new internet

The internet really w as better, back before it turned into “five giant websites, each filled with screenshots of text from the other four.”

In the early days of the internet, one of the first search engines, Yahoo!, hired “surfers,” people with particularly niche interests, to record and catalog new websites by hand. In those days, each site was crafted by hand by a person. Each site had a face you could see, and if desired, email.

But you know what? I really like the physical world. I like to feel like

a healthy animal. Too much time in the virtual world makes me feel worse.

I don't like it. And to me there is no question that the qualities of

the physical place where I live are far, far more important than anything

about the Internet, and always will be.

🚨This is the trap that social media, and by extension all of us, are in:

📈Toxicity drives use. Lowering toxicity drops ad sales (if you are ad supported) & engagement (even if you are not)

📉Toxicity spreads like a disease. It turns regular users toxic & makes networks awful

Users are leaving X, the most divisive and shouty social media platform, and it’s unlikely that alternatives like Bluesky will replace it. The era when arguing about politics on social media was America’s national pastime may be drawing to a close, with public discussions replaced by small group chats. With the decline of public argument platforms... See more