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I see it as a consensus problem, like boycotts or voting. If enough people join you, it's a win. If not, you've wasted your effort / money / vote / time. So
by CoastalCoder 3y ago
I see it as a consensus problem, like boycotts or voting.
If enough people join you, it's a win. If not, you've wasted your effort / money / vote / time.
Sometimes it's hard to discern if that critical mass exists.
- strogonoff 3y agoI don’t see it as just yes-or-no consensus. How did it start? Some people adopted it, then their friends adopted it, etc. How does it stop? The same way! If people are made aware and meet resistance (e.g., a person they really want to keep in touch with who doesn’t use that app), things change. A boycott that does not drive the company out of business is not automatically unsuccessful: more people learn about the issue, some stores might start stocking competitor’s goods, etc. In a functioning system, if a bunch of people voted for the loser the winner would feel the pressure to adjust policies (vs. if no one did and the winner feels righteous enacting the extreme version of the policies you disagree with), and if not well next time more people may support the losing party.
- imchillyb 3y agoThis is a disingenuous argument. Chat programs are not stores in any typical sense of the word. Chat programs are effectively clubhouses. Convincing a person that they’ve joined the wrong club, invested time and effort in the wrong club, and should make better and more informed choices in clubs… Lol. Have you MET a human before? Good luck and don’t hold your breath.
- strogonoff 3y agoChat programs are not stores. That part was responding to the analogy of boycotts and elections. Chat programs are also not clubs. There is no associated identity. No hardcore WhatsAppers it Telegrammers. In fact, if you regularly meet actual humans, you might find out that most of them simply don’t care. You dislike WhatsApp? Give them something equally convenient but that cares about privacy and they will just use it. Refuse to add them on WhatsApp and if you are an interesting person they will install whatever you use, even Signal, to stay in touch.
- CoastalCoder 3y ago> This is a disingenuous argument. Please keep it polite. I don't see how you can know that commentator's intent.
- CoastalCoder 3y agoExcellent point! I agree - viewing it as a simply binary issue ignores the role of forces that can get the ball rolling.