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You’re just trying to shift the narrative to using a less impactful term.

omoikane 2y ago
Regardless of whether the word is vulgar, I often see it thrown around as a meme that has became overused. Even if the original phrase used different words, they will become less and less meaningful once they start appearing in every other comment thread.
- CooCooCaCha 2y ago
  Is it overused or does it apply to many things?
krapp 2y ago
You're overstating the impact of the term. No one is going to change the world or overturn the status quo or shift the dominant paradigm by using slightly vulgar language. The only value it has is in the catharsis it provides by comparing something to shit. It isn't a technical term (even though it used to masquerade as one.), it's evocative, so let's be honest. People just like saying things they don't like are shit. It's snark. It's weirdly the only kind of snark that gets past HN's filter. And since "enshittification" is applied to everything now, and no longer refers to the specific context for which it was coined, we can say we're witnessing the enshittification of enshittification itself.
- CooCooCaCha 2y ago
  You’re underestimating how much this stuff matters. There’s an old George Carlin bit about “soft language” that is very relevant here: “Americans have trouble facing the truth, so they invent a kind of a soft language to protect themselves from it.” There’s a reason why clickbait is a thing, it’s because if you don’t find a way to punctuate the noise then people don’t pay attention, and people’s brains are affected by the things that grab their attention.
  - krapp 2y ago
    Except that isn't what's happening here. No one is protecting themselves from uncomfortable truths by choosing not to use the word "shit" to describe anything and everything they don't like. People use vulgar language all the time, especially online. "Enshittification" doesn't move the needle either way, but it comes off as trying too hard to be edgy and it's well overdone at this point. I mean, you accuse people of trying to "shift the narrative" if they don't like it. As if not using it is wrongthink to you. You frame "enshittification" in terms of class warfare and self-deception, and almost imply that using it is a revolutionary act. And that's weird. That's far too much emotional and political investment in what amounts to a poop joke. It's done, please find another meme. I know you won't, but I wish you would.

Regardless of whether the word is vulgar, I often see it thrown around as a meme that has became overused. Even if the original phrase used different words, they will become less and less meaningful once they start appearing in every other comment thread.

CooCooCaCha 2y ago
Is it overused or does it apply to many things?

krapp 2y ago

You're overstating the impact of the term. No one is going to change the world or overturn the status quo or shift the dominant paradigm by using slightly vulgar language. The only value it has is in the catharsis it provides by comparing something to shit. It isn't a technical term (even though it used to masquerade as one.), it's evocative, so let's be honest. People just like saying things they don't like are shit. It's snark. It's weirdly the only kind of snark that gets past HN's filter. And since "enshittification" is applied to everything now, and no longer refers to the specific context for which it was coined, we can say we're witnessing the enshittification of enshittification itself.

CooCooCaCha 2y ago
You’re underestimating how much this stuff matters. There’s an old George Carlin bit about “soft language” that is very relevant here: “Americans have trouble facing the truth, so they invent a kind of a soft language to protect themselves from it.” There’s a reason why clickbait is a thing, it’s because if you don’t find a way to punctuate the noise then people don’t pay attention, and people’s brains are affected by the things that grab their attention.
- krapp 2y ago
  Except that isn't what's happening here. No one is protecting themselves from uncomfortable truths by choosing not to use the word "shit" to describe anything and everything they don't like. People use vulgar language all the time, especially online. "Enshittification" doesn't move the needle either way, but it comes off as trying too hard to be edgy and it's well overdone at this point. I mean, you accuse people of trying to "shift the narrative" if they don't like it. As if not using it is wrongthink to you. You frame "enshittification" in terms of class warfare and self-deception, and almost imply that using it is a revolutionary act. And that's weird. That's far too much emotional and political investment in what amounts to a poop joke. It's done, please find another meme. I know you won't, but I wish you would.