Why I Started

When I first decided to create this blog a couple. years ago, the reasoning was a little different than what it’s become now. Then I was going to use it as a portfolio of my writing to show potential employers looking for a freelance writer, specifically in the tech sector. I kept the content largely about tech, only deviating a couple times before ultimately removing them. But as time went by and I began to work with it more, I realized that purpose has changed a little bit from using it as my portfolio to ideally using it as a means to help express the irritation and cynicism people have when it comes to tech anymore.

How could you not be more jaded if you’ve spent any time in this little world of ours? From companies trying to suck every last bit of information they can from you to AI companies currently in a race to the bottom to see who can destroy our environment first (OpenAI is in the lead), what is there to be happy about lately? I look in the headlines and read stories everyday, and the ones that I find the most enjoyable are when I read these giant companies being sued or finding themselves in the cross hairs of some government.

I see people on social media constantly complaining about the world of technology. They see these stories, and the stories never go to the lengths that the person reading it and most affected by the news feels. These sites keep their words soft and sweet, because they don’t want to lose access to people in those companies. They might need to get a job there one day, so they play pattycakes with these obnoxiously well financed startups and tech giants. You know who isn’t worried about access? You know who doesn’t care if he ever gets to talk to one of the higher ups in any of these companies?

Me.

I realized a while back that I don’t have the stomach to play nice with companies that I think are abysmal. As a matter of fact, I’d seriously rethink my positions and attitude if one of them did come to me and offer to do anything but defend themselves. I assure you that’ll never happen, and that’s why I’m here now.

I’m here because I want to give voice to the consumer who has had it with all these companies and their sociopathic CEOs with far too much money than they can ever spend in ten lifetimes. I’m here for the people who follow the tech news just like me but don’t have the platform to truly let their voices be heard.

But let me tell you. This isn’t the position for anyone who has a chance of climbing those ladders in tech journalism. Believe me when I tell you as soon as some of the bigger names learn there’s someone who wants into the club, they yank that ladder up fast. Not all of them. I’ve met some incredibly kind people all in this space with me, and I admire and respect them for that. I hope they know who they are.

The fact remains though that this blog is for you. This blog is for that person who needs a conduit to let out their frustractions at the tech world around us. I know i’m not likely to ever get a sponsor. After speaking with some of those in the major news sites, they don’t want someone with strong opinions. They avoid someone who doesn’t kowtow to the tech bros. They want someone who is in awe of them, and wouldn’t be willing to call them out when they obfuscate or blatantly lie to them. You know who that doesn’t describe?

Me.

But it’s hard to do it alone and be able to devote the time and energy I need without the support of those who are the reason I do this in the first place. That’s why I have a Support page for those who want to help make sure they still have that voice that speaks out for them. That’s why I’m in the planning stages of setting up a newsletter, where no one will ever see your email address but me. You won’t get spam or ads. You’ll just get my thoughts and opinions, and we’ll have an open dialogue with each other. Perhaps there’s topics you’d like me to look into that I haven’t yet. Or maybe you just want to help support a very independent journalist with no agenda. Someone not trying to audition for a job at Microsoft or NVidia or Meta. You just want to help someone who has had enough of the spin that swirls around us everyday. If you do, I know the person that would appreciate it more than you could know.

Me.

Join me in this journey where the aspirational goal is to make this all better for you and me and everyone else. I’m not promising we can change the world, far from it. But I am promising that we can make our voices heard far better togetther. With any luck, we can either unite and change some part of this whole industry together. Or we won’t, and can say we were all better just for trying.

Welcome to the relaunch of my blog: What Did Mark Say? And who is this blog meant for?

You.