[ppohja]

I'm interested in weaponizing my photography.

Get a Pentax 6x7.

[johnmflores]

Because 'monetize is meaningless jargon for those who can't speak plain English

It's not meaningless, but it is jargon. It makes people feel "with it" and smart. In other words, it smartifies them.

[vonBaloney]

It's not meaningless, but it is jargon. It makes people feel "with it" and smart. In other words, it smartifies them.

But jargon implies it is only understood by a relatively small group of insiders, or only members of a certain profession. So that's a subjective quality and it longer is jargon once it enters general use and starts being applied to all sorts of new things. (Like your personal instragram account.) And I think that point has past as it is *really* common now, and you're likely to hear it just about anywhere. (As we've seen in this thread.)

Certainly I understand the feeling of, "I didn't get the memo -- we are all saying this word now? I'm not sure I like this word." I mean, that happens all the time. You can stamp your feet and become a crotchety old person, or you can accept things. I don't like it when we dumb down existing words or change their meanings into words we already have other words for, because that just limits our expression. (We have lost a word that meant something in the process, and now it is tougher to express that thought. It becomes tougher to even *think* certain thoughts when the words aren't available to express them. And if we use the word the old way no one understands it.) But new words that actually mean something, or clever/humorous phrases that are clever enough to actually be useful? I try to accept some new things...

[mohb]

But new words that actually mean something,

it's an old world that some people use out of context presumably because they think it clever/trendy.

[vonBaloney]

it's an old world that some people use out of context presumably because they think it clever/trendy.

Why is it out of context? That would imply that it is unclear what is actually meant. But I know exactly what it means, and it is shorter and simpler than any replacement you could put there, and since it is a natural expansion of its original meaning but without really overlapping it, I don't see it as a destructive change. And even if someone gets a little thrill from using a "trendy" word, that wears off after a while, then it is just a word. People have been saying "monetize" (in this way) pretty regularly since the dot-com boom which is now 15 years past. Many of the people using it now have used it their entire adult lives, and if you were to tell them "stop using such meaningless jargon" they would be hard-pressed to even identify which words you are objecting to. This ship has sailed! There is plenty of actually meaningless, pretentious nonsense to pick on. I do value plain speaking, but language will never be frozen in time. That fact that "monetize" is a thing (and "is a thing" is a thing) is just a natural evolution reflective of the internet economy we find ourselves in...

Why Business People Speak Like Idiots: A Bullfighter's Guide: Brian Fugere, Chelsea Hardaway, Jon Warshawsky: 9780743269094: Amazon.com: Books

[johnmflores]

Monetize is an Internet word. It's a virtual word. You don't talk about how a retail shoe store monetizes shoes. They'd say that they sell shoes, or more pointedly, sell product. You don't sit in a concert hall and talk about how a singer monetizes their talent. You use other words. So I'd argue that monetize may be a common term for people that try to sell things on the internet, but it's by no means a term that you could use at Thanksgiving Dinner without causing some raised eyebrows from many if not most of the people in attendance. Unless your last name is Zuckerberg.

[vonBaloney]

Monetize is an Internet word. It's a virtual word.

"Internet" words are fake words?

You don't talk about how a retail shoe store monetizes shoes. They'd say that they sell shoes, or more pointedly, sell product.

True, but you might have a concept for a new type of shoe or something to do with shoes and wonder how you could monetize such a thing, i.e. get it into shoe stores eventually.

You don't sit in a concert hall and talk about how a singer monetizes their talent.

But if you were a singer not yet invited to play concert halls, you might talk about just that.

So I'd argue that monetize may be a common term for people that try to sell things on the internet,

mmmm...the internet is still no longer an emerging "niche" thing. Every kid now in college was born in a world with internet. The internet is relevant to just about everything and everyone these days.

but it's by no means a term that you could use at Thanksgiving Dinner without causing some raised eyebrows from many if not most of the people in attendance.

