Loren Feldman: Menace Or Innovator?
By Rob Safuto on Dec 28, 2007 in Social Media | Tags: 1938 media , loren feldman , seesmic
This man is the most controversial video blogger in social media today. Loved by some, despised by others, he may be just what social media needs in order to move to the next level.
His name is Loren Feldman. You can find him around the web under the brand 1938 Media. Since he first hit the scene in 2006 he has caused quite a stir.
Loren isn’t afraid to skewer the glitterati of online media. He first caused a stir by ripping into the Scoble Show. Scoble’s employer PodTech loved the video so much they hired Feldman to do videos for them. A few months later that relationship had to have become strained when Loren fired for effect on famous Silicon Valley person Guy Kawasaki. Guy didn’t agree with the assessment. Nonetheless, Loren’s time at PodTech continued. More recently he opined on Robert Scoble’s co-author of the book Naked Conversations Shel Israel.
All seemed to be well after the Kawasaki post until Loren skirted the edge again (or maybe he went over) with his black tech blogger bit. PodTech ended the relationship shortly thereafter.
I got back on board as a subscriber to Loren’s show since after he was ousted from PodTech. Things were pretty quiet for a while until Loren turned his sights on the uber-loved video chat startup Seesmic. Loren’s Seesmic review is a biting one. He starts off by saying, “It’s terrible.” Oh boy. In his trademark style Loren goes off topic and comments on how many Europeans are on the site. The comment on the Europeans angered some people and Loren later claimed that Seesmic founder Loic LeMeur called him a racist on Twitter. What gives?
While many people disagreed with Loren over on TechCrunch there have been voices of support in the social media community. And today Kara Swisher highlighted Loren’s review on All Things Digital. She says in her blog post, “…although Feldman trashes Le Meur’s effort, it is just the kind of thing that would probably make Seesmic the very lively place it needs to be.”
Over the last couple of weeks Loren seems to have made Seesmic a lively place indeed. His antics, which I’ve been following via the 1938 Media site, have driven some of the Seesmic faithful to the edge of silly. Whatever is going on. I can tell you that all of a sudden I’m a lot more interested in Seesmic than I was two weeks ago.
There’s no doubt in my mind that some people consider Loren Feldman a menace. They want him to go away. There were posts on Seesmic where people straight out wanted him banned. Maybe they should try understanding Loren’s position a bit more. As a New Yorker who comes from a family of chop busters I know I do.
Loren comes at social media from his own unique perspective. There’s no sugar coating on his opinions. When he gets tweaked by something he lets it go. For better or worse. I don’t always think the bits are funny. But I find the commentary in between the jokes quite incisive.
The people who don’t want Loren Feldman on Seesmic or anywhere else on the web for that matter are looking for some uber-sterilized version of social media that I don’t want any part of. Gives me the chills thinking of some Gattaca-like existence where everyone thinks the same thoughts in the same way.
In his own way Loren Feldman is a social media innovator. He speaks his mind the way he feels most comfortable and is not afraid to give his true opinions of people and services no matter how famous they are supposed to be.
If you don’t like it you can always change the channel. After all, the web is a very big place with rooms for lots of ideas and opinions presented in different ways.
Robert | Dec 29, 2007 | Reply
There is a line between commentary and trolling.
Sadly, Loren doesn’t seem to see a line (or maybe he doesn’t want to see it).
Gadflies serve a purpose. But, the good ones - the valuable ones - seem to know how to *not* persistently annoy while still offering useful criticism. I think Loren can do that, but not sure he wants to do that.
I fear he’s just one more attention seeker *claiming* to have valuable critical commentary.
Mark Forman | Dec 29, 2007 | Reply
What are we gonna do with this Loren Feldman character?? He won’t take direction,only money… Seriously Rob-good of you to write at length on Loren and social media scene zeitgeist. Loren is most guilty of making people think. Sure there are many different ways to do that, and Loren’s cattle-prod approach can be rough at times but is calculated and effective. Strangely perhaps much more genuine than some of the a-listers he associates with, baits,etc.
re: New Yorkers being a bunch of chop busters-whaddya gotta problem?? Huh?
