestly don’t know how some of these bloggers afford all of it. But the moment I gave up trying to keep up, I could breathe. I wish the Fashionista article (like Ashe tried to in the IFB) article was breakdown the best way to work with brands rather than be mean girls and be like “oh isn’t sad these poor pathetic girls are pretending to be cool.” I hate that’s what blogging has become when it started off as such a pure, kind hearted place.

Sorry for the rant! hehe
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