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Because of the medium that is the internet (low friction and high observability) it has a glaring lack of interest in solving problems where the destination is

Because of the medium that is the internet (low friction and high observability) it has a glaring lack of interest in solving problems where the destination is high friction low observability. In fact, because the digital world explicitly competes with friction for engagement any financially incentivized platform must direct people away from the real world and real people. So the endgame is to replace real people with digital people even in our relationships. Real spaces with fake places. Real disagreements with manufacturered ones. Only people who have been heavily involved in 3rd places seem to be able to quantify what our modern world has unnecessarily thrown away. It's a glaring ommission once you realize it, working to solve that atm.

pbronez 1y ago
Glad to hear it, what’s your approach?
- mlekoszek 1y ago
  Not saying this is what you're doing, but I find requiring someone to solve a problem immediately after sharing it can (ironically) stifle finding a solution. The act of identifying and the act of solving rarely happen all in one motion, and often the first step to solving a problem is to establish its validity among peers so meaningful solutions can arise.
  - andrewflnr 1y ago
    Yes, but: The top level comment specifically said they were working to solve the problem. I think in that case it's worth asking about their approach.
  - worldsayshi 1y ago
    Tangent to this: I think it's often useful to allow suggesting "bad" solutions to vague problems because good solutions often hang out close to the bad one's and shines interesting light on the problem. Or bad solutions often immediately provokes better ideas. If you immediately see that a proposed solution is bad there's a good chance you know what specifically is bad about it and can propose an amendment. Suggesting a bad solution is sometimes half the way to a good one.
    - pixl97 1y ago
      Exploring the problem space is necessary to determine what a bad solution versus a good solution even is.
walterbell 1y ago
Where do RTO mandates (2nd place friction) fit into this model?
- svachalek 1y ago
  I think drug dealers figured this out a long time ago, just because you sell something doesn't mean you should use it for yourself.
  - HenryBemis 1y ago
    +100 to that. There are plenty of evidence (e.g. interviews) where the social media folks want other people (including children) to use their shitty products, but they don't 'feed' their garbage to their own children[0]. I remember the filthy snake (sorry.. a CEO) of TikTok trying to convince the world that his child(ren) is/are not on TikTok "because they are too young". As if on their birthday(s) he will gift them an iPhone with a TikTok account in it... [0]: https://www.thelist.com/677684/the-real-reason-tech-moguls-dont-let-their-kids-on-social-media/ https://www.thelist.com/677684/the-real-reason-tech-moguls-d...
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
squigz 1y ago
I don't understand from your comment why a 3rd place - the importance of which I do indeed recognize in our modern world - is impossible on the Internet, if that's what you are implying? I imagine most of us on HN have been part of online communities that were meaningful. Some people, myself included, keep those places going - on Discord and the like.
- sanderjd 1y ago
  I mean, it's that digital "places" are not nearly as good as physical places, is the sense a lot of us have. I've seen some people who have good descriptions or arguments for why they think this is true. But for me, it's pretty much entirely a visceral intuitive feeling about it. But nevertheless I think it's right. I think we need in-person connection to thrive.
- fellowniusmonk 1y ago
  Post is about incentives and qualia; digital 3rd places exist on the internet and have their own value. I'm glad they exist and that people maintain them. Some of the best early digital 3rds were BBSes which were also high friction and low observability.
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
pigeons 1y ago
Tell us about your project, it sounds interesting!

pbronez 1y ago

Glad to hear it, what’s your approach?

mlekoszek 1y ago
Not saying this is what you're doing, but I find requiring someone to solve a problem immediately after sharing it can (ironically) stifle finding a solution. The act of identifying and the act of solving rarely happen all in one motion, and often the first step to solving a problem is to establish its validity among peers so meaningful solutions can arise.
- andrewflnr 1y ago
  Yes, but: The top level comment specifically said they were working to solve the problem. I think in that case it's worth asking about their approach.
- worldsayshi 1y ago
  Tangent to this: I think it's often useful to allow suggesting "bad" solutions to vague problems because good solutions often hang out close to the bad one's and shines interesting light on the problem. Or bad solutions often immediately provokes better ideas. If you immediately see that a proposed solution is bad there's a good chance you know what specifically is bad about it and can propose an amendment. Suggesting a bad solution is sometimes half the way to a good one.
  - pixl97 1y ago
    Exploring the problem space is necessary to determine what a bad solution versus a good solution even is.

walterbell 1y ago

Where do RTO mandates (2nd place friction) fit into this model?

svachalek 1y ago
I think drug dealers figured this out a long time ago, just because you sell something doesn't mean you should use it for yourself.
- HenryBemis 1y ago
  +100 to that. There are plenty of evidence (e.g. interviews) where the social media folks want other people (including children) to use their shitty products, but they don't 'feed' their garbage to their own children[0]. I remember the filthy snake (sorry.. a CEO) of TikTok trying to convince the world that his child(ren) is/are not on TikTok "because they are too young". As if on their birthday(s) he will gift them an iPhone with a TikTok account in it... [0]: https://www.thelist.com/677684/the-real-reason-tech-moguls-dont-let-their-kids-on-social-media/ https://www.thelist.com/677684/the-real-reason-tech-moguls-d...
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]

squigz 1y ago

I don't understand from your comment why a 3rd place - the importance of which I do indeed recognize in our modern world - is impossible on the Internet, if that's what you are implying? I imagine most of us on HN have been part of online communities that were meaningful. Some people, myself included, keep those places going - on Discord and the like.

sanderjd 1y ago
I mean, it's that digital "places" are not nearly as good as physical places, is the sense a lot of us have. I've seen some people who have good descriptions or arguments for why they think this is true. But for me, it's pretty much entirely a visceral intuitive feeling about it. But nevertheless I think it's right. I think we need in-person connection to thrive.
fellowniusmonk 1y ago
Post is about incentives and qualia; digital 3rd places exist on the internet and have their own value. I'm glad they exist and that people maintain them. Some of the best early digital 3rds were BBSes which were also high friction and low observability.

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

pigeons 1y ago

Tell us about your project, it sounds interesting!