“the rich were kept in power by the connivance of the educated classes, who encouraged the People to vote into office the lickspittle frontmen of the Elite who would make promises they had no intention of keeping and assure the People that their votes would bring better times and a more honest and equitable society.”
So Shall You Reap, Donna Leon
Hope for those without hope is the ultimate drug. Humans with little or next to nothing often fall prey to the promises of those who aim to keep them in their place. Some things don’t change and won’t change, only the tools used to convey those lies change – from high priests and mass media to social networks and artificial intelligence.
Why is Elon removing the “block” feature?
A new post explaining the why of removing the “block” feature on the dead bird network. It is part of what is so common in tech –half-truths in data to show growth and reach. New artwork was created with Adobe Firefly, Midjourney & Photoshop.
I was reviewing my photos from 2022 and decided it was time to make a video of my favorites. So I did, with the help of my friend Felix. I hope you get a chance to check it out.
“Social media forms are performative solo forms with an odd conflation of friendship and marketing; the body is alone in a room performing the self, with an undercurrent of desire for applause. Without a town square to gather in and hash out the day with neighbors, social media communications have a shading of loneliness underneath.”
– Annie-B Parson, The Choreography of Everyday Life
It’s an influencer world. Or at least for the new generation of Internet natives.
I love Bruce Percy’s work. He is such an inspiration. Read more about these photos here.
Teens love YouTube, TikTok, and even Tumblr. Just not Facebook.
Ever wondered how solar panels work? Here is a handy guide!
Humans vs Algorithms
….how weird it feels in the internet as a whole to have some transparency and communication between site developers and the userbase. When I joined tumblr, forum culture and the heyday of the early creator-run internet were fresh memories. Staff who posted like users were common, and popular demand was the actual goal of web design. But now there is no social media where the developers speak directly to the users and incorporate real feedback into the changes they make. Algorithms drive everything, moderation happens silently, and it’s impossible to tell what a human has laid eyes on. Decisions are made based on what can get the most eyes on sponsored ads and drive clicks. Social media is now Big Tech, driven by Big Money Decisions and ad space.
Having a staff who talks and listens to the userbase is a direct return to tumblr’s roots and also the most jarring and noticeable jump back to Classic Internet that the rest of social media has long since abandoned.
Interesting little note on Tumblr and its evolution by an early Tumblr users.
Podcasts Slowdown Ahead
The podcast boom that raged during the pandemic lockdown is starting to fade. Listen Notes data points out that the number of new shows in 2022 will be around, vs. 709,000 produced in 2021. guess we are all doing more things in more places. (via)