zlana ([info]zlana) wrote,
@ 2008-03-21 13:38:00
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Dictionary.com has 88 definitions of "strike"
Here are two relevant ones (emphasis mine):

41. to leave off (work) or stop (working) as a coercive measure, or as at the close of the day.
42. (of a union or union member)
a. to declare or engage in a suspension of (work) until an employer grants certain demands, such as pay increases, an improved pension plan, etc.
b. to declare or engage in a suspension of work against (a factory, employer, industry, etc.) until certain demands are met.

If the recent writer's strike in Hollywood had had a predetermined time limit, the television studios would have snickered. Nothing would have changed.

I understand why so many of you are doing this, but personally I think it's pointless and won't make the slightest difference in achieving your goals. A mass migration to Blogger or Wordpress, no looking back, that might get their attention. It might make them rethink and look for options that make their users happier. It might not. But a 24 hour strike won't gain you anything. It's not even a strike, really.

I certainly think some of the changes to LJ lately have been rather annoying and perhaps misguided. But Livejournal is a for-profit company and they can do whatever they want with it.* If you don't like it, leave. I've been planning on taking my blogging elsewhere for some time now, the only reason I'm still here is because so many folks I know forget to inform me of things if they have already posted it here. When I find myself with the time (which, honestly, may never happen) I have every intention of taking my blogging elsewhere.

I'm not especially educated on the details of this situation. Nor am I especially passionate about it. I just wanted to get it out there that while I admire the sentiment of "Hey, we liked this community/content-driven site how it was, can't we change your minds?" I don't think this is a reasonable or effective way to convey that. If you want to get into a discussion of the subject, be forewarned I've pretty much said all I have to say.

*Within reason, yes. I'm sure there are some things they can't do with their website according to what laws we have governing the internet. But wanting to advertise on their site, even if the content is yours? This is not new, folks. Nor is censoring what you say. Various other forums and blog sites have been doing both of these things for years.


In summary: Good luck, but don't hold your breath.

P.S. Yes, I know many of you won't read this as not reading LJ is part of the strike. Amusingly meta, ain't it? :)



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[info]theloriest
2008-03-21 06:18 pm UTC (link)
That's about how I feel about the whole situation as well. In fact, people calling it a "strike" bothers me more than the reasons behind it to begin wtih. Labor history has done a lot for this country. And now people toss that word around without even thinking about where it came from and what it truly means. I've read a number of people calling others who aren't joining this 24-hour thing as "scabs." Again with the SEVERE bothering me.

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[info]elemsee
2008-03-21 06:30 pm UTC (link)
I hadn't even think of the labor aspect of it. You make a valid point. People use "strike" so casually now, they/we forget what a huge part "striking" paid in building our society. "Protest" might be more applicable if we take out prejudicial words such as "whining" or "temper tantrum."

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[info]elemsee
2008-03-21 06:28 pm UTC (link)
My friends and I have been reading the "most recent posts" feature on LJ and we found your post. I agree with you a hundred percent. Very nice post.

We're posting all day to balance things out. :x

Which is probably petty and silly, but I'm having fun.

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[info]theloriest
2008-03-21 06:36 pm UTC (link)
Here is the post that really got me thinking hardest.

[info]rosefox's - "We are all individuals!"

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[info]mhari
2008-03-21 06:46 pm UTC (link)
What you said.

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[info]rigel
2008-03-22 12:37 am UTC (link)
Thankfully, I can read it now. :)

And yeah. I usex the term "strike" because that's what was in the commonly-distributed info doc on it. For me, it was a protest.

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[info]lmpshd
2008-03-22 03:09 am UTC (link)
Thanks for posting this. You said a number of things that turned out to be exactly what I was thinking, but I hadn't figured out how to articulate them. I'm always glad to know I'm not alone.

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[info]alierak
2008-03-22 01:06 pm UTC (link)
See alternative opinion from one of the former coworkers to whom I gave a perm acct.

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