[magkelly]

The use of "monetize" as a word came about in the 19th century and it had nothing to do with the internet and everything to do with trade and the banking industry. It's not a new made up word or a particularly "smart" word it's just a general term long used to describe marketing and the making of money. You know I absolutely loathe it when people who are too lazy to use good English demand we all speak in "plain English" meaning dumbed down English. If there is one thing I am grateful to my Mom for it's that she never insisted I not use words she or my Dad might not know. The rule in our house was hear a word you don't know, look it up, learn something new. That's what dictionaries are for. There is nothing wrong with having an extensive vocabulary or using it. On the contrary learning should be a life long pursuit. Even now as an adult if I see a word I don't know I look it up. Learning, it keeps the brain young. :P

[Winder]

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.

There is nothing "insidious" about it. The people who run this forum try to monetize it. It wouldn't be worth their time to run the forum if there was not some revenue helping to cover the time and cost. Every action or inaction has a monetary value or cost. If you can take your hobby or passion and use it to make an income and support your family, then you have monetized your hobby or passion, and that is a good thing. There are thousands of people who want to monetize their photography or art to the point they can quit their day job and actually do something they enjoy for a living. There is nothing "insidious" about monetizing your work or efforts.

[vonBaloney]

There is nothing "insidious" about it. The people who run this forum try to monetize it. It wouldn't be worth their time to run the forum if there was not some revenue helping to cover the time and cost. Every action or inaction has a monetary value or cost. If you can take your hobby or passion and use it to make an income and support your family, then you have monetized your hobby or passion, and that is a good thing. There are thousands of people who want to monetize their photography or art to the point they can quit their day job and actually do something they enjoy for a living. There is nothing "insidious" about monetizing your work or efforts.

Yes, and that's one of the main ways it has come into common usage. Because of the economic crash and the actually insidious practices of various banks, businesses, and governments, common people have found they had better well find ways to monetize their talents just to survive and hopefully thrive...

[Winder]

common people have found they had better well find ways to monetize their talents just to survive and hopefully thrive...

This is a very good thing. People don't pay money for a good or service unless that good/service has more value to them than they money that they posses. A mutually beneficial exchange takes place. Your ability to monetize your talents is equal to your ability to provide value to society.

[ChristianRock]

My wife uses instagram for her blog and we both hate it.

It is true though, that social media is the place to advertise yourself - if self advertising is what you want. It is the number one time waster in America and probably most of the world, I'm sure the time people spend on it far exceeds the time an average person spends watching TV now. If TV is the idiot box, social media is what?

[sherrvonne]

My wife uses instagram for her blog and we both hate it.

It is true though, that social media is the place to advertise yourself - if self advertising is what you want. It is the number one time waster in America and probably most of the world, I'm sure the time people spend on it far exceeds the time an average person spends watching TV now. If TV is the idiot box, social media is what?

I used Instagram only momentarily. It would get blown up with photos of friends on their vacations etc...photos of here is a selfie in the water ..on a slide..on a slide with duck face... On a slide looking at camera... Look I have a a soda... A pic of the slide... My whole family dripping wet... Family dripping wet making faces.... Family throwing soda on another making faces dripping wet....more selfies... A water float.... A raft... Them on a raft.... Lol, too much.... It became the idiot-er er er er box

[Murfy]

I used Instagram only momentarily. It would get blown up with photos of friends on their vacations etc...photos of here is a selfie in the water ..on a slide..on a slide with duck face... On a slide looking at camera... Look I have a a soda... A pic of the slide... My whole family dripping wet... Family dripping wet making faces.... Family throwing soda on another making faces dripping wet....more selfies... A water float.... A raft... Them on a raft.... Lol, too much.... It became the idiot-er er er er box

You really choose who you want to see. I have it mainly to view other accounts, there are some amazing photography and art on there. The stuff doesn't show up in your feed unless you want it too. I also follow businesses, like state parks and local places that gives me ideas of where to take photos or events coming up. I have also had many images that I have taken 'regrammed' on the state tourism site. I have never seen a single 'seflie' on instragram because it doesn't show me pictures to look at that aren't similar to what I already follow. As long as you don't get caught up in liking or following everyone because you want more people to like your images or just to gain followers, it can be a great place for inspiration. As for getting followers that matter or making money from it, I don't have that figured out, even with the reposts on other accounts, but I post what I like and choose what I want to look at. There are many 'hubs' that highlight certain styles, macro, black and white, flowers, animals, etc.

Edited to add, there is some photos that I think, ugh why are these even popular, BUT I guess you have to sift through that like anything else.

[sherrvonne]

You really choose who you want to see. I have it mainly to view other accounts, there are some amazing photography and art on there. The stuff doesn't show up in your feed unless you want it too. I also follow businesses, like state parks and local places that gives me ideas of where to take photos or events coming up. I have also had many images that I have taken 'regrammed' on the state tourism site. I have never seen a single 'seflie' on instragram because it doesn't show me pictures to look at that aren't similar to what I already follow. As long as you don't get caught up in liking or following everyone because you want more people to like your images or just to gain followers, it can be a great place for inspiration. As for getting followers that matter or making money from it, I don't have that figured out, even with the reposts on other accounts, but I post what I like and choose what I want to look at. There are many 'hubs' that highlight certain styles, macro, black and white, flowers, animals, etc.

Edited to add, there is some photos that I think, ugh why are these even popular, BUT I guess you have to sift through that like anything else.

I really like the following state parks idea. I love going to the state parks. There is one near me that is getting curious as to what my photos look like, lol, and they always ask me "when are you bringing the spotted dog back?" It's hard to wrangle the dog, a camera, and the bag and tripod.

[Murfy]

state parks and tourism instagram accounts are really what I follow the most. our state will regram other instragrammers photos, a lot of them are places I never knew existed. You do have to sift through stuff, but I find it much easier than flickr. I had a flicker account for a while and I didn't like it, I felt like it was limited to other photographers. I know there are 'tricks' for instagram and I do know a few local store owners that says most of their sales come from what they post on instagram, but my profile is more a hodge podge of things I am learning so I probably don't look 'professional' enough to get a lot of followers or sales.