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Planning blogs are useless

Nick Southgate thinks most planning blogs are useless. His main argument (I think) is that most share opinions rather than actual fact, which is fair enough but that's actually what I find most valuable as a writer of one and a reader of others.

Facts are my day job, actually that's not true, it's making facts compelling. Facts are easy, great facts are less so, making them compelling bit is bloody hard. That requires imagination and inspiration – blogs are good for that. 

One way of working is to get an opinion fast and then test it to destruction – you need a good start, something to get you looking somewhere…so blogs that share good opinions are useful in my book.

The problem is when readers assume what it written is gospel. There are a few blogs that pretend to be The One Truth, that's not healthy, but most are just venturing an opinion and working things out in public. That's good, as long you take them that way.

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4 responses to “Planning blogs are useless”

  1. jonhoward Avatar
    jonhoward

    As screenwritting guru Robert Mckee said: what happens is fact, not truth. Truth is what we think about what happens.
    So truth IS opinion. Which is why it’s important!

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  2. Rob Mortimer Avatar
    Rob Mortimer

    ‘Facts Schmacts, you can use facts to prove anything that’s even remotely true.’
    Homer Simpson

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  3. John Avatar
    John

    “The collective implication of their inarticulacy”

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  4. tom Avatar
    tom

    I think his stance there is a bit of a shame. As a planner with a junior leaning I find the blogosphere really useful as a resource for the thinking going through the minds of people who have been doing it for years.
    I also think it’s useful to write out your thoughts as much as possible. Sure a lot of it might be rehashed or revolving around what’s going on or whatever but the sheer process of committing to paper/web is a great way of learning to examine your own thinking more carefully.
    Funny he mentions Russell as I came across one of his posts in which he encouraged, i think it was planners, to start writing about art and things they’ve been doing rather than just advertising and I think that’s great advice. Writing about something you feel passionate about whether it’s swimming in your case np or music in my case is a great way of learning to explain your thoughts on something more intangible than strategy.
    Anyway rambling.

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