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Here’s a moderately more “optimistic” take. Most users just don’t care, and power users will eventually learn to use better tools. It’s the exact same rationa

Here’s a moderately more “optimistic” take. Most users just don’t care, and power users will eventually learn to use better tools. It’s the exact same rational behind airlines charging the same, but offering ludicrously valuable loyalty programs. User behavior changes based off of these outcomes, and the short-term hyper focus on metrics to the detriment of the long term usability will eventually have detrimental effects, and behavior will change, and we’ll get better alternatives. Re: Netflix. Actually, most people just want to consume slop. The popularity of reality TV proves this. Now they can consume slop with their whole family for $16/mo instead of $80/mo with cable. This is an objectively better outcome, and does not preclude studios from putting out genuinely incredible works of art. I have seen some incredible movies. A24 keeps pumping out bangers, Perfect Days and Look Back were some of my other faves from this year. But I agree with the author that the state of things isn’t “ideal”. I’m just offering a perspective that the whole world doesn’t fucking suck completely and maybe you’re being melodramatic and overly pessimistic.

recursive 2y ago
I don't understand the economics of cable TV, but I wouldn't say it has less "slop" than Netflix. Despite everything, the average quality on Netflix is higher than cable, while still being a fraction of the cost. I say this as someone who recently canceled Netflix because of the cost increases.
- ToucanLoucan 2y ago
  I don't understand TV at all. There's like a handful of legitimately good, amazing stories, and the rest of it is just samey derivative nonsense. Just light and noise people apparently put on because the sounds of their lives when it's off are too depressing. I have never bought TV in my life and that decision is validated every time I turn it on in a hotel room, holy shit. I feel dumber immediately. This goes triple for the fact that Netflix now apparently designs their shows on purpose so you can follow along while looking at you're phone. Like holy fuck, just watching television is apparently too demanding an activity for some people now.
  - mingus88 2y ago
    Brace yourself for AI video
- api 2y ago
  Yeah TV has always been 80% shit. I’m an avid reader and it’s 80% shit there too. Nice thing about that is you can usually tell after chapters one or two and Kindle lets you have free samples before you buy. The main giveaway is poorly crafted prose or cliches. If I make it two or three chapters and the prose is not shit and the plot and/or characters are interesting it’s generally a decent book.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
tayo42 2y ago
> airlines charging the same, but offering ludicrously valuable loyalty programs. I fly like 3-5 times a year, am I missing out on something?
- amelius 2y ago
  Airline loyalty programs should be illegal in view of environmental concerns.
  - FractalHQ 2y ago
    Airlines should be a federal service like the post office, not for profit companies cramming the poor like sardines and scamming them over baggage space.
    - immibis 2y ago
      Maybe that's actually one of the things that should be as shitty as possible to discourage its use.
Hasu 2y ago
> It’s the exact same rational behind airlines charging the same, but offering ludicrously valuable loyalty programs. If we are moving towards a world where everything has the consumer experience of airline travel, then yes, we should burn it all the fuck down.
Aurornis 2y ago
> Re: Netflix. Actually, most people just want to consume slop. I think most popular services have reached an equilibrium where they’re providing more or less what their user base wants to consume. I’ve read a lot of elaborate theories about how companies are making big mistakes in their product offerings because they aren’t catering to exactly what the author thinks they want. However, most times the author just has different preferences than the average consumer. This story repeats across industries. I see complaints about shows on Netflix, content on YouTube, trending topics on TikTok, and even the food selection at McDonald’s. Most of the time the answer is simply that these companies know what customers want better than random bloggers and pundits.
- RajT88 2y ago
  I unfortunately agree with you. HBO has a habit of canceling my favorite shows, because my taste runs to challenging high budget shows which have trouble maintaining the viewership required to justify the cost. Examples: Carnivale and Raised by Wolves. They are companies; their business is making money, not art. The latter is the means to the end.
- ToucanLoucan 2y ago
  Here's an interesting thought experiment: if we removed the profit motive, would McDonald's exist? Because virtually everyone involved in a McDonald's doesn't particularly like it, in my experience. I've never once (well, past the age of 10 anyway) gone to a McDonald's excited to be there. We end up there when some combination of: 1) Bad life experiences 2) Other restaurants being busy 3) My wife and I are too mentally wrecked to cook food Has occurred. It's not a good thing. We're there because it's (relatively) cheap, it probably won't make us sick, and it's reasonably fast. It's also worth noting that a bunch of the above happens specifically because both ourselves and every other business we engage with, including our employers, is also subject to the profit motive, and that's probably contributing to our being in a McDonald's in the first place. Anyway... The McDonald's franchisee wants to own a business, for their own economic benefit. Would they have started a McDonald's if not for the profit motive? Or would they have started a different business, one they'd be more proud of or innately interested in? The McDonald's worker certainly doesn't want to be there. The pop culture version is this is a pimply kid wanting money for high school parties and the like, but they're also increasingly comprised of working low-income adults. They don't wanna be there, they have to be, or their landlord's profit motive will cost them their home. And they're certainly not happy to be doing what they're doing. I've never seen a McDonald's worker in my life who's proud of the product they serve. And they shouldn't be, it's minimum-viable-food. I say all of this to say: the person who owns the McDonald's isn't happy about it, apart from the money they make from it. If they do. The person making and selling McDonald's food isn't happy. The person buying McDonald's food isn't happy (unless they're a small kid). So like... what is this for? How many of these restaurants operate? A quick google says 41,800. 41,800 restaurants, owned by people who don't necessarily want to own a restaurant, staffed by people who don't want to staff one, selling food people don't like, to people who probably don't want it, apart from it being a good alternative to not eating. How much human effort goes into the concept of McDonald's on the daily? To do something nobody wants to do? To make and distribute food that nobody seems to actually like?

