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The Grand Illusion: The Real Tim Ferriss Speaks

fourhourworkweek.com — For the last year Tim's blog has been living proof of what he preaches - the content has been virtually outsourced to a pair of writers found via elance.com

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  • withersdavis, on 03/31/2008, -8/+2Great work. I am constantly amazed.
    • Frost9999, on 03/31/2008, -2/+5April fool! Not a bad one at that.
    • Matt2k, on 03/31/2008, -1/+1You have an illustrious commenting history here on Digg, and I will now buy Tim Ferris's book based on your ringing praise.
  • darkism, on 03/31/2008, -7/+1Absolutely awesome. Those who doubted the feasability of 4HWW's principles are going to have to reconsider it.
    I wonder how much income his business brought in over the last year while he was not spending time on his blog?
    • darkism, on 03/31/2008, -2/+4haha, i got owned.
      still this is a perfect prank because it's exactly the kind of thing he *could* pull off if he wanted to.
      • itsontheway, on 03/31/2008, -0/+2Yeah, that certainly is true. He´s got all those followers of his following his half-baked book to the tee.
  • adryenn, on 03/31/2008, -10/+0As always, Tim Ferriss not only tells you how to offload your work, he proves it can be done! :) Now, if only I can hire his blog team...
  • snoonan77, on 03/31/2008, -5/+18Wow.. he's been doing this for exactly ONE year. When he started this last APRIL, it definitely FOOLED me! I guess spending so much time on the other side of the INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE has really freed up his mind to THINK DIFFERENTLY.
    • MindStalker, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1Anyone else noticed the "how did I work four hours a week" Snicker.
      Thought it was a typo at first :)
    • itsontheway, on 03/31/2008, -2/+1Yeah, man, I can´t believe it either. I´ve been following Ferris for a while now. Over a year. Let me tell you, through his blog and book, Tim Ferris has really opened my eyes. I now have the ability to THINK DIFFERENT. I can´t even begin to describe how he´s changed my life!!!

      /sarcasm
  • weirdness67, on 03/31/2008, -1/+9Aprils Fools! Nice, but I think he should have stood fast and held out on telling anyone until tomorrow, would've made it better. Let people get all riled up about it, it's just a joke, it would've made it even better.
    • liamvictor, on 03/31/2008, -2/+1Unless the post claiming this to be a joke is the real April Fool?
  • Acronym, on 03/31/2008, -8/+2IM IN UR BLOGZ STEALIN' UR INTERNETZ
  • megaton, on 03/31/2008, -4/+13So what? I pay someone to make digg comments for me.
  • ryno35, on 03/31/2008, -10/+21Anyone else think Ferriss is a big douche?
    • GJBlizzard, on 03/31/2008, -2/+8Yes.
      • HouseofEl, on 03/31/2008, -2/+2Agreed. Just another self help guru cashing in on the lives of lazy people. I'm sure he believes what he says, but in the end it's still just the same old ***** repackaged for a new generation.
    • darkism, on 03/31/2008, -2/+7Just people who 10 times the hours that he does for 1/12th the pay.
      • HouseofEl, on 03/31/2008, -0/+2When he figures out how to speed up the process of working on computer and hand drawn animation, then come talk to me.
      • pcpimpster, on 03/31/2008, -1/+2Digga please... this guys a social engineer more then anything else and reality laughs as you hang on his c@ck.
    • Hiji, on 03/31/2008, -1/+6I paid some guy in India to call Tim Ferriss a douche bag.
  • jboettcher, on 03/31/2008, -7/+2Awesome prank. I read his book in the summer and quit my job a few months after. I've got a way to go to get to his level though!
    http://www.jonathanboettcher.com
  • GJBlizzard, on 03/31/2008, -5/+3This is an interview that Mahalo Daily just posted with Tim Ferriss:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW9R5qL7yhA
    • Hiji, on 03/31/2008, -0/+4***** Mahalo. Calacanis is the only web personality worse than Ferriss.
    • bshensky, on 03/31/2008, -0/+1It may have looked like him, but that's not Tim Ferriss that Veronica Belmont of Mahalo was interviewing. Tim contracted an Indonesian farm worker to put on makeup and take on Tim's accent. Not a bad fleece job for $4.50.

