Reader says attack on advertiser is entirely bogus and could easily be part of what Paul Aronsohn is paying White Horse Consultants for
Entirely bogus and could easily be part of what Paul Aronsohn is paying White Horse Consultants for as well as advice from various persons with marketing experience or who are just plain mean, or both.
Fake blog posts and letters have, sadly, become a standard part of negative marketing and politicking, not only on this blog and Patch but even in real letters to the editor–which may be signed by real people, but they are “plants” who were either told what to write or were sent something to submit under their own names.
A high, high level of suspicion is unfortunately essential in such cases. This will increasingly be true as we approach the next council election in the spring as well as other important upcoming decisions and votes.
As for the respectful tone, faux sincerity is standard because it tends to be convincing: “I used to like X, but alas, I no longer can patronize it, or vote for him/her, because of [whatever negative message is desired to be promulgated].”
We backwoods suburban types need to get with the program. Let’s be hyperaware and recognize big-city manipulation as it falls over us like a net, and disdainfully shake it off.
The baddies who want to have their way with this town can’t come up with good reasons to wreck it other than personal glory and financial and/or social advancement. If they could, they wouldn’t have to resort to these insulting stratagems.
This is a strange story posting…. is there an attack on a advertiser ?
I haven’t seen any…. who did it?
Perhaps, I may encourage them to stop.
“Big City Manipulation”?
It has nothing to do with Big City.
There are consulting firms who pay people to write slanted reviews on message and review boards, there are consulting firms who measure which message and review boards are the most influential and thus most worthy of spamming, and there are consulting firms who will monitor your massage and review boards and recommend which posts appear to be sponsored in some way.
It is an entire economy centered on the court of public opinion.
Most people do not pay attention to the internet sites that allow anonymous reviews for the reasons mentioned.
#1: yes, this was sent in response to a prior post. A Ridgewood Blog advertiser had received a letter stating that the sender had selected Ulrich rather than All Done to renovate the kitchen in a rental apartment because All Done advertised on the Ridgewood Blog. Posters commented that nobody hires Ulrich for a rental, among other things. “Many of my neighbors, and I, feel The Ridgewood blog is not a positive reflection of our community….as long as you do advertise there I, and many of my neighbors, will not be doing business with your company.” (Who are “many of my neighbors”? Give me a break.)
https://theridgewoodblog.net/enemies-of-the-ridgewood-blog-and-free-speech-target-blog-advertisers/
#2: you’re right that this is becoming ubiquitous. I was referring to the way that politics in town has changed. Many people are unfamiliar with these new forms of manipulation and continue to believe that everybody is sincere. Those who are doing these things are taking advantage of that.
The “assigned” letter to the editor is particularly insidious because it is signed and has every appearance of being genuine and in good faith. (I’m not talking about letters praising candidates for office; these are routinely solicited. It comes out mostly when the message is negative.)
Previously it would have been laughable that anyone would bother with such ploys here. But suddenly big money is to be made and we are being sold down the river of greed and ego.
Brian O’Nolan was an Irish writer in the mid- 20th century who used to write letters to the editor in the Irish Times. He would then wtite subsequent letters under various names disagreeing with his original position in amusing ways. The letters were such a hit with readers that he became a weekly columnist for the paper where he continued the tradition of wrting letters under pseudonyms criticizing with his own columns. Very funny stuff. Perhaps our Village leadership is simply seeking to revive this literary tradition?
#5, that must be it. They are so witty and literary–how could I have missed it?
“Many neighbors and I will never patronize your advertisers”–a riot!