28th Feb 2005
Michael Gorman Is a Sanctimonious Prick
I’ve come a bit late to this story, but with apologies to anyone else named Michael Gorman who is not the president-elect of the American Library Association, Michael Gorman is a sanctimonious prick. So much so that I’d like to recommend that bloggers unite in a Google-bomb on the guy using that phrase.
I’m tempted to thoroughly fisk his article, but I’m sure others have done so already. It’s so patently obvious he hasn’t stepped out of his ivory tower for so long he must fart dust. A librarian, much less a would-be president of a leading library association (we shall see), who had never heard of blogs before last December? There are only, what, a gazillion (or, dare I say, a googol?) librarian blogs? He really his finger on the pulse of modern society.
And, sure, Google is imperfect, so…what, I should run down to the library the 100 times a day I use Google (certainly no exaggeration) and look up in books maps and addresses, news headlines, online articles plus myriad other miscellaneous facts I use Google for? Sure, libraries are still great for scholarly research, but the impracticality of his criticisms of Google (”notoriously inefficient search engine,” “random bits of information” in “no very useful order,” etc.) just outrage me. Please enlighten us what is the better search engine we should be using instead.
I do love libraries, although mostly in principal at this point. Honestly, the last time I was in a library was months ago while traveling (Beijing) and solely for the purpose of gettting access to the Internet, which I suspect is increasingly becoming libraries’ fate. Before that, I can’t remember the last time.
As for book readership, however, I would presume bloggers index considerably higher than average Americans as book consumers. I personally read at least one book a month, which I’m sure is a lot more than most Americans.
Anyway, I think it would be only too fitting if one of the random bits of information Google spews forth from now on is Michael Gorman is a sanctimonious prick whenever someone searches his name.
On a practical note, to achieve maximum effect, you should use that exact phrase on a link to that same article as well as in your entry headline, particularly if your individual archive pages copy the headline into the page’s title tag (which is blogger best practice for search optimization in general).
He wants to see the revenge of the “blog people,” does he? He shall see the revenge of the blog people!
UPDATE:
This post now comes up as the #1 link for “sanctimonous prick” on Google, and on the second page for “sanctimonious” and, most importantly, on the third page for “Michael Gorman.” So please keep up that linking, and we’ll teach the guy a lesson soon!
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HI there, saw your blog in the NY Times. Bumpted into that article cuz I’m facing the same problem as it is mentioned in that article.
Good luck, Kapa. It can be rough pissing off a friend iwth a blog, which is I assume what you’re referring to. Luckily, Michael Gorman is not a friend of mine.
Hi rick,
I have been a big fan of your blog ever since the letterman show episode. Most often i side with you on many issues. However, I beg to differ with you on the library issue. Though I agree 100 percent with you about this jack-ass called gorman, I think you cannot blame the library system. The libraries are still the only source of books and internet for many kids across the nation. Its a pity that, ignorant fools like gorman lead some of these places. I for one, use the local county library to read most of my books. I am proud to tell you, i almost read a book every week. There is no way I could afford to buy all those 35 dollar a pop books. So lets not trash the system because of a few bad apples.
keep up the good work.
Rajesh
Rajesh,
I didn’t mean to disparage libraries in general. I respect those who really do patronize them for free lending. Myself, I’ve never been a fast enough reader to make it work for me. Too often I was still in the middle of the book when it came due and then I’d rack up fines, which sort of conditioned me to avoid them. I used to love sitting the library for hours when I was a student, but since I’ve been out of school for years, that pleasure is long past.
As for the books I read, I mostly buy them on the sidewalk here in NY for $2 a pop or so, or used on Amazon, so I’m not a $35/book guy either.
BTW, you people aren’t yet doing your part. So far, this post doesn’t come up anywhere near the top for a search of Michael Gorman on Google. The good news, however, is it’s link #2 for a search of sanctimonious prick.