The Power of Response Pieces - Original Blog Post 2

Every morning when I wake up and scroll through my Facebook feed, I'm reminded that everyone is a critic nowadays. I can't read a single article -- whether it's from Buzzfeed or the New York Times -- without becoming entrenched in a sea of thoughts (and arguments) in the comments section.


Did I make this pie chart with no empirical data? Yes.
Is it still accurate? Also yes.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that virtually everyone has a voice online nowadays. True, everyone's had the opportunity be creators and online publishers for decades -- but how much easier is it to speak up now that virtually everything comes with a nifty comments section or "share" button?

The comments section is now your go-to place for heated debate and some very strong voices.

A satirical article from Babe.net, playing off the fact that their articles are on the receiving end of many, many comments.

But, if you're feeling like vocalizing your opinion in more than 140 characters, you can always write a response article. A response article is a new-age blend between your traditional content (print or digital piece) and the comments section of original media itself. In my honest opinion, we're living in the age of response pieces. I will often find out about controversial articles, Tweets, photos and events after the fact, through someone else's response article.


One such article, published in December 2017 on MassLive.com, is all about the "power players" of Worcester. In it, the author (Alban Murtishi) pens a definitive list of who's behind the "renaissance" of Worcester. He lists a total of twelve people, all of whom have either purchased buildings in the city, flipped them, invested in them or all the above. Murtishi credits all this crowd with the "flurry of new construction...bringing new hotels, market rate apartments and the transformation of the city's downtown".

There's one thing, however: the twelve individuals Murtishi talks about are older, white men. Predominantly white-collar men, judging by the photos he features. Admittedly, to me, Muritshi's "power players" look more likely to be found in the high-end restaurants along Shrewsbury Street than truly venturing into the city. This didn't sit too well with some loyal MassLive readers in the comments section, but others liked the article:

See what I mean, about getting caught up in the comments? Guilty as charged.

Less than two month's after Murtishi's album made its debut online, another one was published in response to it. It's titled "Worcester's Power Players, a more definitive list", written by a community development specialist and longtime Worcester local, Joyce Mandell. Without bashing Murtishi's article or wishing him ill, Mandell delivers a counter-argument. She cites her own list of movers and shakers who are working hard day in and out to strengthen the Worcester community.

Mandell's power players starkly contrast Murtishi's. They're all women, for starters. And instead of buying new buildings and tearing down old ones, their day jobs consist of bringing the community together through art-based events, saving historic structures and supporting local businesses.

From the tone of her article, you can tell that Mandell clearly felt that Murtishi's article focused too heavily on the "for-profit" power-players, the ones who weren't representative of the city itself. So she took a step up from the comments section, did her due diligence and penned her own piece. One that instead centered around the women who are working around the clock with communities to bolster local economies and give local families opportunities to enjoy all the city has to offer.
What's interesting about Mandell's counter-piece is that it got attention. So much so, that the original article has now banned comments ENTIRELY.

This happens every day. Content is posted online, and the groundswell reacts. It doesn't even have to be controversial; all it takes is for one reader to react to a piece. Gone are the days where we're forced to watch ads, read articles or listen to talk shows in silence. Responding to something online is only a few clicks and keystrokes away. The groundswell has found its voice.
Have you ever found out about a controversial photo, event or article SOLELY because of a response piece?

Do you enjoy response pieces overall? Or do you tend to find them petty, and argumentative?