There's a new cultural infrastructure. An invisible layer powering… | James Kirkham | 49 comments

Activities and practices, narratives, and knowledge, which are equally vital components of culture, will instead take precedence. Memes, discourses, aesthetics, language, specialized knowledge and activities, all taking place online, will be the vehicles of lifestyle performance and participation. We’re already seeing plenty of new reading groups, ... See more

It’s happening in the background, away from performance, away from the algorithm. Rather than worrying about audience, these are intimacy tools.The most powerful cultural spaces right now are ones you can’t search for. You’re invited in, or you miss it.We spent a decade learning how to go viral. Now, the clever ones are learning how to go quiet.

These days many of the best online social experiences happen in very small-scale environments. A few friends, a loose microcommunity, a cozy corner with the right vibes.

It's in the air, thick with it, even, in certain places — the cozyweb, the indieweb, the slow web; tiny internets and run your own social; independent creative communities, local le... See more