What triggered me was a news from Jakartass. The Café is nominated in a so-called Asia Blog Awards. Not bad, I think for a not-so (social-) capital intensive café. So I was thinking: should I myself vote? I remember Aco once wrote that in a voting that involves many voters, it might not be rational to vote. So I called him up.
Me: Aco, do you know the Café is nominated for an Asian blogs award?Voting | Rationality
Aco: Yup, I heard that. Congratz, Manager!
Me: I remember you once said that voting might be irrational...
Aco: Yes. Freakonomics did, too. Only a year later.
Me: Now, do you think I should vote?
Aco: For whom?
Me: ??? for Amien Rais! Of course for the Café, you idiot!
Aco: ... Easy, Boss... OK, how many people do you think will participate in the voting? 200 million?
Me: No! Even 200 will be a surprise. Let's say a hundred... Or maybe 50 -- They only give us 3 days to vote, can you believe it?
Aco: Then, vote. Your voice might count.
Me: ... why?
Aco: The marginal value of one vote is higher when the participation rate is low. In a million-voter election, your vote contribution is negligible. In a 15-voter game, your vote is decisive.
Me: ... Makes sense... By the way, the system is such that, every voter should rank nine candidates. What should I do?
Aco: ... That's interesting. OK, tell me who do you think is your stronger competitor?
Me: ... (I named one blog)...
Aco: What? You think that blog is good? ... (I was ready to argue) ... OK, OK, calm down. I respect your judgement. Now here's a trick. That blog, the one you think might give you hard time in the race, rank it the last.
Me: Why? Shouldn't it be the second ... (of course I mean after the Café)
Aco: No, put the weakest one you think in the second place -- I assume you'll put yourself in the top. Next, put the second weakest in the third place and so on... I presume there will be some averaging in deciding the winner. Then you have to make sure that your strongest opponent gets low point.
Me: ... Got it. I'll do that. Thanks. .... Will you vote?
Aco: No.
Me: Why?
Aco: Only if you give me a raise...
Me: Go to hell...
well.. this voting thing is really a business here. I was approached with three people from the cafe asking whether i vote for them...
ReplyDeleteaco might decide not to vote but so that you know, he called me up, bugging me to make sure i vote for the cafe? or was he just asking whether i vote? i kinda forgot...
rizal was a bit smooth... he talked about other things before asking where my loyality lies... honestly!
ap went a bit further by sending emails and so on and so forth...
and now the manager is using disguise campaign...
the other two, i don't know... i don't know ujang very well... and as for the other one... well, i have no idea as well... they might not take the voting seriously... they might have other important things in their life, other than asking whether i pick you or the "other guy"... puuhhhlleeeaaaasssseeeee....
Wow, dHani. Me, bugging you?
ReplyDeleteHey, here's suggestion. If you don't want to vote for the Café, don't.
It's that easy.
I will vote for you. It would cost me a few minutes of my time, though. So, what do I get in return? ;)
ReplyDeleteParinduri, does guest-blogging in Sarapan Ekonomi for free count? I was thinking to send one of my hosts. You know, things have been difficult, but I can't just fire these people. Stupid Labor Law, that is.
ReplyDeleteOr this one's easier: You vote for me, and I vote for you :-)
hi hi... i generally don't vote as a matter of principle myself. once a tyrant, always will be.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed that i was nominated since the judge and all the other nominees are currently on their high horses for me.
in any case, i'll vote for you guys since i was told that i don't criticize enough.
Hi, Treespotter, yeah I heard there's a heated debate going on. I wasn't following though. Hey, if you're tired arguing there, just stop by anytime at the Café. We're happy people here :-)
ReplyDeleteDhani: all of the hosts take this vote very seriously. I'm spamming all my friends and minions with requests as I'm typing this.
ReplyDeleteTreespotter: Somehow the whole spectacle reminded me of the brutal exchange between Jon Stewart and Tucker Carlson in CNN's Crossfire two years ago. I don't quite know why.
an-adulterated-indonesian: that model hinges on the assumption that the voter is motivated by social utility, that he/she cares about the benefit of the outcomes of the election to other voters. From what I see, bloggers are a selfish bunch (in additon to be overly sensitive and narcissicistic), so that model probably won't work here.
Having say that, would you care to vote for us, please?
aco: chill out man... what's with the temper? i've told you i kinda forgot whether you bugged me or just ask me whether i vote... sooowwwwwyyy...
ReplyDeleteujang: how come your spam email did reached me? well, we don't know each other too well ya? i'll email you sometimes...
all guys at the cafe: what's up with you? it's been months and the only things that come up is Aco's Playboy and AP's dumpster... well, the manager's finally stop serving coffees and join the discussion as well... two thumbs for him... go on, write something... anything... i kinda miss you all...
dHani, here's a little secret: I voted in for the Café. I just wanted to piss the Manager off. She's been so rank-pulling lately.
ReplyDeleteGlad to know that blogger heavyweights like Treespotter and Parinduri will vote, too. (So as you know, the latter is a nominee in Asia BIZ/ECON section -- Cool!)
bingo, this is the first time ever someone used the word 'heavyweight' on me.
