WHEN GREED OVERCOMES SELF-RESPECT

We bloggers are a special breed. We influence many people through our writings. People come upon our blogs via google search ( and other social-media ) and throng them for information, entertainment etc. Most content on internet today, are from blogs. So, it becomes our added responsibility to write our best and give a 100% on any topic. Of course, we are masters of our blogs and we can choose to write whatever we want. But when we say we are a 'special breed' our conduct should be 'special' too & respect worthy.

Often we get accused of getting lured to perks etc, thus affecting our writing. And we have to fight off such accusations all the time. We do not want our credibility to be at stake under any circumstances ( atleast I feel so ). 'Cos that'll diminish the purpose of blogging itself. And so, it becomes our duty to maintain high standards, so that blogging remains a credible medium and bloggers are respected throughout.

Blogging contests are fun and having them open to multiple entries makes it double fun ~ because, we get to explore our full potential, creativity-wise. Ah! There are mouth-watering prizes too - so yes, they are very lucrative. But since they are contests, only a few get lucky; while the rest go empty handed. Now, not to disappoint anyone and to have more participation ~ sponsors/organizers have introduced free hampers/vouchers per entry ( in some contests ). Which is fine and welcome - unless, it starts getting misused.

In a contest recently announced, I was thrilled at the 'new' innovative concept. 'Alphabet Soup' without use of any pictures. Describe a meal in such a way, that leaves people hungry. Normally, I do not read blogs, but I was curious to read how people write without using any pictures. Its a challenge no doubt - to make your post attractive without using any photos - that too of 'food'! Initially, I read a few - some I liked, some didn't impress. Many people didn't get the theme at all and wrote simple recipes :o Slowly as days passed, I got to see more and more entries by same set of people. 5-6-7----12+ entries each, WHOAH! Is was bewildering not to say the least. The reason for so many entries was no doubt - the free vouchers worth 1k/p.entry.

My heart sank when I read some posts. Utter crap, it drove away all my appetite instead of enhancing it. Atlast, I got fed up and left a comment on the contest thread - "I think there should be a limit on multiple entries....many people are writing silly posts just for hampers....saw someone writing over 12 posts :o"

My point was simple, have a cap on multiple posts ( not more than 3-4 ) to retain the quality and interest in the contest. Some agreed, some didn't. Some countered back by saying - "Their posts, their blog, sponsor's money!"
Yes, I agree - but what about 'our eyes and brains' that got tortured reading those silly posts?

Some accused us back - "Making fun of other bloggers here who participated with etc gusto in this contest is like making fun of IB team who launched this contest."

No, it wasn't intended to make fun at all, certainly not at bloggers nor at organizers. I love the Indi-team ( they are awesome ), and my comment was only to keep the quality of contest intact. Whether one agrees or not, fact remains - "with the increase in no of entries, the quality decreases", as a blogger commented.

I also want to reply to this part of that comment - "There is nothing great about 1k voucher..."

Madam, when someone writes 12+ posts, it doesn't remain 1k, it becomes 12k. Please do the maths accordingly for other number of posts too. And not just that, there are bloggers who have family members who are bloggers too in the same platform - then, if each family member blogs high amount of posts, then the value of that 1k skyrockets. ( eg mother-daughter duo - total 11 posts, 3 sisters - total 8+7+5=20 posts, husband-wife duo - 7posts and so on ~ I'm just mentioning the ones who I'm 100% aware of, there maybe be more, lol ). Why am I bothering anyway by writing all these? Its simple, I want bloggers to maintain their self-respect and dignity and not give away to greed so easily that it becomes appalling.

There is also another interesting aspect to this contest. It is divided in two parts. 1st part is separated from 2nd part with a gap of only few days. Now, we all know most contests generally takes almost 2-3 months for judging to complete. Now, with such a deluge of posts ( mostly by same blogger ), will the task be an easy one for the judges? Will the judgement be fair? ( there's already been a lot of hoo-haa of the judging procedures of many contests so far ). Well, lets hope so :o

Anyways, its none of my business really. Even I could've shut up and made 'hay' like others did. And let me assure all ~ I'm no holy-holy either ( lol ). But like I mentioned in beginning of the post itself, maintaining credibility is vital if bloggers want themselves to be taken seriously :-)

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