Reception
During the height of the 'Cluetrain Internet buzz' there were both supporters and opponents making their point online. The conversation spawned by the 'Cluetrain Manifesto' website, in some instances, was taken to be almost a religious argument. Quite notably the technically oriented people, who were adept in building websites, writing blogs and making themselves heard on the Internet, were often the most ardent adherents.
Some people interpret the public reception of 'Cluetrain' to be cultish. For example John C. Dvorak who admits he does not understand the concepts presented in the book. John C. Dvorak in PC Magazine:
- "I don't get it."
Dvorak then continues on:
- ". . . the apparent faith in this odd vision of an idealistic human-oriented internetworked new world/new economy marches forward. I imagine all these folks holding hands in a large circle, rolling back and forth, with some in the middle of the circle, spinning and chanting and hugging, all naked. I'm betting that most of these folks go to Burning Man and all of them write blogs about it and how cool it was. They link to each others' blogs and read what they say about each other—all highly complimentary."
Other opponents to some of the concepts presented in 'Cluetrain' point to the fact that the Internet cannot be conceptualized simply as "a conversation" or that the human activity online cannot be so neatly compacted into the notion of a clear and concise 'conversation'. While it is true that there are some clear and concise conversations online, the Internet at this current stage of the evolution can also viewed as a chaotic and or fascist system as well. Along with email, blogs, and other forms of communication there is also spam, deluges of corporate ads, filters manipulating the viewing of websites, as well as the noise of many voices simply shouting to be heard above the babble and confusion these voices create of their own accord.
On 30 April 2009, Andrew Cherwenka writes that he expected changes presented in the book to happen in less than a decade. Andrew Cherwenka in The Huffington Post said: "Sadly, in many key ways, it's still business as usual."
On 22 May 2009, David Knowles in MarCom Professional wrote that the ideas within The Cluetrain Manifesto have been discussed since the release of the book and that conversational marketing "is just another channel in the marketing mix. It’s not a replacement for methods that continue to be effective when used well."
Read more about this topic: The Cluetrain Manifesto
Famous quotes containing the word reception:
“But in the reception of metaphysical formula, all depends, as regards their actual and ulterior result, on the pre-existent qualities of that soil of human nature into which they fall—the company they find already present there, on their admission into the house of thought.”
—Walter Pater (1839–1894)
“To aim to convert a man by miracles is a profanation of the soul. A true conversion, a true Christ, is now, as always, to be made by the reception of beautiful sentiments.”
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—Rémy De Gourmont (1858–1915)