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Glad to have diversity in the world - we don't have to get teenagers hooked on the same exact social network or the same app, regardless of where they are

by mtw 10y ago

golergka 10y ago
If they get hooked on one network, it's easier for them to connect, and easier for ideas and memes (in original sense of the word) to flow throughout the world. If you separate the medium where people communicate, it makes it easier to separate the people from one another and otherfy other groups. (You would say that language already serves that purpose, but anyone "educated" or "smart" knows or wants to learn English anyway, regardless of where he lives.)
- throwaway7312 10y ago
  By the same coin, think how unidirectional innovation would be if we were all hooked on the same network, thinking the same thoughts, signalling the same virtues. The sharing of information is vital for creativity. Yet, so too is diversity... And the more we share, the more alike, and the less diverse, we become.
- bilbo0s 10y ago
  To be fair... there is something to be said for diversity of THOUGHT. And many times, not always, but many times, social networks become more like echo chambers than idea exchange tools. When you have many social networks, well, at least you can visit different echo chambers from time to time. When you have only one, you really have to remind yourself continuously not to fall down the rabbit hole so to speak. I like looking at Weibo to see what's going on. I like looking at FB. If they were not 2 totally different populations, I think I would not be exposed to many of the things I'm exposed to every morning. This is no different than me checking Le Monde, the BBC, Al Jazeera and CNN. It's kind of the same idea. And having all of those different ideas around me is kind of enlightening in a way.
- thaumasiotes 10y ago
  > anyone "educated" or "smart" knows or wants to learn English anyway, regardless of where he lives Not even a little. Living in Shanghai as a foreigner, my social circle is heavily biased towards people who can speak to me in English. But it's still not enough to hide the fact that English ability among the most highly educated ranges from "fluent" (for those who went to specialized English schools) to "rudimentary" (it's true that at the top levels, everyone knows a bit), and desire to know English ranges from "intense personal interest" to "zero". Wanting to learn English gets a big boost lower down the ladder, where the economic benefits of a solid grasp of English are painfully apparent. Just being a service worker in a part of town that caters to tourists is a huge step up for a lot of Chinese.

Glad to have diversity in the world - we don't have to get teenagers hooked on the same exact social network or the same app, regardless of where they are

by mtw 10y ago

Glad to have diversity in the world - we don't have to get teenagers hooked on the same exact social network or the same app, regardless of where they are

golergka 10y ago

If they get hooked on one network, it's easier for them to connect, and easier for ideas and memes (in original sense of the word) to flow throughout the world. If you separate the medium where people communicate, it makes it easier to separate the people from one another and otherfy other groups. (You would say that language already serves that purpose, but anyone "educated" or "smart" knows or wants to learn English anyway, regardless of where he lives.)

throwaway7312 10y ago
By the same coin, think how unidirectional innovation would be if we were all hooked on the same network, thinking the same thoughts, signalling the same virtues. The sharing of information is vital for creativity. Yet, so too is diversity... And the more we share, the more alike, and the less diverse, we become.
bilbo0s 10y ago
To be fair... there is something to be said for diversity of THOUGHT. And many times, not always, but many times, social networks become more like echo chambers than idea exchange tools. When you have many social networks, well, at least you can visit different echo chambers from time to time. When you have only one, you really have to remind yourself continuously not to fall down the rabbit hole so to speak. I like looking at Weibo to see what's going on. I like looking at FB. If they were not 2 totally different populations, I think I would not be exposed to many of the things I'm exposed to every morning. This is no different than me checking Le Monde, the BBC, Al Jazeera and CNN. It's kind of the same idea. And having all of those different ideas around me is kind of enlightening in a way.
thaumasiotes 10y ago
> anyone "educated" or "smart" knows or wants to learn English anyway, regardless of where he lives Not even a little. Living in Shanghai as a foreigner, my social circle is heavily biased towards people who can speak to me in English. But it's still not enough to hide the fact that English ability among the most highly educated ranges from "fluent" (for those who went to specialized English schools) to "rudimentary" (it's true that at the top levels, everyone knows a bit), and desire to know English ranges from "intense personal interest" to "zero". Wanting to learn English gets a big boost lower down the ladder, where the economic benefits of a solid grasp of English are painfully apparent. Just being a service worker in a part of town that caters to tourists is a huge step up for a lot of Chinese.