The solution seems to be a Goldilocks zone between popularity and death, too popular and it devolves, too unpopular and it dies. HN manages to keep itself tucked neatly into that zone I think.
Now this is something I completely agree with and you can see it most easily in the video game industry.
Our predecessors have homogenized products and services, reducing quality and efficacy - in many cases effectively shadow banning certain types of quality or goods, e.g. food which contains a ton of cancer causing chemicals, or video games which prey upon vulnerable youth and adults VS organic sustainably locally farmed fresh produce that empowers people and brings them together and video games that provide emotionally, socially, and intellectually rewarding experiences of a lifetime.
Developing for the lowest common denominator is the work of an MBA or Economist. It's parasitic behavior of an individual who actually has ZERO interest in the companies services or products or what they actually do for their fellow citizens, and instead do everything they can to divert from those goals in order to steal money and get away with it, effectively.
In the case of Reddit - they pretend to be too much, to do too much, while in reality when you weigh the damage they do to society and themselves VS. the profits they make. The point is, which I think you were making, is that they are catering to a very low bar in order to earn more money at the cost of damaging the foundations upon which their business stands, their own life as well - by damaging and corrupting, or driving away communities who would otherwise be empowered and empowering others (including the MBAs & Economists own families and friends).
The opportunity cost is rapid advancement of technology and stability of social systems, as well as the possible prevention of mass extinction events or prevention of fully blown dystopian realities. These people are literally trading a Jetsons like, badass future for.. short term parties on yachts because they can't get it otherwise. Do you see what I 'm getting at? If these people, these 1% "elites" and "leaders" in our society would just be team players instead they would most likely have the ability to go to the store in just a decade or two and buy themselves a brad pitt body, or a space alien brain, or cure any disease, or buy a perfectly pristine plot of land on the moon or mars (most likely less time than that because things tend to advance at exponential rates when people work together without so much impedance).
This is why I wish more people would start debating with these obscenely rich and powerful people because the people aren't going to cut it in this day and age. We live in unprecedented times where reaching a critical mass with just a bunch of uneducated people is simply no longer effective due to the tools of mass manipulation and fake news that there are. It's also reason to get your hands dirty with undereducated and underprivileged reddit users. All you have to do to get through to them is (A) use their language and (B) balance it out with validation, acknowledgement / mirroring / positive reinforcement of their good logic and behavior. They learn VERY quickly this way and can become formidable allies in a short time.
If we want to do this, we need simply to illustrate for the rich "elite" the opportunity costs of continuing down the path they're on. They are not intelligent business persons when you consider these costs. It's actually insane. It's like trying to compare a $48,000 salary in the early 2000s (after 2001) to infinity. There isn't a comparison, it's just stupid business practices all the way down. HOWEVER, we know they aren't exactly unintelligent either, so to say it's impossible to reach them and convince them is just silliness. They will wake up to it they just need someone they'll listen to, to explain it for them using their own language.
agentgumshoe|3 years ago
HN still keeps to its 'niche' well enough, much as forums have their usual genres that allow for clear moderation and purpose/values.
uhhhhhhhhhhhh|3 years ago
Our predecessors have homogenized products and services, reducing quality and efficacy - in many cases effectively shadow banning certain types of quality or goods, e.g. food which contains a ton of cancer causing chemicals, or video games which prey upon vulnerable youth and adults VS organic sustainably locally farmed fresh produce that empowers people and brings them together and video games that provide emotionally, socially, and intellectually rewarding experiences of a lifetime.
Developing for the lowest common denominator is the work of an MBA or Economist. It's parasitic behavior of an individual who actually has ZERO interest in the companies services or products or what they actually do for their fellow citizens, and instead do everything they can to divert from those goals in order to steal money and get away with it, effectively.
In the case of Reddit - they pretend to be too much, to do too much, while in reality when you weigh the damage they do to society and themselves VS. the profits they make. The point is, which I think you were making, is that they are catering to a very low bar in order to earn more money at the cost of damaging the foundations upon which their business stands, their own life as well - by damaging and corrupting, or driving away communities who would otherwise be empowered and empowering others (including the MBAs & Economists own families and friends).
The opportunity cost is rapid advancement of technology and stability of social systems, as well as the possible prevention of mass extinction events or prevention of fully blown dystopian realities. These people are literally trading a Jetsons like, badass future for.. short term parties on yachts because they can't get it otherwise. Do you see what I 'm getting at? If these people, these 1% "elites" and "leaders" in our society would just be team players instead they would most likely have the ability to go to the store in just a decade or two and buy themselves a brad pitt body, or a space alien brain, or cure any disease, or buy a perfectly pristine plot of land on the moon or mars (most likely less time than that because things tend to advance at exponential rates when people work together without so much impedance).
This is why I wish more people would start debating with these obscenely rich and powerful people because the people aren't going to cut it in this day and age. We live in unprecedented times where reaching a critical mass with just a bunch of uneducated people is simply no longer effective due to the tools of mass manipulation and fake news that there are. It's also reason to get your hands dirty with undereducated and underprivileged reddit users. All you have to do to get through to them is (A) use their language and (B) balance it out with validation, acknowledgement / mirroring / positive reinforcement of their good logic and behavior. They learn VERY quickly this way and can become formidable allies in a short time.
If we want to do this, we need simply to illustrate for the rich "elite" the opportunity costs of continuing down the path they're on. They are not intelligent business persons when you consider these costs. It's actually insane. It's like trying to compare a $48,000 salary in the early 2000s (after 2001) to infinity. There isn't a comparison, it's just stupid business practices all the way down. HOWEVER, we know they aren't exactly unintelligent either, so to say it's impossible to reach them and convince them is just silliness. They will wake up to it they just need someone they'll listen to, to explain it for them using their own language.