rdearman wrote:My problem is with bloggers who are regurgitating the same old crap, and who don't even know another language. They just list 10 self improvement ideas for example and languages is always in there. Or 10 things to learn, or 10 things to make you sexier, etc. (They never seem to be able to count higher than 10)
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Yet you never see a blogger say stuff like: self improvement, easy just get a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering. Just download this app !
I share the same annoyance as you. I'm always on the hunt for new resources, especially for languages that don't have many. Some of these blogs pop up when I'm trying to find said resources, and there's a momentary bit of excitement where I feel as though I might actually get somewhere, but also a certain degree of doubt. A 50/50 mix. The bloggers have my faith. And they consistently break it by not doing enough research. They solely recommend Duolingo, and if even if you're searching for a specific language, Duolingo's probably at the top of the list.
Even though Duolingo's some sort of pseudo non-profit, it has acquired its own brand name and all the trappings that come with it. People have trust in brand names, and right they should, but there are other, smaller brands that can just as easily do the job if its particular methodology gels with the user. For example, you could swap out DL for DuChinese and get a suite of Chinese learning apps with more complete grammar instruction, or just opt for a college-level course, for instance. I find that most people aren't willing to weigh pros and cons when they choose a product. In the case of language learning, they just want something fast and
now to quell that learning urge. I define it as such, because a lot of people seem to be uncomfortable with having the desire to learn a language of all things. Why not something more common, like crocheting, crafting, or fixing cars?
DL is perfect for that, because you can start right away. No fees, and no commitment. It's somewhat of a way for people to brag a bit to their friends that they actually did something with their time when they met that 5-minute promise, because at least they did
something. They were accountable to
someone. But long-lasting interest is hard to come by. Luckily, DL doesn't specialize in that type. It seems they like to rack up users without caring about how long the users stay.
That said: back to bloggers. DL's model is easy to recommend by these lifestyle bloggers because playing the in-app games is something that virtually anyone can do, and just like reading the lifestyle blog, it's a quick serotonin rush. The first step to change is acknowledging you have a problem, after all. And after you've read that blog, signed up for DL in 2 minutes (or less), and starting playing, your stress that your life isn't going quite as it should goes away because you're distracted--not because you're actually enjoying what you're doing. From this point, there are two learners. Which one are you?
- The one that finds language learning to be a tedium and quits the app pretty much for good, maybe coming back to it 4 years later and quitting not long after again
- The easily addicted who spends massive amounts of time earning XP and maintaining streaks (but never actually caring much about the language itself), getting ever more tempted to buy that premium membership
These blogs get clicks by regurgitating the same thing over and over, but SEO is constantly updated as the years go by, and changing the list the bloggers curate ever so slightly along with the wording below each stock photo garners more readers because they think they're finding something unique. As more people learn how to navigate the Internet, for whatever reason not having access before, a lot of these things may not have occurred to them as things that they could participate in. So, these blogs are in a sense presenting things that are new and novel.
But for the more seasoned among us, we know there's a bigger world out they with more implications, time sinks, complexities, set-backs... and more fun if we truly seek it.
Do note I don't hate DL and I actually think their mission is great. It could use some better execution, but on the whole in this post I was critiquing its users, since an app is nothing without its base.