What is Authority?

Another good read here. The article discusses the latest idea by Technorati to list blogs by "authority," measured by the number of incoming links to a blog.

"So, I am going to argue that links - be they Google or Technorati - have turned the entire concept of authority into something rather trivial - popularity. Does this mean Britney Spears is an authority too just because she's popular?"

Rather unfortunately in the modern world, yes it does.

Britney isn't a great example anymore now she's faded somewhat from the limelight, but there are lots of other celebrities who are given a platform to speak based on no real reason apart from the fact that they are popular. If Tom Cruise weren't a famous actor, do people really think he'd be given an opportunity to harp on about scientology for all these years?