Seriously People, Don't Believe Everything You Read on the Internet
by Itzall B. Esse
The Internet has become the leading source for all manner of information and the first place people head for to discover whatever it is they seek, surpassing Libraries, Encyclopedias and no doubt any of the remaining oracles and false prophets.
It is where the public and private factors search for everything from knowledge to nonsense. It has even replaced your mother as the "go to source" for everything you would like to know, right now. Best of all, it is the place to go to settle a bet, verify a non-essential bit of information and to show the rest of the un-googled world just how smart you are.
It makes smart guys out of dolts and dolts look like dolts who have figured out the mysteries of the Internet. But take the advice of a long time Internet information provider, because you find answers on Google. does not necessarily mean they are the right ones. They may have been concocted by me,sometimes under my pen name Itzall B. Esse, a professional ghost writer and b-esser
Led by Google and other search engines, people now rush online to confirm or deny virtually any subject that comes into question. It’s where the masses go for the truth. I find it absolutely amazing that vast numbers of the populace believe that if you see something on the web, it must be true. The problem of that assumption is that I, or obe of the thousands o9f freelance writers might have written it. Some of us are reliable and trustworthy; others are not.
Who do you trust?
At one time, before I began my career freelancing for a vast number of clients, I did have some faith in what I discovered and wrote about on web. I assumed that all the information I ran across in the postings were based on hard facts and were 100% true. While some companies and individuals go out of their way to be honest about their products, information and services, there are plenty of folks out there who are simply out to make a buck at the expense of truth. They will offer a sliver of truth then garnish it with a pile of good old fashioned horseor bull poop.
I am paid to be an expert. It matters not if I really am. Over the past several years, I found myself thrust into that role about subjects and products I knew nothing about. The secret is knowing "how to know" and where to look. Pretty simple actually.
Examples: I became the expert and the source of information for a variety of topics from plumbing repairs and services to legal matters, boat propellers, women's fashion, annuities, automobile reviews, medical conditions, drugs, hearing aids, locksmiths, New York City apartment rentals, as well as steroids and dozens of other topics for which I must admit, before I began the article, my knowledge ranged from non existent to limited at best.
Medical procedures, electronic devices and my favorite, waste-water treatment plants were other topics I wrote about posing as an accomplished go-to person for each of those subjects. I actually did do some research so there was often some some truth to what I wrote.
You name it and chances are I have written about it - no matter how complex the subject matter. I have become an advanced know it all with a degree in BS and a legend in my own mind. As far as my records show, I wrote somewhere near 4,000 of these articles. If you happened to have read one of my plumbing articles on how to fix a leak in your water line, I apologize for the water damage you suffered when the fix went awry. Actually I am being a bit harsh on myself. Most of my advice actually works out, quite well actually and a lot of my readers thanked me, or the author I represented.
FYI - Numerous blogs and informative articles that carry the bylines of so called experts, company founders, officers and technicians are in fact authored by yours truly and other freelancers like myself. It got so bad that I actually began believing much of what I wrote. At one point I authored a series of articles about scientology and did a series for … uh, never mind, I don’t want to go there.
I have been asked to write favorable positive reviews for products I have never used, let alone heard of. And, I have followed through on company requests to provide as many as ten positive reviews under ten fictitious names from ten unique locations for new products by a renowned national company.
A well known animal supply chain hired me to write a series of articles on training a dog. I took the assignment then began to write as I sat helplessly observing my untrained dog go through her medley of bad things I supposedly knew how to fix. The articles turned out well and I actually learned how to teach my dog the command: "come". she often disregards my command.
Eventually my conscience got the best of me. I stopped accepting many of assignments early on in my career after my nose began taking on a Pinocchio-like proportions.
Now, I sit before you after baring my soul hoping that my transgressions may some day be forgiven and I can once again become an upstanding, scrupulous model citizen and writer.
Keep tuned to my blog and tell me how I'm doing.
It’s amazing what a guy will do for a measly nickel a word, and incidentally, I am still available for hire … truthfully.
Regards, Itzall B. Esse ( not really - trust me.
