Happy Pay a Blogger Day! Recognize Those Who Tickle Your Brain

A click of the mouse costs exactly nothing. Neither does the transfer of bits to your computer or phone screen (minus the connection fee and the electricity). But the men and women behind the blogs, they are invaluable.

Contrary to modern business models, like the black hole of link aggregation that is The Huffington Post, a vast majority of bloggers do what they do because they simply want to provide. I count myself in this category, as do many others.

Meaningful content and thoughtful information is inherently valuable, and we have never thought it strange to reward creators of music, or art, or literature. Bloggers provide similar service to the world, weaving the web of connected information with the needle and thread of their tireless effort to add to the cup of knowledge one drop at a time. Why then, is supporting bloggers such a rare and difficult task?

I’m about a year and a half into the game of “Seriously Blogging”, and I do it not for financial reward or notoriety. I do it because I am supremely confident that providing access to the wondrous world of science in an engaging fashion makes our society a better place. Your feedback reminds me of this every day. I know that there are thousands more who feel like I do, in numerous fields.

The time we apply to efforts we enjoy has value, and we should create a culture where that’s rewarded. Help celebrate Pay A Blogger Day by supporting a blog you love. It doesn’t have to be mine, although there’s a donation link on my page if you see fit. I use any donations I receive to support travel and materials that further the spread of science love, as well as paying it forward to other great authors and creators.

As Maria Popova writes:

… paradoxically, there’s still a certain reluctance to supporting blogs, even the best of them, in the same way that we support other cultural institutions, like public radio or libraries. (Not to mention the service industry — you tip your waiter, but not your curator, as if serving brain food were somehow less worthy than serving tomorrow’s loo visit.)

You can find more info on how to reward your brain ticklers at payablogger.org. From all the people who work to fill the web with real, personal meaning, thank you for your support, your readership and for creating an online culture where so many minds can come together to build a mighty castle of knowledge.

(h/t Brain Pickings)

Source: brainpickings.org

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  1. searchingalone reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  2. sleeptard said: thanks for being the best science-related blogger and providing so many awesome science articles to us. i have enjoyed your blog greatly. :)
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