An Open Letter To the Skeptic Scotts of the World

Nathan Thompson
Unofficial Grooveshark Blogger

December 10, 2007

“In short, simply believing that the world should be different is not the same as changing it.”

The above quote was left on a forum discussing the Grooveshark business model. It was meant in such a way as to say the Grooveshark team is just a bunch of ignorant college kids with no understanding of what it takes to change an industry. I respect that. After all, we live in a world where being any thing less than hopeless, pessimistic and angry with the world makes you gullible and stupid.

But what really kills me is people who act like things are going to change by talking about how difficult and hopeless things are. These people are so quick to say what won’t work, but offer up no solutions in their place. If you don’t do something different or try to make a change, please tell me how the hell that’s going to help? I can’t stand reading comments left by people whose sole purpose in life is to tell others why their ideas won’t work. If you don’t have an answer, and you don’t have any constructive criticism to add, then don’t say anything.

I don’t really care if you think the Grooveshark model won’t work. I don’t need you to tell me you support what we stand for and you are rooting for us, and then try to dictate your hateful opinions on others as some sort of fact. We don’t need you to tell us the the music industry isn’t ready for us. How about you let the music industry speak for itself. In fact, that’s why we have lawyers–so we can speak to those who do know what the music industry wants.

I’m sick of all the negative comments and arguing on forums. You can argue forever on a forum and never be right or wrong. Don’t waste my time, as well as yours, asking questions that don’t have answers. Some things just have to be acted out to see the end result. You don’t know if Grooveshark will be successful or not. Nobody can know that. It has to be done first. That’s why we are doing it! We don’t live in a certain world where risk is some sort of luxury we can alleviate at will. Don’t tell me what will and won’t work. You have no idea, and if you think you do, then you obviously should be off arguing in a forum somewhere with all the other Skeptic Scotts of the world…

Life rewards those who take risks. It rewards those who act. It rewards those who ignore their detractors. In the end, the person who made that quote at the top of the page is right.

Simply believing that the world should be different is not the same as changing it. Learn to take your own advice…