[Prepare for a rant-fest here folks… leave now and come back later for more of your typical schedule blog-program if you feel so inclined. Image from OhHector]
Everyone is a Social Media Ministry “Guru” now, and most of them are just liars, gross-over-zealous-pontificators, freeloaders and bandwagoners, or extremely self-righteous opinionated snobs.
… And yes, I include myself in that bucket too (not all the time, I hope…).
The point I’m trying to make is that everyone and their brother apparently knows everything there is to know about social media and that the amount of “gurus” out there has reached beyond saturation.
I have found this to be alarmingly true in the evangelical space, which is sad, because it’s just as much as in the marketplace. The problem is that the marketplace would pay these “posers” 6 figures (or more) to do nothing but look cool and spit random tidbits of wisdom that had no practical value or application.
In the evangelical circuit we can’t pay them in that mad coinage but instead we give them just as much with our words and actions. We tell them that they are “awesome,” ask them to come speak at conferences, and give them enough soulfood to satisfy their personal ego to continue on down the road of denial.
The grossest example, from the marketplace, was when, at one point in my career, we brought in “SME’s” in the Social Networking space, paid them $1,900 dollars a day to tell us about the “awesomeness” of Twitter and then later find out that the actual presenters had joined the service only 2 months prior and had about 30 followers each. That was the last time we did that. [If you want to read the reaction from the marketplace in todays economy to “gurus”, read this bit.]
Lame.
The grossest example, from the Christian sphere (so far… *ugh*), was just made known to me as I discovered someone who I knew more than 8 years ago “posing” like they were best friends with me (we haven’t spoken in over 5 years), literally stealing all of my content from my blogs (with no links or attribution), written articles, and media, and profiting locally (he gets paid) as he “teaches others” to “do” social media. The man is not an expert, by any stretch of the imagination and doesn’t even have a software or technology background.
But the people apparently love him.
Argh. Being ‘frustrated’ with the situation doesn’t really qualify it appropriately. But what am I to really do? And honestly, what does it really matter? If people are being informed, taught, educated, and edified, does it really matter if it was “stolen” content that fed it?
Your thoughts?
Bryan Cook says
Of course it matters if the content was stolen. Ends do not typically justify means. If you're learning from a dishonest person, it's impossible to trust what they teach. Also, I have 5x as many followers. Can I get $10,000 a day from you?
I'm no social media guru, and I don't have a professional tech background, but I'm planning on launching my own social spirituality site soon. I don't make any claims to be an expert, but I see a big opportunity for Christians to utilize these tools to spread the Gospel effectively, and I'd like to help facilitate it. Am I doing it right?
Ancoti says
It is interesting to see the range of emotions here: the understandable anger and frustration; the possible envy of the celebrity and financial gain another appears to be getting from your work; the grace and Christian love that is beginning to peek out from the last paragraph.
What growth you exhibit in a single post! This cannot be easy for you to accept, but the end result for the kingdom is the real goal. Rejoice in that and let God deal with how others are getting there, the road they are taking will be His to review with them.
You keep doing what you are doing, others are thankful and are growing daily by what you are putting out there. I include myself in that ever widening group.
I think I have given you this verse in the past, but Scripture is worthy and bears repeating It is from Romans and is in caps because it refers to OT Scripture, 2 Kings 6:22:
"BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD." Romans 12:20
If you think grace in the face of opposition or dirty dealing is a weakness, look at what Christ had to fac eon the road to Calvary. I know of no stronger man who has walked the face of the planet.
Phillip Gibb says
Name and Shame
Name and Shame
But then again, as Ancoti says – "Grace"
And you know what the Bible says "God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble" 1 Peter 5 vs 5
Hmmm
adam_herod says
It's never fun when a "friend" rips you off. In this freely give culture I think most of us want others to share our ideas (think Seth Godin asking people to give Tribes to a friend) but I would hope we have the common goodness to let folks know where we're being inspired.
I'm with you on the over-saturation of "SMEs" but I'm thankful for the over-saturation of bloggers who are finding inspiration from the Creator and sharing His life and what he's showing them with the rest of the class.
rodlie says
So where do you get these pics that you use? I really like them. There's a free website called http://www.sxc.hu where I usually get some amateur stock photography, but your stuff here looks really professional. Any insight?
NicCharalambous says
sad fact of life, I'm afraid. I, for one, am very careful not to come across like an expert. Lord knows I don't have any of the usual bona fides, unless you discount a dozen years in professional media. I hope what I lack in knowledge, i make up for in authenticity.
NicCharalambous says
sad fact of life, I'm afraid. I, for one, am very careful not to come across like an expert. Lord knows I don't have any of the usual bona fides, unless you discount a dozen years in professional media. I hope what I lack in knowledge, i make up for in authenticity.
NicCharalambous says
sad fact of life, I'm afraid. I, for one, am very careful not to come across like an expert. Lord knows I don't have any of the usual bona fides, unless you discount a dozen years in professional media. I hope what I lack in knowledge, i make up for in authenticity.
bbrooke says
John in my experience/opinion who is a "guru" is all relative to the audience. Someone that has been on twitter for only 2 month might very well be a "guru" to someone that has never used it before. Also , and it sound like you have this corporate experience, the size of a marketing budget can also dictate who is consider a "guru". That's life and I think it's not worth trying to classify or declassify someone as a "guru". I think since there is no recognized or accepted baseline to such talents/expertise we need to just do the best we can to educate our audience with what we are given (Serve as if we are doing it for the Lord). In terms of the guy who took your content. He sounds like an idiot. My prayer is that you find it in our heart to forgive him, for your sake (I know it's tough). Thanks for blessing me with your blog, keep it coming!
human3rror says
Ben,
Dude. Word. It was a glorified rant.
