Marginal Revolution Goes Begging

Look, I like Marginal Revolution.  Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok are extremely smart guys with interesting things to say about all manner of economics-related topics.  But their plea for cash strikes me as a little self-pitying, and I don't think it properly frames the issue of expenses versus rewards:

"1. We have provided fresh posts every single day since we started the blog.
2. No one pays us to blog.
3. Blogging does not count toward academic pay raises.
4. We incur expenses of numerous magazine and newspaper subscriptions and book purchases.  Review copies of books are few and far between.
5. Alex and I are the sole owners and beneficiaries of the blog.

We do not expect to make money off the blog, but we would prefer that it does not cost us either.  Could you please help us work toward this goal?  Any sum of money would be appreciated and receive our sincere thanks."

I read their blog most days, and I appreciate how difficult it can be for a blogger to keep content fresh, so #1 gets some of my sympathy. Prospective givers can be reassured by #5 - no one but Cowen and Tabarrok will benefit from largesse.  But the others amount to nothing more than "My hobby is expensive."

They blog for themselves, for whatever personal satisfaction it gives them.  Yes, readers benefit from it, by learning the thoughts of two smart men and by the exposure to ideas we might otherwise miss, but blogging is done for the self, not for others.

And they elide the value of the publicity generated by their spreading audience.  There are probaby thousands of MR readers who never heard of Tyler Cowen or Alex Tabarrok before coming to their blog.  Each reader is a prospective fan and each fan a prospective book buyer.  Each reader, fan, and book buyer is a prospective word spreader - which is what generates fame.  In America, fame is money.

If Cowen and Tabarrok consult (I think they do), their fame will lead to higher fees.  And their fame will, I would think, create a better bargaining position when salary-negotiation time comes around. (I confess I have no idea how salary talks work in a university environment, but I know there's competition for elite scholars among elite schools.)

I don't mind their rattling a tip jar.  But I'd expect a better presentation of the facts than "No one pays us to blog," true though I assume that is.

Comments

[Chris]

Great minds think alike ;) Honestly, I wrote my post without ever seeing yours.

http://www.odonnellweb.com/mtarchives/001393.php

[sinecere]

i'd be more willing to do it if i could participate in their blog through comments

[Kim]

I honestly don't get this discussion. So, a few bloggers on the net are upset because marinalrevotion asks for donations... What is the problem?
In almost every walk of life we meet people who ask for a tip. Many of them have done far less for us than the information-gatherers in the blogosphere. So - is this all a part of a convention gap - between service areas where tips are allowed to service areas where they are a new part of tipping phenomenon?
According to the arguments raised against this behavior it seems as if contextual limits are all there is to the outrage.

But really, anyone who feel intimidated by a blogger asking for donation has the option to stop visiting this particular blog. To, so to speak, use the 'exit' vote.

I have a blog myself (http://mediamarket.blogspot.com) for which I have few hopes of making any money. But I like people to visit, and to maybe e-mail me about my posts and the theoretical foundations for my coming dissertation. The ones who do, probably make assumptions that they will benefit from reading what I right. Some find it worth enough to write me some comments. Anyone who doesn't want to encourage my research can chose not to visit it. It's that simple. As in the case with marginal revolution asking for money. Some things cost alot, some things less. Some donations are voluntary.
Life is a whole big cost-benefit analysis. Learn to live with it.

[carpundit]

Kim,
Thanks for your comments, which call for a response. I can't speak for the other bloggers who may be upset, but you misconstrue my point. I don't mind a rattled tip jar. Indeed, I sometimes donate to my favorite blogs.

I object to MR's poor-mouthing, at least to Mr. Cowen's. His plea -I thought- overstated the case, as if they blog just for us and we therefore owe them something. I suspect they derive many benefits from blogging that offset the costs of it.

Let them rattle the tip jar. If it bothers people too much they can vote with their eyes, as you say. Or they can blog about it, which I did.

[Tyler]

No one pays them to blog and they ask money? So really in a way they do get paid to blog.