3 ms·

I worry for the next generation. You and I have a baseline. A brain that did most of it’s developmental phase while there was still some unified accepted versi

by Havoc 15d ago

I worry for the next generation. You and I have a baseline. A brain that did most of it’s developmental phase while there was still some unified accepted version of truth (even if dubious) Future generations will have to develop in a more splintered reality. A world where there is nothing to hold on to. Not even a dubious commonly accepted narrative

mitxela 15d ago
note this started years before generative AI, arguably around 2014 with the gamergate era
- nonsensical_ 15d ago
  You’ll have to enlighten how GG plays into all this. Sounds like a curious tie-in.
  - mitxela 15d ago
    It was the spark that started the online culture war that metastasized into the real world and brought about the post-truth era we are now living in. Who knows whether it was a symptom or a cause. Either way it marks the beginning.
    - anon1097 15d ago
      I will admit that GG may have been a symptom, but I don't think it was the cause. The cause, as such, was the interblag and incorporation of advertising corrupting touch into everything.
    - scrollaway 15d ago
      It may have been when you noticed it but it wasn’t the spark. If there was an actual spark, it was the 2016 election as this was the first time when all the disinformation, professional troll farms and Russian influence truly came into play on a world changing scale. But there was splintering of online communities and the death of nuance for years prior as well. Twitter contributed a lot by giving voices to everyone, and promoting those who’d shout the loudest. Facebook and its nasty algorithm also greatly contributed to all this (thanks, everyone who worked there, for the world we have now… hope you’re proud and putting all that ad-sponsored salary to good use). Culture war was brewing long before, it just got amplified more and more.
      - elmer2 15d ago
        It was around in 2008. Reddit was flooded with bots shilling for Obama.
        mitxela 14d ago
        Nobody was using Reddit in 2008. Did it even have comments yet?
      - disgruntledphd2 15d ago
        > If there was an actual spark, it was the 2016 election as this was the first time when all the disinformation, professional troll farms and Russian influence truly came into play on a world changing scale. I'll never forget how insane HN went in 2016, felt like basically the whole English language internet went insane. And it's been a decade since then (wow).
        nonsensical_ 15d ago
        Even back then it seemed like a tempest in a teapot situation on HN. People thought they were raw and edgy saying “fuck Trump” like it amounts to anything. I remember at least one, maybe two YC-backed companies dedicated to removing Trump. That’s right - a startup business plan that amounts to impeaching a president. Now there’s a billion+ dollar enterprise. All this, and here we are in 2026. It just shows immaturity and naïveté.
        daveguy 15d ago
        But also, fuck trump.
        icedchai 15d ago
        2016 was an acceleration point into madness. We were going down hill anyway, and the hill suddenly steepened. Covid didn't help. Now we have half the world with AI psychosis. I can only hope things even out a bit in the next 10 years... but they won't.
      - 15d ago
- salawat 15d ago
  Earlier. I'd say it started right around the time SEO started taking off big time.
- hackersnooze1 15d ago
  are you the same guy who made the fluid simulation thing and the little volumetric display on youtube?
- Havoc 15d ago
  Agreed. Truthiness started to wobble earlier, but I think it's fair to say it still existed. New era will shatter it into a thousand pieces
- jhbadger 14d ago
  I think it started in 2000 when Al Gore who clearly won the election was discarded in favor of Dubya thanks to a biased Supreme Court.
OroPla 15d ago
I am not sure I believe in this "unified accepted version of the truth". Before the Internet it was a lot easier for the unified media [1] to convince people of whatever it wanted them convinced, but I find it a lot better for people to be exposed to opposing views. Who knows, maybe your country is the bad guy [2]. [1] https://pomf.space/MkiGm3hi.mp4 https://pomf.space/MkiGm3hi.mp4 [2] https://youtu.be/3K1Z-8EvS74 https://youtu.be/3K1Z-8EvS74
marssaxman 15d ago
The experience you envision does not sound so strange to me, having grown up in an intensely religious subculture which had a sense of truth quite distinct from that of mainstream society. Observing the blatant conflict between different communities' world-views engendered a healthy skepticism which has served me well through life. I think the kids will be all right.
monegator 15d ago
we still have books. Hard truth. Hoard books.