/rantoff.
😉
Daniel_Berman says
Well there are a couple different sides to the story. Wikipedia's popularity, along with that of blogging and opensource software has taught us that information wants to be free. And quite honestly withholding information especially within the global Christian community, for payment will not work. Either the person doesn't have the money, or does without for quite possibly petty reasons. Brigada posted an interesting item on copyrights at (http://www.brigada.org/2009/02/3.html), that is well worth reading.
And John, please I am accusing you of anything but you have run across a wider issue.
That being said, once the information escapes legally or illegally the need for attribution can not be understated. Its one thing to use the content of master out of respect, its another to use the content of a master and pass yourself as that master. Thus we come back to humility and respect. Unfortunately the Global Christian community doesn't have a means to set standards for preventing this type of thing from occurring. Another need…….
Daniel_Berman says
Well there are a couple different sides to the story. Wikipedia's popularity, along with that of blogging and opensource software has taught us that information wants to be free. And quite honestly withholding information especially within the global Christian community, for payment will not work. Either the person doesn't have the money, or does without for quite possibly petty reasons. Brigada posted an interesting item on copyrights at (http://www.brigada.org/2009/02/3.html), that is well worth reading.
And John, please I am NOT accusing you of anything but you have run across a wider issue.
That being said, once the information escapes legally or illegally the need for attribution can not be understated. Its one thing to use the content of master out of respect, its another to use the content of a master and pass yourself as that master. Thus we come back to humility and respect. Unfortunately the Global Christian community doesn't have a means to set standards for preventing this type of thing from occurring. Another need…….
Jim says
The professor that I work for had a student take a bunch of the digest notes from greek class and use them to write his own book. This doesn't seem like that big of a deal until I came on the scene and now everyone is paranoid of plagerism. I can't stand posers. I work my rear off at this desk to try to write things that matter.
However, Ancoti is found to again be a righteous brother who's wisdom permeates the comments.
On the other hand, Coach Dwight, my high school football coach would say:
"Jimmy, Don't get mad, get even."
human3rror says
“get even” … love it. i like your coach.
Aaron says
I don't know anything, which qualifies me to be a blogger.
If you believe in intellectual property and copyright, I'd say you've got a case to get paid yourself.
Graham Brenna says
John, I would agree with you that there seem to be a lot of social media "gurus" out there right now. Heck… I'm probably that person in my congregation! But that's really the extent of my reach. Yes I have some blog followers outside of my congregation and I don't know what they're doing with my content. Probably just reading it as I haven't really posted any great "how to's" or anything of that nature. That said… I've been discouraged enough by the machine that is my church that any person in their right mind would just give up on the whole social media for ministry thing. But I'm still pushing… and trying not to be too over-bearing with it. Your content keeps me going at times.
I can understand your frustration (for lack of a better word) with the person who stole your content and passed it off as his own. That is wrong and I feel that people should only take credit for their own ideas. I will admit that I printed out your post on "8 Steps to starting a blog" and used it to start a blog for my senior pastor's wife (http://musings.us). However I did not take credit for it and I printed your name at the top of the document I gave her. You wrote it… not me, and that's the way it should stay!
Graham Brenna says
John, I would agree with you that there seem to be a lot of social media "gurus" out there right now. Heck… I'm probably that person in my congregation! But that's really the extent of my reach. Yes I have some blog followers outside of my congregation and I don't know what they're doing with my content. Probably just reading it as I haven't really posted any great "how to's" or anything of that nature. That said… I've been discouraged enough by the machine that is my church that any person in their right mind would just give up on the whole social media for ministry thing. But I'm still pushing… and trying not to be too over-bearing with it. Your content keeps me going at times.
I can understand your frustration (for lack of a better word) with the person who stole your content and passed it off as his own. That is wrong and I feel that people should only take credit for their own ideas. I will admit that I printed out your post on "8 Steps to starting a blog" and used it to start a blog for my senior pastor's wife (http://musings.us) However I did not take credit for it and I printed your name at the top of the document I gave her. You wrote it… not me, and that's the way it should stay!
Graham Brenna says
John, I would agree with you that there seem to be a lot of social media "gurus" out there right now. Heck… I'm probably that person in my congregation! But that's really the extent of my reach. Yes I have some blog followers outside of my congregation and I don't know what they're doing with my content. Probably just reading it as I haven't really posted any great "how to's" or anything of that nature. That said… I've been discouraged enough by the machine that is my church that any person in their right mind would just give up on the whole social media for ministry thing. But I'm still pushing… and trying not to be too over-bearing with it. Your content keeps me going at times.
I can understand your frustration (for lack of a better word) with the person who stole your content and passed it off as his own. That is wrong and I feel that people should only take credit for their own ideas. I will admit that I printed out your post on "8 Steps to starting a blog" and used it to start a blog for my senior pastor's wife http://www.musings.us However I did not take credit for it and I printed your name at the top of the document I gave her. You wrote it… not me, and that's the way it should stay!
Geek for Him says
I would agree for almost the entire portion. I do think we have very few experts in any field of life. Social Media is an ever changing thing and I highly doubt that someone is better than another in diagnosing it’s effects or usefulness to us all.
I take what I have been given, dissect and put it back together, or leave it apart if it’s better that way, to make something work for me.