ReplyDeleteusually, they use 'slim'
Dhani -- so you ignored my farewell/back to Indonesia and exchange market posting...?
ReplyDeleteAs for me, the excuse is "still adjusting to the slow and unstable internet connection." Yes, even here at CSIS... :-)
Aco: thank god you vote... may i ask which one? you can whisper that to my ear. the manager has been looking at you for sometimes... i think she got a crush on you. that voting thing? that's her move ;)
ReplyDeleteAP dearest: welcome back to jakarta. i'll see you on tuesday? we both got teaching assignment in MPKP and we shall see whether depok has a better connection than tanah abang... =D
and the posts weren't counted... it's been a while...
treespotter: i have to agree with aco... you're a heavyweight, and that was based on the number and length of the comments... yours even longer than the posting, i think?
dHani, as far I remember, the convo was not going on like that. I don't recall to ask you about loyalty whatsoever. I did talk other things - I don't remember on what topics, too-, which is likely more important than that trivial voting.
ReplyDeleteP/s: It's weird, I mean The Manager. She didn't call me up :-)
Hey, Manager, I'll vote for these guys. Take it as a thank-you note for playing my songs some time ago :-)
ReplyDeleteI am a regular here and to be honest I am a bit disappointed that you guys still think such 'award' is important. (Important enough to vote for yourself?)
ReplyDeleteGood blog is good blog. You know it when you read it.
I thought for people of your stature, you wouldn't care so much about getting an 'award' just to get recognition.
I guess I was wrong.
(Sorry for expressing my dismay.)
btw, i just noticed something, why is everybody calling the manager as a she? thought it was a he!
ReplyDeleteis she a crossdresser? she sounds like a he? this is disturbing in a funny way, really.
and no, i'm not heavyweight, i'm slim.
Dear Anonymous, thank you for your note. We'd like to take that as a compliment. No, we didn't participate in the voting for a recognition. We did that because it was fun, that's it. Anything comepetitive is fun. There are easier ways to get recognition, I have been told. For example, listing hundreds of links to other blogs, participating in as many blog societies as possible, reviewing other people's blogs frequently, posting provocative pictures, or allowing commercials in, etc, etc.
ReplyDeleteBut hey, this is only a Café :-D
Treespotter, who do you think can handle five male chauvinist pigs? A woman, Mister, a woman!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a cross-dresser. Yes, my doctor told me I might have developed a lesbian tendency. But I don't trust him.
Anonymous: wait until we find out that we didn't win anything and you'll see our posting saying we could care less about the award. Like they say, awards are meaningless .... unless you happen to win one! (h/t Steven /Stephen).
ReplyDeleteI think those who take us too seriously and expect a lot from us will always be disappointed. I told the Manager that we can avoid this misunderstanding by posting our mission up front: "putting back the con in economics and .... in analysis". Needless to say she refused.
Seriously, if it were up to me I'd probably nominate Mpok Jane and Neng Sarah. Now that is one blog I personally want to see as Indonesia's representative to the world.
Hey, Manager. Who you calling chauvinist pigs?
Darn it! I thought I was whispering to Treespotter! Sorry, Ujang, you've always been the least chauvinist person in the house. Sjamsu's close. But those three little bastards, Aco, Ape and Rizal... They really should see this and get some lesson.
ReplyDeleteManager, shut up. And don't even dare to think of yourself as Demi Moore.
ReplyDeleteaight, you guys. i thought BOE-ism taught us not to care about award and such. people like your writing, they can come again. people don't like your writing, they can go and screw themselves. the least i want is to see you guys turning into banci tampil by fretting over this popularity contest. where's the revolutioner part of you? if Ketut see this, he'll chase you guys to the grave for being centil...
ReplyDeleteand Ape, shamelessly telling BOE Sempalan to vote. weren't you the one who always against kontes dagang daging? don't deny, i kept your Miss Universe writing some 5 years ago (that time the winner was Miss India) somewhere. shame shame shame on you.
case closed now. fuck with the award. that's the least you should be worry about and better start to religiously write here AT LEAST once a week.
and yes, if you don't like this comment, write me a love-mail. everybody else does.
You know what, Manager, I think it's time for a new post :-) Besides, the voting is closed now so why don't we all just move on to a new topic.
ReplyDeletemanager: i cannot agree with you more... only woman can handle men, especially the chauvinist-pigs type... even AP will agree on this one... and please ignore Treespotter's comment about your fashion style... you are what you are, you should embrace that
ReplyDeleteanonymous: why do i feel i know you? competition is supposedly for fun. and i believe that is the essence of good implementation of economics understanding. (gak ya? gue ngarang berat!)
ujang: mpok jane and mpok sarah are the best! but they've been gone long... wonder what happened to them...
dew: that is exactly what i've been trying to say... come on guys... aren't there any interesting topics?
shame that, i could've been a lesbian
ReplyDeleteDetta: well, people change... even then (5 years ago), I didn't say that I was against such contest. I just don't care. now, I still am not against it. but now, I do care, huehehehe...
ReplyDeleteabout voting for this blog -- yes, I do care... I want to win. I have to win...!!! for no serious reasons, just that winning is good, losing is bad..:-)
Mr. Manager, you call me male chauvinist pig? Who do you think I am? Larry Summers...??