The Funderful Art Of Controversy, the Science of Making It Work ... And The Dangers Of Splitting It's Atoms

[Christopher]

Anyway I couldn't decide whether this belongs on my page or on my group or kept for my blog ... but ... yea ... controversy.

I grew up all my life having to prove things to people, being a child that was wise beyond my years. It was especially hard trying to prove to teachers that, yes, I can write a few grade levels beyond my peers. Then there were those childhood arguments and school rumors and fights ... pretty much all of psychology occurs during the young years now that I notice.

Kids and young people don't really have as much guilt or fear of outcomes. So their so much more expressive and hide very little from each other. At least that's been my experience.

Then there was my 3 and a half years of Mock Trial school competitions, learning to be a lawyer and courtroom practices ... and later training other teams to the same. I was real good at it.

Point is ... I've seen and had to pay attention to the facets of controversies. I know the psychology of it and can now pick it apart every time I see it in today's headlines. Today in New York State, we're changing governors because of ... yea you got it ... controversy.

Allow me to tell you some of the things I know about controversy ... and how to use it effectively, especially in your blogs and social scenes. I draw on one example, fresh on my mind; The Fall of David Lee Venters on Social Marketing Central.

David was one for controversy. Or, so he thought. At my count in the hours before his own personal resignation as member of this community ... he had 66 discussions of which he was a participant.

David experienced what I like to call "textual frustration" (patent pending). He had this hang up about what he thought was spam being posted on the community. He was a Jack Humphrey, Social Marketing Central, fundamentalist who vehemently attacked fellow members for posting up junk with drawn out tirades of the textual persuasion.

Then he got overzealous. People who had just got on the forum and started to post up links in their discussions were quickly and many times, without warrant, becoming the target of his word-ly wrath. He had some comments of support and that drove him to be more of a nit-picker than an outspoken activist.

The moment I picked up his thread on poor Bill Wardell's debut discussion post ... I knew that only I ... your Resident Merchantologist ... had to intervene with powerful wit, precision judgement, and flatten out the playing field. His comments are gone, but you can read my masterful rebuttal here

Shortly after that ... David left.

What's the lesson?

Controversy is a simply an active state of opinion. It's an art if you're trying to push someone's buttons ... it's a science when you don't want it to cause World War 2 again!

If you are on the web, or in business, or even running a country ... or serving as Governor (actually he was being serviced!) ... you have to engage in controversy toward a goal. And the goal has to be positive ... otherwise it's negative.

For instance.

Controversy: Speaking in front of the General Assembly and accusing your fellow member of some of the worst things in the world ...

Positive: rallying the world together toward peace ...

Negative: Busting that member's country up and down using the world's general consensus.

Controversy: Speaking out loudly and aggressively about other people

Positive: All eyes on you, support for a cause, your chance to shine

Negative: All eyes on you, make a fool of yourself, offer no other contributions

Get the pattern?

So if you're on the web, you're on social marketing central, or whatever community ... as a marketer, you have to carefully pick your controversies. You have to spark up something nasty for just as long a time as possible to make something good out of it. You don't want to create a monster.

If David had used his controversy power and then started to teach people how to use this platform better, David would have made many partners in the process, all the while the community's eyes are watching it happen.

Gee, that David, swell guy after all ...

But instead he got drawn into messing with people. He became one-sided as he got so angry, people either chose to ignore or were shut up by his tirades.

Now there wasn't any active state of opinions.

Now there was just David and people like me to expertly dispense of his senseless outburst ... the attention doesn't go away.

Now you've split the atom and tested a bomb, you see?

So controversy is a lot like playing with fire. It's very easy to play with over the web, where there's hardly any repercussions. But the web is reflecting people more accurately now and controversies are just as dangerous as real world activities.

Don't burn the house down. Take a long hard thought to what your doing before you get into it with others.

A meeting of the minds is a powerful thing.

Have fun ... but not too much fun ...

You scum-sucking lint-lickers!

[Chantel Danis]

Very True. Controversy does get the attention, and I've seen a few that get pretty juicy, wish I had seen this one! Good post!

[Walt Goshert]

Sometimes you can use controversy to get attention, to fan the flames.

But, controversy to satisfy your own ego or soothe whatever demons haunt you...

Well, that can come back and bite you in the ass. Hard. Right Eliot? Right David?

Walt

[Bill Wardell]

Hey Christopher,

For one of the least controversial guys you'll ever meet, I sure rub people the wrong with my positive attitude, and the mind set my grandmother taught me, when I was little boy...

You have to be a friend, to have a friend!

Anyway, I do like your support of this issue, because this is a community of people helping people, each one doing their best to fit in and be a part of the group... and helping others was my only intent, from the very beginning...

I wish you much success, with your new projects...

Your friend,

Bill

[John Leal]

Mate, in Oz you'd be labelled a drongo, albeit a controversial drongo.

[Christopher]

I like that word ... why haven't I heard it before!

How much of a drongo would I be if I used the word drongo in my posts? :)

[Anissa]

Christopher,

You are Great!! I love this post! And, it's nice to see that others have their heads screwed on straight! (well, as much as any of us really could!)

Anissa

[Michael Lofton]

Your new governor Rocks!... I just hope the hierarchy doesn't attempt to otherwise tame him.
Is your Merchantology Landing page ready for early review?
best,
Michael

[Christopher]

he sure does .. Patterson is awesome. He's actually a well liked guy and he'll play ball with the others. I think it's gonna go real well. i feel good about this guy. New York is the toughest place to be a politican, the hierarchy is so rigid.

I'll be writing about him real soon either here or at Merchantology. You can join that over here. Go ahead man ... thanks for the support.

[Michael Lofton]

Christopher,
Your link appears to be broken...?...
m.