by Havoc 15d ago

mitxela 15d ago

note this started years before generative AI, arguably around 2014 with the gamergate era

nonsensical_ 15d ago
You’ll have to enlighten how GG plays into all this. Sounds like a curious tie-in.
- mitxela 15d ago
  It was the spark that started the online culture war that metastasized into the real world and brought about the post-truth era we are now living in. Who knows whether it was a symptom or a cause. Either way it marks the beginning.
  - anon1097 15d ago
    I will admit that GG may have been a symptom, but I don't think it was the cause. The cause, as such, was the interblag and incorporation of advertising corrupting touch into everything.
  - scrollaway 15d ago
    It may have been when you noticed it but it wasn’t the spark. If there was an actual spark, it was the 2016 election as this was the first time when all the disinformation, professional troll farms and Russian influence truly came into play on a world changing scale. But there was splintering of online communities and the death of nuance for years prior as well. Twitter contributed a lot by giving voices to everyone, and promoting those who’d shout the loudest. Facebook and its nasty algorithm also greatly contributed to all this (thanks, everyone who worked there, for the world we have now… hope you’re proud and putting all that ad-sponsored salary to good use). Culture war was brewing long before, it just got amplified more and more.
    - elmer2 15d ago
      It was around in 2008. Reddit was flooded with bots shilling for Obama.
      - mitxela 14d ago
        Nobody was using Reddit in 2008. Did it even have comments yet?
    - disgruntledphd2 15d ago
      > If there was an actual spark, it was the 2016 election as this was the first time when all the disinformation, professional troll farms and Russian influence truly came into play on a world changing scale. I'll never forget how insane HN went in 2016, felt like basically the whole English language internet went insane. And it's been a decade since then (wow).
      - nonsensical_ 15d ago
        Even back then it seemed like a tempest in a teapot situation on HN. People thought they were raw and edgy saying “fuck Trump” like it amounts to anything. I remember at least one, maybe two YC-backed companies dedicated to removing Trump. That’s right - a startup business plan that amounts to impeaching a president. Now there’s a billion+ dollar enterprise. All this, and here we are in 2026. It just shows immaturity and naïveté.
        daveguy 15d ago
        But also, fuck trump.
      - icedchai 15d ago
        2016 was an acceleration point into madness. We were going down hill anyway, and the hill suddenly steepened. Covid didn't help. Now we have half the world with AI psychosis. I can only hope things even out a bit in the next 10 years... but they won't.
    - 15d ago
salawat 15d ago
Earlier. I'd say it started right around the time SEO started taking off big time.
hackersnooze1 15d ago
are you the same guy who made the fluid simulation thing and the little volumetric display on youtube?
Havoc 15d ago
Agreed. Truthiness started to wobble earlier, but I think it's fair to say it still existed. New era will shatter it into a thousand pieces
jhbadger 14d ago
I think it started in 2000 when Al Gore who clearly won the election was discarded in favor of Dubya thanks to a biased Supreme Court.

OroPla 15d ago

I am not sure I believe in this "unified accepted version of the truth". Before the Internet it was a lot easier for the unified media [1] to convince people of whatever it wanted them convinced, but I find it a lot better for people to be exposed to opposing views. Who knows, maybe your country is the bad guy [2]. [1] https://pomf.space/MkiGm3hi.mp4 https://pomf.space/MkiGm3hi.mp4 [2] https://youtu.be/3K1Z-8EvS74 https://youtu.be/3K1Z-8EvS74

marssaxman 15d ago

The experience you envision does not sound so strange to me, having grown up in an intensely religious subculture which had a sense of truth quite distinct from that of mainstream society. Observing the blatant conflict between different communities' world-views engendered a healthy skepticism which has served me well through life. I think the kids will be all right.

monegator 15d ago

we still have books. Hard truth. Hoard books.