When friends of mine start wanting to do a smack down on Loren for the “race card” issue I can easily imagine what it must have been like when Lenny Bruce was still here.
In essence, whether Loren is your cup of tea or Cel-Ray Tonic he is causing some good dialog in this incestuous bubblesphere. Good thing too, before him Seesmic was as interesting as watching paint dry.
Rob Safuto | Dec 29, 2007 | Reply
Mr. Robert who commented earlier doesn’t know the proper definition of an internet troll.
A troll is typically defined as someone who goes onto other people’s sites and posts derogatory comments, usually anonymously.
Loren has his own web presence. And you know who he is. So how can he be defined as an internet troll?
I think that a troll to you is anyone whose commentary you don’t like.
Robert | Dec 29, 2007 | Reply
Rob, I disagree with your definition. There are many, you know.
An internet troll, to me (and others), is someone who travels the Web posting with the intention of baiting other users into responding emotionally. A troll likes trouble. A troll likes to see a furor started and takes pride in starting that furor.
There is also a definition of troll referring to “someone whose posts have the primary goal of disrupting or de-railing an internet community.” See Wikidpedia, for instance: http://tinyurl.com/28o42
My view is that Loren was rejoicinig in the furor he started. He baited and baited. Look at his long string of posts on his blog, and in seesmic. Those posts reflect a guy having a jolly ol’ time stirring the pot, and with what intention? Do you really think he sought to improve or guide the community to a better place?
Livia | Dec 29, 2007 | Reply
Just chill man, we don’t need Wikipedia to define what a troll is. If you don’t like Loren don’t watch it.
I think Loren couldn’t care less about “guiding the community to a better place”. He is not Abraham or Jesus. He just expressed his opinion and he deserves the attention he gets.
Robert | Dec 29, 2007 | Reply
Loren is simply trying to build his own brand by lashing out at a-listers. Nothing wrong with that, but let’s not try to spin him as some sort of thought leader. Why do think he doesn’t bash non-a-listers? Because it won’t bring him traffic.
Now, what if he was getting traffic just for his own thoughts? his own ideas? Funny thing is, what Loren is saying isn’t new. Many people have said the same thing about so-called Web 2.0 innovations & startups. The difference? The others say it without being vile.
No, he’s a troll … baiting others to gain attention. Oh, I watch him … I laugh at him … and how sheep follow and praise him. They are biting the bait just as much as the a-listers that engage him.
Rob Safuto | Dec 29, 2007 | Reply
At this point you’re the troll my friend. Where are you publishing your opinions? You can laugh all you want. But if you don’t have the guts to jump in the game yourself or let people know where they can find you then your muting your own credibility.
Robert | Dec 29, 2007 | Reply
Hey, Rob. I gave you my email address and sent a message to @robsafuto / you on Twitter. My apologies for not putting my site in here. I have now.
Rob, you asked for comments. I obliged. I’ll gladly stop commenting here, if you wish. No problem.
Robert | Dec 29, 2007 | Reply
Rob, to clarify, here are the two messages I sent via Twitter announcing that I’d commented on your post. A click here or there (an email) and you’d have contacted me / found my blog quite easily.
@loiclemeur @robsafuto I commented on the post. Loren could add value, but not sure he *really* wants to add any. Another attention seeker?
and then followed by
oh, and to @loiclemeur @robsafuto … if trolling is innovation … we’re all in trouble ;o)
So, I was hardly hiding … rather, I was reaching out to you with an opinion.
I don’t consider Loren to be either a menace or innovator.
Take care.
Rob Safuto | Dec 29, 2007 | Reply
One of my issues with the whole blogging ‘conversation’ issue via comments is the fact that people keep repeating the same points in multiple comments. I think its a futile exercise.
There was a time when Dave Winer was not accepting comments on his blog and I remember his reaction being a recommendation by commenting via their own blog post.
I get the concept that you think Loren is a troll. I don’t see anything new though in the follow on comments.
So thank you for coming by Robert and giving your opinion. I’m glad you took time to state your opinion. In this case, we agree to disagree.