Come on. Watch CNN for an hour, and you'll likely hear the term. It is totally mainstream. That doesn't mean EVERYONE uses it or knows it, but it is common enough that we are well past the point of it just being trendy or whatever, and if it raises an eyebrow that should be the end of it. It isn't like it a confusing term -- people who are not familiar with it will be able to figure out the meaning instantly from the context in most cases...

[Rondec]

Monetize is an Internet word. It's a virtual word. You don't talk about how a retail shoe store monetizes shoes. They'd say that they sell shoes, or more pointedly, sell product. You don't sit in a concert hall and talk about how a singer monetizes their talent. You use other words. So I'd argue that monetize may be a common term for people that try to sell things on the internet, but it's by no means a term that you could use at Thanksgiving Dinner without causing some raised eyebrows from many if not most of the people in attendance. Unless your last name is Zuckerberg.

I agree. I think monetize is used primarily in the sense that people are trying to figure out how to turn their popularity or, internet traffic into money. It is fine to use it, but it certainly doesn't have a general usage outside of the internet.

[johnmflores]

"Internet" words are fake words?

True, but you might have a concept for a new type of shoe or something to do with shoes and wonder how you could monetize such a thing, i.e. get it into shoe stores eventually.

But if you were a singer not yet invited to play concert halls, you might talk about just that.

mmmm...the internet is still no longer an emerging "niche" thing. Every kid now in college was born in a world with internet. The internet is relevant to just about everything and everyone these days.

Come on. Watch CNN for an hour, and you'll likely hear the term. It is totally mainstream. That doesn't mean EVERYONE uses it or knows it, but it is common enough that we are well past the point of it just being trendy or whatever, and if it raises an eyebrow that should be the end of it. It isn't like it a confusing term -- people who are not familiar with it will be able to figure out the meaning instantly from the context in most cases...

I never said that Internet words are fake words. As a matter of fact, I defended monetize's existence in an earlier post.

BTW, here's how "monetize" is used on CNN.com. As you can see, nearly all the uses are related to the Internet, particularly related to the financial performance of Internet companies. So like I said before, if you are in the business, it's a common term. But I don't think it is as common as you think.

I'm an Internet marketing consultant. I use the word regularly (and without irony) with my clients and business partners. I'm fully aware of the tech bubble that I exist in. But as a writer, I don't like the word. It's sterile, transactional, and with no personality. It's like "content", another useful word that I hate.

[sherrvonne]

It's not meaningless, but it is jargon. It makes people feel "with it" and smart. In other words, it smartifies them.

I will purposely use the word 'smartifie' or 'smartifies' in a sentence more than once today.

---------- Post added 06-19-15 at 01:07 PM ----------

I am fixing ta monetize my bio energy, aka: elbow grease into cash by cleaning a house. I will however not be videoing or posting the process on an Internet site. Lol

[vonBaloney]

I never said that Internet words are fake words.

Well you said "virtual" word, so what did you mean by that?

BTW, here's how "monetize" is used on CNN.com. As you can see, nearly all the uses are related to the Internet, particularly related to the financial performance of Internet companies. So like I said before, if you are in the business, it's a common term. But I don't think it is as common as you think.

It's mostly an internet-related word, and pretty much every business is connected to the internet these days. So the argument seems kind of circular -- it is used where is is appropriate to be used, which is in relation to making money and business since that's its definition. But it isn't a "weird" or specialized term (any more) any more than the internet itself is. Is "e-mail" jargon at this point? It is used anywhere where anything entrepreneurial is happening, and these days where everyone changes careers every few years, that applies to just about everybody because these days every individual is an entrepreneur selling their skills whether they like it or not.

But see some other interesting usages:

Delhi gang rape: Indian media's monetization of rape - CNN iReport

Labriola tries to monetize budget furor - Connecticut Post

Dwayne Johnson Has to Monetize Friendships in New 'Ballers' Trailer (Video)

https://www.quora.com/Small-Businesses/How-can-I-monetize-my-cooking-skills-...act-on-society

I'm an Internet marketing consultant. I use the word regularly (and without irony) with my clients and business partners. I'm fully aware of the tech bubble that I exist in. But as a writer, I don't like the word. It's sterile, transactional, and with no personality. It's like "content", another useful word that I hate.

