Comments on: Robert Scoble and his productivity problem

By: Mark O'Neill

Mark O'Neill — Fri, 30 May 2008 10:12:00 +0000

Is it just me or does Scoble bear an uncanny resemblance to Philip Seymour Hoffman? Google for pictures and compare them. You've got to admit, there are similarities!

By: Mark O'Neill

Mark O'Neill — Fri, 30 May 2008 10:12:00 +0000

Is it just me or does Scoble bear an uncanny resemblance to Philip Seymour Hoffman? Google for pictures and compare them. You’ve got to admit, there are similarities!

By: Jake Lockley

Jake Lockley — Fri, 30 May 2008 00:35:00 +0000

That's a great way to look it, Scoble is Mr. Kool Aid. He hasn't actually done anything, and doesn't actually do anything but talk. I know people like him, they get paid a lot of money to do nothing and when people finally realize it he moves on to work for someoneone else who hangs on his every word and is oblivious that he doesn't actually do anything. Prententious? Maybe, Narcissistic? Talking heads usually are. In short he's an academic who isn't at a university. At best he's a talking billboard that people worship because they want him to talk about their stuff. Sounds like Paris Hilton.

By: Jake Lockley

Jake Lockley — Fri, 30 May 2008 00:35:00 +0000

That’s a great way to look it, Scoble is Mr. Kool Aid. He hasn’t actually done anything, and doesn’t actually do anything but talk. I know people like him, they get paid a lot of money to do nothing and when people finally realize it he moves on to work for someoneone else who hangs on his every word and is oblivious that he doesn’t actually do anything. Prententious? Maybe, Narcissistic? Talking heads usually are. In short he’s an academic who isn’t at a university. At best he’s a talking billboard that people worship because they want him to talk about their stuff. Sounds like Paris Hilton.

By: Doug

Doug — Thu, 29 May 2008 18:58:00 +0000

I have to be honest, I've been feeling pretty old school myself lately because I'm not a big user of facebook or twitter. I read a ridiculous number of blogs and RSS fields every day (not as much as Mark, though), and I spend most of my time working in open source software projects, which involve newsgroups, mailing lists, bugzilla traffic, etc. So I already feel overwhelmed with the amount of time I spend processing information. Adding yet another layer of social networking on top of it just doesn't excite me.

I think a more honest (and shorter and less self-absorbed) answer from Scoble would be:

"Look, I love technology. I'm a geek, and I'm proud of it. I can't get enough of the latest thing, and the more I can master technically, the happier I am."

That's why he does it. That's why most of us in technology-related fields get excited by this stuff. Claiming that every single thing we do will change the world is just "drinking our own kool-aid". Yes, some of what we do is really revolutionary, but taking our technology to the masses has had only modest success at best. Just ask your parents and non-technie friends.

By: Doug

Doug — Thu, 29 May 2008 18:58:00 +0000

I have to be honest, I’ve been feeling pretty old school myself lately because I’m not a big user of facebook or twitter. I read a ridiculous number of blogs and RSS fields every day (not as much as Mark, though), and I spend most of my time working in open source software projects, which involve newsgroups, mailing lists, bugzilla traffic, etc. So I already feel overwhelmed with the amount of time I spend processing information. Adding yet another layer of social networking on top of it just doesn’t excite me.

I think a more honest (and shorter and less self-absorbed) answer from Scoble would be:

“Look, I love technology. I’m a geek, and I’m proud of it. I can’t get enough of the latest thing, and the more I can master technically, the happier I am.”

That’s why he does it. That’s why most of us in technology-related fields get excited by this stuff. Claiming that every single thing we do will change the world is just “drinking our own kool-aid”. Yes, some of what we do is really revolutionary, but taking our technology to the masses has had only modest success at best. Just ask your parents and non-technie friends.

By: Kiltak

Kiltak — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:36:00 +0000

In His article, Mr. Scobbles says: "Hey, sitting on the couch with your baby and your wife and drinking a beer while watching TV is a lot of fun, but it gets back to the question I ask myself often: “what do I want to get out of life?”

Well, I don't know how Robert lives his life, but if he has a kid and a wife and neglects them in favor of his job and passion, one thing is for sure, he'll eventually end up in trouble because of this.

You shouldn't have to ask yourself if there's anything you ought to do instead of spending time with your wife and kids.

Like in all things, people should live a balanced life… Spending time with your loved ones is necessary… and is as important as building up your career.

By: Kiltak

Kiltak — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:36:00 +0000

In His article, Mr. Scobbles says: “Hey, sitting on the couch with your baby and your wife and drinking a beer while watching TV is a lot of fun, but it gets back to the question I ask myself often: “what do I want to get out of life?”

Well, I don’t know how Robert lives his life, but if he has a kid and a wife and neglects them in favor of his job and passion, one thing is for sure, he’ll eventually end up in trouble because of this.

You shouldn’t have to ask yourself if there’s anything you ought to do instead of spending time with your wife and kids.

Like in all things, people should live a balanced life… Spending time with your loved ones is necessary… and is as important as building up your career.