recursive 2y ago

I don't understand the economics of cable TV, but I wouldn't say it has less "slop" than Netflix. Despite everything, the average quality on Netflix is higher than cable, while still being a fraction of the cost. I say this as someone who recently canceled Netflix because of the cost increases.

ToucanLoucan 2y ago
I don't understand TV at all. There's like a handful of legitimately good, amazing stories, and the rest of it is just samey derivative nonsense. Just light and noise people apparently put on because the sounds of their lives when it's off are too depressing. I have never bought TV in my life and that decision is validated every time I turn it on in a hotel room, holy shit. I feel dumber immediately. This goes triple for the fact that Netflix now apparently designs their shows on purpose so you can follow along while looking at you're phone. Like holy fuck, just watching television is apparently too demanding an activity for some people now.
- mingus88 2y ago
  Brace yourself for AI video
api 2y ago
Yeah TV has always been 80% shit. I’m an avid reader and it’s 80% shit there too. Nice thing about that is you can usually tell after chapters one or two and Kindle lets you have free samples before you buy. The main giveaway is poorly crafted prose or cliches. If I make it two or three chapters and the prose is not shit and the plot and/or characters are interesting it’s generally a decent book.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

tayo42 2y ago

> airlines charging the same, but offering ludicrously valuable loyalty programs. I fly like 3-5 times a year, am I missing out on something?

amelius 2y ago
Airline loyalty programs should be illegal in view of environmental concerns.
- FractalHQ 2y ago
  Airlines should be a federal service like the post office, not for profit companies cramming the poor like sardines and scamming them over baggage space.
  - immibis 2y ago
    Maybe that's actually one of the things that should be as shitty as possible to discourage its use.

Hasu 2y ago

> It’s the exact same rational behind airlines charging the same, but offering ludicrously valuable loyalty programs. If we are moving towards a world where everything has the consumer experience of airline travel, then yes, we should burn it all the fuck down.

Aurornis 2y ago

> Re: Netflix. Actually, most people just want to consume slop. I think most popular services have reached an equilibrium where they’re providing more or less what their user base wants to consume. I’ve read a lot of elaborate theories about how companies are making big mistakes in their product offerings because they aren’t catering to exactly what the author thinks they want. However, most times the author just has different preferences than the average consumer. This story repeats across industries. I see complaints about shows on Netflix, content on YouTube, trending topics on TikTok, and even the food selection at McDonald’s. Most of the time the answer is simply that these companies know what customers want better than random bloggers and pundits.

RajT88 2y ago
I unfortunately agree with you. HBO has a habit of canceling my favorite shows, because my taste runs to challenging high budget shows which have trouble maintaining the viewership required to justify the cost. Examples: Carnivale and Raised by Wolves. They are companies; their business is making money, not art. The latter is the means to the end.
ToucanLoucan 2y ago
Here's an interesting thought experiment: if we removed the profit motive, would McDonald's exist? Because virtually everyone involved in a McDonald's doesn't particularly like it, in my experience. I've never once (well, past the age of 10 anyway) gone to a McDonald's excited to be there. We end up there when some combination of: 1) Bad life experiences 2) Other restaurants being busy 3) My wife and I are too mentally wrecked to cook food Has occurred. It's not a good thing. We're there because it's (relatively) cheap, it probably won't make us sick, and it's reasonably fast. It's also worth noting that a bunch of the above happens specifically because both ourselves and every other business we engage with, including our employers, is also subject to the profit motive, and that's probably contributing to our being in a McDonald's in the first place. Anyway... The McDonald's franchisee wants to own a business, for their own economic benefit. Would they have started a McDonald's if not for the profit motive? Or would they have started a different business, one they'd be more proud of or innately interested in? The McDonald's worker certainly doesn't want to be there. The pop culture version is this is a pimply kid wanting money for high school parties and the like, but they're also increasingly comprised of working low-income adults. They don't wanna be there, they have to be, or their landlord's profit motive will cost them their home. And they're certainly not happy to be doing what they're doing. I've never seen a McDonald's worker in my life who's proud of the product they serve. And they shouldn't be, it's minimum-viable-food. I say all of this to say: the person who owns the McDonald's isn't happy about it, apart from the money they make from it. If they do. The person making and selling McDonald's food isn't happy. The person buying McDonald's food isn't happy (unless they're a small kid). So like... what is this for? How many of these restaurants operate? A quick google says 41,800. 41,800 restaurants, owned by people who don't necessarily want to own a restaurant, staffed by people who don't want to staff one, selling food people don't like, to people who probably don't want it, apart from it being a good alternative to not eating. How much human effort goes into the concept of McDonald's on the daily? To do something nobody wants to do? To make and distribute food that nobody seems to actually like?