Why people read posts and how to provide it

Image via Wikipedia

Write about something that people have an emotional investment in. Yesterday I had my biggest single one day page view. It was almost 3,000 views. Prior to this I had only had 1,700 views. I think this occurred because I wrote about something that tapped into an emotional aspect and not a logical one.

It has been my experience that most people look or only accept evidence that confirms their worldview. When they meet evidence that challenges their worldview they discount it. I think this is a survival mechanism from early cave man behavior. I read a study that said that people seek out their own views most of the time. Apparently roughly 33% of the time they are willing to try new ideas.

So I found it surprising that my most popular post wasn’t something that took the most effort, was the longest, or best researched. It was something that touched on the emotional issue of fairness. What is a fair charge for Internet access and why are the US prices out of balance compared to other countries?

I don’t have the answer. The easy answer is that US corporations are allowed to get away with bad behavior because of lack of government intervention. Another answer may be that we US citizens don’t do enough to support low cost internet providers. Isn’t it strange that we complain about high prices but rarely do anything about it? We could form communities and pool our resources to buy community internet access like community food co-ops. Perhaps if AT&T and Verizon continue to act in irresponsible ways, it will come to that.

It is said that most people don’t change from their disease making ways unless they have either fear, pain or loss of something important to them. I wonder if that is the final human carrot stick that also changes our behavior?

Flickr is a great resource

I have been using Flickr for awhile and found it to be a great resource.  There are some really useful and beautiful photos.  It has been educational, entertaining and fun.  I have seen places that I might not ever see otherwise.  Really exciting and represents the best of what the Internet has to offer.  Right now I have 600 images on my account, and they are the best of tens of thousands I have looked at.

What Tech Companies Spend on Lobbying Efforts In Washington Arik Hesseldahl NewEnterprise AllThingsD

Image via Wikipedia

Apple, easily the most influential company in consumer technology today, spent relatively little on lobbying efforts: Only 340,000.

Some major cash here.  I wonder why those companies are so nervous?

via What Tech Companies Spend on Lobbying Efforts In Washington Arik Hesseldahl NewEnterprise AllThingsD.

 

Yahoo! making you queasy? Heres how to backup Flickr photos to your Mac

Yahoo! making you queasy? Heres how to backup Flickr photos to your Mac.  I have a Flickr account.  I hope they don’t mess around with that.  That has got a ton of great photos.

Ask the Wise Guy: Facebook Fan Page or Website? : The World :: American Express OPEN Forum

Ask the Wise Guy: Facebook Fan Page or Website? : The World :: American Express OPEN Forum.  He has some thoughtful ideas about this.  Bottom line: Facebook is cheaper, but you lose control.

Some free iPhone apps to enjoy with toddlers

Image by Jeffery Simpson via Flickr

Fit to Post – Yahoo! Philippines News » Blog Archive iPhone apps to enjoy with toddlers «.  Some good ideas for some free iPhone apps you and your child may enjoy.

 

Google Crowned King of Malware – PCWorld

Google Crowned King of Malware – PCWorld.  I once got an infection from visiting a Google link.  Fortunately it was easily fixed.  After that link scanning for Windows machines is something I strongly recommend.  AVG does that very nicely.

Students trust high Google search rankings too much

Image via Wikipedia

Students trust high Google search rankings too much.  They click on the first link without a second thought.  I can understand why this happens, but what does it say about independent thought?