      Tim Ferriss is a new-age manifestation of a ***** Amway vertical marketer, one who creates a world where the only value ever added to a product comes from the proletariat. He deserves as much respect from me for his lifestyle as the sweat equity he's evading.
  • boxoman, on 03/31/2008, -8/+9Am I the only one who does not care?
  • Metasquares, on 03/31/2008, -2/+5I was fooled, but on the other hand, it is still March 31 here. Buried as inaccurate; I have no wish to extend April Fools Day beyond 1 day.
  • drkroman9, on 03/31/2008, -4/+4why is this on the front page?
  • zephc, on 03/31/2008, -3/+5Who?
  • JStraum, on 03/31/2008, -0/+4Timmi Fanilli
  • JointVenture, on 03/31/2008, -3/+2hes a Leech.
  • itsontheway, on 03/31/2008, -6/+5Ways to spot Tim Ferris hacks commenting on his behalf:

    Rule 1: Commenter appears amazed at how at him, in total awe.
    - also applies to Hillary Clinton trolls (Can you think of anybody else this would apply to).
    Rule 2: Commenter uses exclamation points very suspiciously.
    - example: Man, I was a fan before, but this is just incredible!
    SPECIAL NOTE: this rule is also applicable to Hillary Clinton Trolls
    Rule 3: they mention his book and how great it is
    Rule 4: Comments are suspicious because they are way too positive. True Digg´ers who actually take the time to comment on something are far more cynical and it shows in their comments. Be aware of too positive sounding of comments.

    Sorry, but Ferris has his army of followers go to every website and spam for him. Did anybody see the wired contest where Ferris had his army vote him up in the contest of greatest self-promoter?

    That said, anybody want to debate the pros and cons of his system? I think it is overrated.
    • Matt2k, on 03/31/2008, -1/+3His system involves hiring employees. This is nothing new, businessmen have known it for thousands of years. The only thing 'new' it brings to the table is hiring them when you might not otherwise have considered it. There. I just saved you $19.95
    • shauncorleone, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1Wait, so you're ripping the guy because his fans Digg up his articles? Yeah, what blasphemy! I guess Obama supporters can't allow there to be any other loyal followings on Digg. The reason some Digg users hate Ferriss is because he's successfully freed himself from 80 hours a week at a desk, and half of you people (yes "you people") would freak out without your computer security blanket. Go troll some Hillary articles, you sad & angry woman.
      The "System" as Matt200000000 so "eloquently" puts it isn't a system at all. The book isn't about how to make money and hire employees. If that's what you took it as, then you should take reading comprehension classes or stick to Linux fan sites.
      • Matt2k, on 04/02/2008, -0/+1I'm sorry. His book isn't about outsourcing your labor? Who needs reading comprehension again?

        Yeah, I left out the part where you should take mini-retirements and not check your email. And the obligatory feel-good motivational writing. I've done lots of consulting for coaches like him, and it's really nothing unique. I'm not saying I disagree with any of this in theory, in fact I enjoyed the book, but it is overrated.

        We're ripping on the guy because someone was blatantly gaming the system to get this on Digg. And doing a pretty ham fisted job at it too. Even hints toward that in the article.
  • pcpimpster, on 03/31/2008, -2/+5Douche Baggensworth.
  • dancenhance, on 03/31/2008, -2/+3Who is this guy and should I even care?
  • Chuckdee916, on 04/02/2008, -0/+0You went to buenos aires.. woo hoo... Get a real job.
  • td0306, on 04/03/2008, -0/+0Nice one Tim. I was a believer too which is rare for me.
  • buddyboy2006, on 04/03/2008, -0/+0It REALLY bothers me that you would do that Tim. I'm all about outsourcing and reducing workload but the person who knows about that is you, from the experience you have and your past experiments. Honestly, I think hiring someone else to speak for you like this is wrong. I could understand if this were a company and you had a company spokes person, but I and probably many other readers thought it was you we were personally speaking with... not some pair that you hired. If you put your personal name on something like this, it should've be you.
  • JosephRatliff, on 04/12/2008, -0/+1Great lesson Tim.
  •  

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