TheAgitator.com
Blegging
Sunday, February 23rd, 2003That’s a term coined by the kids over at NRO’s The Corner. It’s a hybrid of “blogging” and “begging.” They came up with it to describe how they’re regularly hitting readers up for contributions, National Review magazine subscriptions and ideas for Rich Lowry’s or Jonah Goldberg’s syndicated columns.
Warning: I’m about to bleg.
I want you to buy me a laptop.
Let me explain:
No, I’m not impoverished, or afflicted with a life-threatenging disease. In fact, things are fairly hunky-dorey at the moment.
As you know, I’m moving, again. In a few hours, in fact. My new place has DSL access, if I care to sign up. One problem: I don’t have a computer of my own. Generally, all of my blogging is done from work (note to boss: on my own time, of course), though for the past few weeks I’ve had access to my temporary roommate’s computer.
So last week I was talking to the esteemed PJ Doland, host of this site, and he suggested I ask you, my readers, to pitch in and buy me a laptop. “You provide a service,” he said. “You’ve written, what, about a half million words over the last year? It’s like a magazine, only we get an issue every day.”
Shucks. He flatters me. But that does make at least a little sense. And, after all, it isn’t as if I’d be asking for money to buy myself a trip to Rio, or to get Steven Den Beste a hooker. I’m asking for money to get a laptop, so I can blog from home, so you’ll have more fun stuff to read.
I’m going to skip the “I’m providing you a service” line, though. Because that sounds as if I’m laboring over this thing for your benefit. That’s really not true. I’m fairly certain I have far more fun writing on this site than you have reading it. Especially when y’all start entertaining me by racking up 60+ comments on a post.
So last Friday after work I posted a request for money from you to pay for a laptop, for me. Odd thing — I felt dirty about it, and took it down. PJ scolded me. “Why would you feel dirty?” he asked. “People do it all the time.”
True. Andrew Sullivan raised $80k a few months ago in a “pledge drive.” Of course, I’m no Andrew Sullivan. He’s a far better writer than I. Also, I failed at Catholicism, conservatives irk me, and I haven’t even experienced so much as a same-sex locker-room towel-snapping incident.
I digress.
“What do you have to lose?” PJ asked.
Well, nothing, really. At worst, I get $35 from y’all and I learn that the revenue-generating blogsite idea is still way, way off. Considering that there are dozens of sites out there just like this one — many of them not asking you for money — that’s probably the outcome I should expect.
At best, a fair-sized chunk of the 3,000+ of you who visit this site on a daily, sometimes-daily or weekly basis pony up $5, $10, or $20 here and there, and I can pay off a snazzy new bit of hardware.
So let’s see what happens:
I would like to ask you to please give a donation to me for the purchase of a laptop computer.
OK. Done.
You can donate with a credit or check card by clicking the button on the left, and following the Paypal instructions. If you’re not wild about putting your credit card through this newfangled Internet thingy, but still want to help out, email me, and I’ll give you an address where you can send a check.
Finally, let me say that this certainly will not become a regular thing — me asking you for money. I’ll give you an update on how things turned out, but, no worries, I’m not going to hit you over the head with daily requests for more laptop money.
Oh, and for full disclosure, I have already bought the computer — on credit. Your donation will save me from paying interest.
OK, off to move.
If you read and enjoy this site, and don’t make a contribution….
….you’re stealing.
I sent $10, and the way I see it, I’m buying Radley two beers. I think the entertainment I get here is worth at least that. And imagine how great the posts will be if we get him drunk.
I just sent $10 via paypal, lest I look like a hypocrite.
OK, now the rest of you…PONY UP.
If Radley doesn’t have enough by Sunday night to pay for a new laptop, I’ll club this baby seal.
Radley, after the last day or so on the ANSWER post, I had to put my money where my fingers are.
I am activing preemptively, to prevent your potential deployment of a weapon of comment destruction — a change to a subscription-based format for The Agitator.
Shoot, even up-and-coming commentators are now requiring subscriptions to access their archives, just like Rush and O’Reilly are. (BTW, they don’t get my money) Thanks for staying free.
BTW, as a sign of consistency, I am informing you that I acted unilaterally, and did not wait for a resolution authorizing the use of cash from my wife.
No.
If you want to be compensated for this site, then as a free-market advocate, I suggest you put this puppy on the market.
Why a self-sufficient person would beg is beyond me.
So what laptop did you end up deciding on?
We’re in for 15, mate.
Good luck with your laptop.
Radley, you’re thinking too small… anyone can get and pay for a laptop by begging a thousand people or so to throw down some ducats… Why not attempt to justify begging for a down payment on a townhome in John Poindexter’s neighborhood (which, judging by the satellite photos posted during the TIAO debacle, is a decent place to settle down), or a Maybach to replace your current aging vehicle? C’mon, if you’re going to beg, you gotta think outside the (cardboard) box!
