Do I dare call bullshit aloud? Do you? | Hacker News Reader

Do I dare call bullshit aloud? Do you?

blog.asmartbear.com

77 pointsrevorad14 comments

There's a correct way to call bullshit outloud. Usually it fits the format of:

"Here is why what you're doing is wrong, here is why, and here is how to fix it."

Most things that don't fit this format are self-serving for the person doing the calling.

Just because you can see something is wrong doesn't mean you have a solution, and not having a solution doesn't mean you shouldn't say that something is wrong.

I would agree that "here is what you are doing is wrong, and here is why" is always appropriate. But pointing out problems doesn't come with an obligation to figure out how to fix it.

Criticism is a valuable role, whether or not you can fix the thing you find broken.

I think this is fair, but it would be good form to admit when you don't have a good alternative solution.

Yawn. Not sure how daring it is to call-out a spammer.

Overall message is fine, but the preface story...

Yeah I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Like what if the spammer was Calacanis and immediately put the kabosh on all the OA's fundraising efforts and speaking engagements? Now that would have been a story.

I thought it was the Scythians, not the Macedonians, and that they decided once sober and once drunk. But the Macedonians certainly were known as hard drinkers.

Calling bullshit aloud is usually risky for the person doing the calling. Even when the message is well-taken, the messenger is always surrounded with a halo of negativity. Yet, calling bullshit aloud is probably the most effective way to get rid of bullshit, so it must be done!

To call bullshit aloud without worrying about Godin, Fried, or Spolsky, we created "Blackspots". Blackspots are bullshits called aloud. They are anonymous, they are what you think, and we (the spottiness.com team) use our brains to moderate them.

There are also Goldspots and they are exactly the opposite, because excellence should also be appreciated anonymously. Nothing to gain, nothing to lose, just seeing the real perception emerge.

Perhaps next Mr. Cohen would care to refute the likelihood of the FBI sending me a pdf to discuss the disposition of my "US$1.5 Million United State Dollars", or whether the mentioned herbal remedy will indeed make me a "MOVING SEX MACHINE".

'Thanks so much for extending me the privilege to let me purchase this one of a kind herbal remedy, but I’m compelled to pass on your offer because sadly, I am single and 'MOVING SEX MACHINE' is not, in fact, directly relevant to my audience.' sounds reasonable.

If you skipped right to the comments, a good summary of this is: The author "finally grew the stones" to send a strongly worded email to a spammer.

It's not always useful to call bullshit. Specifically, when confronted to that kind of emails, the best policy is not answering.

Calling bullshit out loud is useful so that others can know it is bullshit. Otherwise, the energy is best spent elsewhere.

I've found how loudly I call it is in direct proportion to how bad it smells.

Not if my karma is at risk...

Definitely the two martinis talking. Entertaining, though :-)

Reply on news.ycombinator.com