Everything business-related is de-personalized these days, including the words. You haven't been allowed to act like a human being in a corporate setting for decades now, pre-dating the internet. That's another topic. "Content" (in the sense you mean) is much more narrowly internet focused than "monetize" is at this point...

[johnmflores]

Well you said "virtual" word, so what did you mean by that?

It's mostly an internet-related word, and pretty much every business is connected to the internet these days. So the argument seems kind of circular -- it is used where is is appropriate to be used, which is in relation to making money and business since that's its definition. But it isn't a "weird" or specialized term (any more) any more than the internet itself is. Is "e-mail" jargon at this point? It is used anywhere where anything entrepreneurial is happening, and these days where everyone changes careers every few years, that applies to just about everybody because these days every individual is an entrepreneur selling their skills whether they like it or not.

But see some other interesting usages:

Delhi gang rape: Indian media's monetization of rape - CNN iReport

Labriola tries to monetize budget furor - Connecticut Post

Dwayne Johnson Has to Monetize Friendships in New 'Ballers' Trailer (Video)

https://www.quora.com/Small-Businesses/How-can-I-monetize-my-cooking-skills-...act-on-society

Everything business-related is de-personalized these days, including the words. You haven't been allowed to act like a human being in a corporate setting for decades now, pre-dating the internet. That's another topic. "Content" (in the sense you mean) is much more narrowly internet focused than "monetize" is at this point...

(apologies for the threadjack folks. this will be my last post on the matter)

Let's play a game. I'll name five professions and you tell me how a purveyor of that profession might use the word monetize in the course of their professional day:

1. Teacher
2. Policeman/Fireman
3. Skilled tradesman (plumber, electrician, machinist, etc...)
4. Physician
5. Research Scientist

That's all folks.

[vonBaloney]

(apologies for the threadjack folks. this will be my last post on the matter)

Let's play a game. I'll name five professions and you tell me how a purveyor of that profession might use the word monetize in the course of their professional day:

1. Teacher
2. Policeman/Fireman
3. Skilled tradesman (plumber, electrician, machinist, etc...)
4. Physician
5. Research Scientist

That's all folks.

You're focusing on who's using the word rather than who is receiving it. The fact that some of my examples (and the one that started this discussion) are not directed to business professionals but just a general audience and the speaker/writer expects them to know what they are talking about proves my point. So I doubt a policeman would need to use the word in a professional capacity, but he probably knows what it means when he reads it. (like if he is reading about the new TV show with The Rock as linked above)...

[sherrvonne]

(apologies for the threadjack folks. this will be my last post on the matter)

Let's play a game. I'll name five professions and you tell me how a purveyor of that profession might use the word monetize in the course of their professional day:

1. Teacher
2. Policeman/Fireman
3. Skilled tradesman (plumber, electrician, machinist, etc...)
4. Physician
5. Research Scientist

That's all folks.

😃My sentence using the word monetize: Even as one of the formost machinists in this area my husband would have never used the word monetize and if he did it would be mispronounced and used in the wrong context.

[officiousbystander]

1. Teacher
2. Policeman/Fireman
3. Skilled tradesman (plumber, electrician, machinist, etc...)
4. Physician
5. Research Scientist


From the contexts used above monetize appears to mean to create monetary value in an activity which doesn't readily or obviously lend itself to income. Each of the occupations listed has a standard income stream in either wages or fees for service. There's no need to monetize anything they do. However if the teacher wanted to leave the profession but wanted to rely on the inherent skills developed in teaching in a different context then you could refer to monetizing these skills. For photo hobbyist who wants to earn some sort of income based on their enjoyment of their hobby (rather than as a professional) then it makes sense to use the term monetize. The whole notion would seem irrelevant to professional photographers who already have an established business. But it doesn't mean the word has no meaning. The insidious aspect of the term is it is reflects an aspect of economic rationalism which seeks to ascribe a monetary value to every element of existence.