Here's another acceptance thing. People love recognition, and certain con artists are willing to play off that to get themselves promoted for free.
There are awards that mean something out there. An Olympic medal, for instance, or a Nobel Prize, means a lot. Even on the Web, being listed in GNN Select or Best of the Web is a pretty big deal. But other awards are shams, just like the "You may have already won!" contests that are just ads for magazines.
I would put Point's "Top 5% of web sites" in that category. There's what, ten million web pages or something? They could have a staff of a hundred people handing out awards all day long, and never reach 5% of that amount. The award is near meaningless. What criteria are used? What does it take to get the award? Awards mean something only if they signify real achievement. I can give you an award if you just want a warm fuzzy. (Hey, that sounds like a good idea, the Warm Fuzzy Award.)
Why these various organizations hand out awards like counterfeit money, is that everytime that award is displayed they get more name recognition and more exposure. It's purely a self-promotion thing.
But what the hell, I feel like the Grinch or some Randian fanatic. Go ahead, get your warm fuzzy.
Page by Ken.