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More like sit and scroll on your phone... :D I love the idea of what cafes were supposed to be a century ago. But nowadays HN or some subreddits plays the same

by mantas 4y ago

More like sit and scroll on your phone... :D I love the idea of what cafes were supposed to be a century ago. But nowadays HN or some subreddits plays the same role. Now I can live in bum-fuck-nowhere and interact with other people from wherever. While saving on exorbitant rent just to be close to meeting points. On other other hand, this kills the romanticised idea of the cities. But are we after „city life“ as a cargo cult? Or exchange of ideas? Internet enables later from even most remote points of the world. While former feels more like roleplaying nowadays. Community building is slightly different from cafe culture though. Cafes culture is similar to social media bubbles. Community that connects people physically living in the same people allowing to solve practical problems of the day is needed one way or another.

nicbou 4y ago
If you think that meeting someone over drinks is equivalent to exchanging a few comments asynchronously, one of us is blissfully unware that they're missing out. Café culture simply means that you have a convenient place to meet with other people with some regularity. You really don't need to be judgemental and dismissive about it.
- mantas 4y ago
  I see two faces of it. One is meeting local people as in building local community and fulfilling socialising bar for yourself. Another is collaborating on ideas long-term. Those are very different. For me the most valuable part is the later. And interwebs do wonders in this space. Same conversions IRL may have been nicer, but there's no way I could have been part of them (or at least so many of them) otherwise. And if you're in a crowded cafe watching a famous person... It's not 1-on-1 conversation either, much closer to Reddit's AmA thread... As for building local community... IMO Cafes are too restrictive. A decent community space wins all day any day.
  - nicbou 4y ago
    I'm saying that most of Europe has access to such spaces, and that they serve an important purpose. It's a good place for loosely planned social encounters. Whether or not you personally like them is irrelevant. > And if you're in a crowded cafe watching a famous person You can go to another café
    - mantas 4y ago
      Born, raised and living in Europe, it seems to me to be a myth of days long gone. I love the idea in theory. But I just don’t see it playing out in real life. They do play a role. But I do see similar, if not better, scenarios happening in different settings. Another cafe wouldn’t have that famous person though. Which is fine. Just saying that many real life interactions ain’t deep 1-on-1 conversations.

by mantas 4y ago

nicbou 4y ago

If you think that meeting someone over drinks is equivalent to exchanging a few comments asynchronously, one of us is blissfully unware that they're missing out. Café culture simply means that you have a convenient place to meet with other people with some regularity. You really don't need to be judgemental and dismissive about it.

mantas 4y ago
I see two faces of it. One is meeting local people as in building local community and fulfilling socialising bar for yourself. Another is collaborating on ideas long-term. Those are very different. For me the most valuable part is the later. And interwebs do wonders in this space. Same conversions IRL may have been nicer, but there's no way I could have been part of them (or at least so many of them) otherwise. And if you're in a crowded cafe watching a famous person... It's not 1-on-1 conversation either, much closer to Reddit's AmA thread... As for building local community... IMO Cafes are too restrictive. A decent community space wins all day any day.
- nicbou 4y ago
  I'm saying that most of Europe has access to such spaces, and that they serve an important purpose. It's a good place for loosely planned social encounters. Whether or not you personally like them is irrelevant. > And if you're in a crowded cafe watching a famous person You can go to another café
  - mantas 4y ago
    Born, raised and living in Europe, it seems to me to be a myth of days long gone. I love the idea in theory. But I just don’t see it playing out in real life. They do play a role. But I do see similar, if not better, scenarios happening in different settings. Another cafe wouldn’t have that famous person though. Which is fine. Just saying that many real life interactions ain’t deep 1-on-1 conversations.