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This is the funniest possible take about a platform that sells itself on being a space safe from the 'hallway monitors' of mainstream (and now conventional soci
by undoware 6y ago
This is the funniest possible take about a platform that sells itself on being a space safe from the 'hallway monitors' of mainstream (and now conventional social) media.
If you weren't already exhausted by this genre from the podcast-wastelands, from the sub-sub-subreddit, and 2^n-chan, and Fox News, now is your chance to get an even more mega megadose of opines and chambered echoes.
Rhymes with "Parler shows us that we can all get along online."
At some point we're going to have to deal emotionally with the fact that we are polarising, not because of 'freedom of speech' (or putative threats to it,) but because of freedom of association --- a freedom that the Internet makes it far easier to indulge.
We are more different from one another now precisely because of Substack and its friends.
That might not even be a bad thing, in the long run, but on the other hand, there is not a-priori reason it would be a good thing, either.
All I can say with certainty is that recent events make me believe that there are diminishing returns and increasing risks associated with this tendency.
And I say this as a (relatively new, but nevertheless excited) substack writer. It's a great product, and it will help me grow my community. It will also help grow many others, including QAnon.
- BoiledCabbage 6y agoIncredibly true. One of the most prophetic Ted talks I've ever watched. From 2011. [1] I just rewatched it now. It's incredible the difference in my response. At the time I watched it, it seemed so distant in the future, a possible impact but still theoretical. Now watching it seems quaint. "Only 57 signals?" I thought. It's incredible how much our view of normal has shifted in a decade. The path we are on could become dire. We as an industry were naieve. https://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles/up-next?language=en https://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_b...
- bad_username 6y ago> we are polarising, not because of 'freedom of speech' (or putative threats to it,) but because of freedom of association Polarisation is being fueled by social network algorithms and media programming, that optimize for ideological bubbles and outrage content, because that maximizes "engagement". [1] Extreme political polarization is a relatively new phenomenon that really took off in the 90s. [2] ______________ [1] https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/03/11/1020600/facebook-responsible-ai-misinformation/ https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/03/11/1020600/facebook... [2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/04/23/a-stunning-visualization-of-our-divided-congress/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/04/23/a-stu...