I, too, am trying to save for a new computer, but I currently own one, so sliding a few bucks your way won’t kill the dream for me. Good luck…
Come on punks. You’ve only got an hour left. Then the seal gets it.
http://www.sealclubbing.com/
A new age of Libertarianism has dawned. Gone are the old days (last week) of Libertarians making a stand for individual freedom (i.e. personal responsibility). The Libertarian Radley has chosen to shirk the personal responsibility of his credit card debt by asking his readers to sacrifice their money (life) for his. Not because of some financial crisis, his finances are “hunky-dorey”. Like some petulant child, he simply wants your money because he wants it. Amazing.
I keep hoping this is just some kind of sad prank, but I’m starting to think I’m going to be disappointed.
“I swear- by my life and my love of it- that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.”
Ayn Rand
from Atlas Shrugged
Spud –
Exactly how is my asking people who read this site to *voluntarily* contribute inconsistent with libertarianism? No one is forcing you to give, and I’m not asking for a handout — you *are* getting something in return. The only difference is that what you get is available whether you give or not.
Begging would be me, outside your door, with a tin cup, asking something for nothing.
*You* are getting something for nothing right now — content. And, if you like, you can continue to get that content for free. I don’t mind. But I’m also giving you the option of paying a little back if you like.
I’m not really sure what upsets you so much. I’ve posted 1,940 times to this site. Yes, this one of those 1,940 reminds you that, if you like, you can throw a bit of money my way. If that’s enough to soil my libertarian credentials, then give me your address, I’ll send you my official Ayn Rand fan club card and you can cut it to pieces. Frankly, I think you need to revisit Rand. My guess is that she’d be more upset with me for blogging gratis than she would be for me trying to make money from it.
If you don’t want to give a bit, don’t. If the post bothers you, don’t read it. If the site offends you, find another.
I’ll keep writing either way.
Radley
If you had asked for a donation to keep this site open, I would have gladly given. If you had decided to charge for access to this site, I would have been happy to pay (a reasonable rate of course). But you did not ask for either of these. What you did ask was for people who are not responsible for your credit card debt to assume some of that responsibility to relieve you of the burden of paying interest (and principal I assume).
As for me getting something for nothing from this site, I’ll respond with a quote from you,
“I’m going to skip the “I’m providing you a service” line, though. Because that sounds as if I’m laboring over this thing for your benefit. That’s really not true. I’m fairly certain I have far more fun writing on this site than you have reading it. Especially when y’all start entertaining me by racking up 60+ comments on a post.”
If you believe you have earned a free laptop from your readers for the value they recieve from having access to this site, you should have no reservations charging them for that access. If they agree with you on the value this site provides, they, like me, would be happy to pay.
Blog, bleg, beg, whatever. It’s your site, your reputation, and your life. As for being so kind as to show me the door, I will return your kindness by using it.
SpudVol,
I don’t mean this to be an insult, and you are certainly free to think and act however you like. But if I may make a judgement based only on your posts, I have to conclude that you have absolutely no idea what libertarianism is all about.
Radley provides a service. He is simply asking that we determine whether or not it is of any value to us, and make a small contribution if we wish. Just because something is available for free, does not mean that it has no value. Additionally, the fact the Radley enjoys what he is doing does not diminish the utility that we gain, I would actually argue that it is increased.
One last thing….
…Radley uses his time to post to this site for free. He also pays for the hosting and the domain name, yet like some petulant child, you simply want something for nothing because you want it. Amazing.
I just CAN’T believe that this turned into a controversial post…
…. my prayers go out that poor, poor baby seal. PJ, I hope it was quick and painless.
Damn, SpudVol, even Howard Roark was willing to help out Peter Keating in his time of need… Of course, along those lines, if Radley changes this site into a Back Street Boys fansite or something equally repellant, those people who heped him would have every right — no, a DUTY — to go to his house and blow up his new laptop. Of course, finding some woman to slash her wrists to provide an alibi would be a little difficult…
I meant to say “helped”, of course…
Bills: $330 car payment, $220 insurance, $695 rent, $50 cell phone. Thats every month. And im a student. I’m nowhere near rich to say the least.
Although I do feel it’s a worthy cause, and I would love to help, it’s just not in the cards at the moment.
Tell you what, when im in D.C., i’ll buy you a six-pack of the finest lager of your choice.
Hey, I’m sending my lunch money from today. Maybe PJ can send me a seal steak. Of course today is a visit to the corner deli day. You should have asked tomorrow, that’s Big Client comes to office for Lunch day.
SpudVol -
The Ayn Rand Institute doesn’t seem to have too much of a problem asking for donations:
http://www.aynrand.org/support/reasons.shtml
Radley, Even though I am a staunch republican, I love your site and plan to support it. I get paid friday, and so shall you. Keep ut the good work.
Where do I give to the Den Beste hooker fund?
I am apoor girl who cant afford a laptop to do my projects for my m.sc. I really am in bad need of a laptop. So you people can u plz handle me a second hand laptop. i will be very grateful to you.
Thanks.
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no money need any more!!!
no money need any more!!!
i dont need any money from anybody any more!!!
from rajsekhar paul
i dont need any money from anybody any more!!!
from rajsekhar paul
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