3 ms·

Every now and then I rise above the temporal miasma of popular web culture and think: why is this surprising? BBS, AOL, Netscape, MySpace, Tumblr, FB, Insta, S

by r3vrse 8y ago

Every now and then I rise above the temporal miasma of popular web culture and think: why is this surprising? BBS, AOL, Netscape, MySpace, Tumblr, FB, Insta, Snap... Why are we surprised by this progression? All "good" things go bad. The same lessons, rinsed and repeated. Power, money corrupts. We burn effigies and mark their passing. We move on. Tempted to say a little more history and psychology instead of fiscal fixation would make a difference. Tempted, but no. It's not how humans work.

pbhjpbhj 8y ago
>Tempted to say a little more history and psychology instead of fiscal fixation would make a difference. Tempted, but no. It's not how humans work. // I don't think profit motive is innate, we're not Ferengi! However, things can't go on growing forever, and the rich need growth to get richer, and need churn to maintain fashion as the societal norm that feeds growth, and feeds purchases of stuff in order to fit in ... Things that work well enough and stably and are liked are prime for exploitation for [more] profit. It's really only very few people driving that exploitation -- though perhaps many more would if given the chance.
- pas 8y ago
  not profit, but simple rational local optimization. if you were not selfish enough, you would be dead. (or your ancestors would have died before proceating.) http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/ http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/
WhompingWindows 8y ago
Do they "go" bad or are they surpassed/replaced by better things? I'd argue Tumblr is inherently a better product than AOL or BBS. With FB, while it certainly slid over time, it also acquired the next/better platforms to protect itself against their disruption, and so it may actually be somewhat protected or given longer shelf life.

3 ms·

Every now and then I rise above the temporal miasma of popular web culture and think: why is this surprising? BBS, AOL, Netscape, MySpace, Tumblr, FB, Insta, S

by r3vrse 8y ago

pbhjpbhj 8y ago
>Tempted to say a little more history and psychology instead of fiscal fixation would make a difference. Tempted, but no. It's not how humans work. // I don't think profit motive is innate, we're not Ferengi! However, things can't go on growing forever, and the rich need growth to get richer, and need churn to maintain fashion as the societal norm that feeds growth, and feeds purchases of stuff in order to fit in ... Things that work well enough and stably and are liked are prime for exploitation for [more] profit. It's really only very few people driving that exploitation -- though perhaps many more would if given the chance.
- pas 8y ago
  not profit, but simple rational local optimization. if you were not selfish enough, you would be dead. (or your ancestors would have died before proceating.) http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/ http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/
WhompingWindows 8y ago
Do they "go" bad or are they surpassed/replaced by better things? I'd argue Tumblr is inherently a better product than AOL or BBS. With FB, while it certainly slid over time, it also acquired the next/better platforms to protect itself against their disruption, and so it may actually be somewhat protected or given longer shelf life.