I just finished reviewing a book called Content is Cash and I actually feel tainted from reading it. That's a new low for a book. It is all about getting a Pakistani to write you content at $5 a pop, to keep regurgitating it with tiny changes so you can post it all over the web, and to focus the content on fear and greed to get readers. I feel tainted again just typing that.

How do people enthuse about doing this? Am I just missing something?

There are a whole lot of things people do that I simply do not get. People readily kill for power or money. I just don't walk to those beats and I don't understand the thinking of those who do.

Hi Lisa:

Don't feel bad about reading the book - please keep in mind that by reading it, it has given you some insight into how some folks conduct themselves in this lifetime.

It happens every day, even here in the USA. Has been going on for years - the famous "ghostwriters" as an example. Took me becoming an adult to figure out that a lot of my childhood books were not written by the person on the book, but by someone that was paid to do it. And yes, it took away some of the "respect" I did have for the author I thought was the author.

Thanks for cluing us in on this book

Jilly:

The killing for money is something I never got and I guess I try to pretend it does not exist. My boyfriend loves to watch war movies and other similar movies and it never fails, there is someone in some of the movies who is killing for money. Whether it is for personal gain or as a source of income. Sorry, the only time I would kill is if it was the only way I could survive being attacked or to protect a loved one.

A friend and I used to write content for websites at $25-$35 for a 500 word article and we thought that was low! My friend stayed in the freelance work and had to change her strategy after so many jobs went out of the country for $5 an article.

You don't get good content that way. I've gotten jobs rewriting what someone bought from foreign writers.

I apologize for not seeing these posts!

I agree that one gets what one pays for. If someone is only willing to pay a few dollars, then they'll get an end product that is only worth a few dollars.

My greater issue is the idea that posting content that is harmful to others is in any way a good idea. There is plenty of hurt in the world already. We should be supportive of each other and where we are on our path of life. There are enough negative voices out there. Adding to that chaos cannot be productive. It is the kind, supportive voices that are in woefully short supply.

Truly, a lot of content providers have been abused because of the SEO thing. Gone are the days when these people used to enjoy great pay out of their services. It is true that there are still those who pay people reasonably but they are numerable. It's hard to stop the trend unless clients and employers realize the "killing" they do to their fellows.