I'm curious: have you thought about just divesting of social media entirely?
I consider myself to be left wing. I left Twitter before Musk drove it into the ground not because of its ideological valence or toxicity, but because I realized that Twitter makes people stupid, including myself. I don't want to sling rocks at anyone in particular, but there is a pretty lengthy list of people I followed during the blogosphere era of the aughts who I observe are notably dumber some ten or twenty years later, and I credit that to their Twitter use. And--as I mentioned--I observed the same in myself.
It's hard to think carefully in 240 characters, and at this point I think it is a good intellectual habit to not even try.
I credit the increased stupidity to Donald J. Trump. Lawyers, Guns & Money was the last old-line blog I would seriously read and after Trump was elected they felt compelled to increase the volume.
I can’t say I enjoy Bluesky. I find if you disagree with the lefties you’re in big trouble and a pile on will ensue. It happened to me when I said I was supporting a couple Substack writers and the topic today! I do find it be an echo chamber. Only certain opinions are allowed. If you don’t conform you do get bullied. I guess that’s more civilized than Nazis but that’s a low floor. I think it would be better if there were more centrist voices. Right and left leaning. Non MAGA types. And really just regular liberals! Instead I find it so strident.
Personally I am taking a social media break. I understand as a journalist and writer of this blog that you can’t afford that luxury. But for now I am sticking with traditional media and especially email newsletters.
Exactly. The BlueSky denizens screaming about how it's not an echo chamber self-negate their argument.
While they absolutely are correct that no one should feel obliged to have to let themselves hear Nazis and that it's totally fine to block them, large chunks of BlueSky essentially define Nazi as anyone to the right of Elizabeth Warren or Sanders. And plenty of the "it's not an echo chamber!" screamers were also those cheering on (or participating with) the people who piled on Yglesias and others with death by hammers and guillotines posts.
It does not speak well for the "progressive" nature of Bluesky that Black Twitter has had trouble getting established there.
I just have to accept that I have no Twitter followers anymore and may have quit. A convention took place and a debate and I did not know if anyone whose opinion I cared about was still there.
Discoverability on Mastodon is abysmal. You can’t plain text search anything outside of your own instance (for example indieweb.social). You can search across all instances for hashtags, but when I tried it out, hashtag usage wasn’t widespread enough. I gave up. Way too much work.
So, I need a little more help “like Williamsburg and Portland.” Trendy neighborhoods? That is a guess from a google search and actual N16 zip code?? Actually that whole sentence, I'm rather lost.
Very helpful piece! I wish more journalists and more publishers were on Bluesky. I cannot read every source and I rely on authors posting their work. Maybe it is wishful thinking but I see more journalists and -- using the "starter packs" -- I have been able to find more global, national, state, and local reporters. But I have to do more work.
I’m a bit lost. I was never on Twitter and left FB a long time ago, although I like IG for my travel and design dreams, so I’m not the most savvy, but what’s wrong with Substack for getting news, restacking, and listening to other’s opinions? Of course I’m only following those I agree with or who inform me about topics I’m interested in, but the restacking feature introduces me to articles I might not have otherwise seen. Why is Bluesky something I should join?
First off, I should acknowledge that I only really began to use Twitter in 2020, so I can't speak to the "glory years" of Twitter, which I think many folks date before that. That said, I didn't think Twitter pre-Musk was really any different than Xitter today, at least in terms of the level of snark, divisiveness, and incivility.
And that shouldn't be surprising because the core problem that drives incivility on the platform has nothing to do with the ownership, the moderation (or lack thereof), or even who uses it. The problem is the core structure of the platform: a message platform built on short messages with short replies; that can thread in any different direction; allows unlimited, immediate posting; and supports anonymity is inevitably going to descend into tribalism and incivility around controversial issues. Twitter was always a guilty pleasure that was a cesspool and bad for the world (at least when it comes to politics).
Which doesn't mean that it hasn't gotten even worse on Musk. I think it probably has, although I think the problems are really about the war on links and the way that the new approach to the blue checks has both undermined real identity and promoted content that doesn't merit being promoted.
Elon has accomplished his mission. Taking the only social media platform that did not shadow band or sensor left leaning ideas and posts and turning it right wing nut job. Tins of millions of fake accounts. Has anyone else noticed the same dynamic on this platform the closer to the election we get?I've never seen a market more lucrative than a legitimate anything goes platform with strict absolute verification of identity concerning the account holder. Banning sedition and incitement only.
I'm curious: have you thought about just divesting of social media entirely?
I consider myself to be left wing. I left Twitter before Musk drove it into the ground not because of its ideological valence or toxicity, but because I realized that Twitter makes people stupid, including myself. I don't want to sling rocks at anyone in particular, but there is a pretty lengthy list of people I followed during the blogosphere era of the aughts who I observe are notably dumber some ten or twenty years later, and I credit that to their Twitter use. And--as I mentioned--I observed the same in myself.
It's hard to think carefully in 240 characters, and at this point I think it is a good intellectual habit to not even try.
No, I haven't thought of leaving. That would make my information diet much more difficult to cultivate.
That's been my experience. I certainly miss out on stuff. But I also wonder: does that matter?
I credit the increased stupidity to Donald J. Trump. Lawyers, Guns & Money was the last old-line blog I would seriously read and after Trump was elected they felt compelled to increase the volume.
I can’t say I enjoy Bluesky. I find if you disagree with the lefties you’re in big trouble and a pile on will ensue. It happened to me when I said I was supporting a couple Substack writers and the topic today! I do find it be an echo chamber. Only certain opinions are allowed. If you don’t conform you do get bullied. I guess that’s more civilized than Nazis but that’s a low floor. I think it would be better if there were more centrist voices. Right and left leaning. Non MAGA types. And really just regular liberals! Instead I find it so strident.
Personally I am taking a social media break. I understand as a journalist and writer of this blog that you can’t afford that luxury. But for now I am sticking with traditional media and especially email newsletters.
Exactly. The BlueSky denizens screaming about how it's not an echo chamber self-negate their argument.
While they absolutely are correct that no one should feel obliged to have to let themselves hear Nazis and that it's totally fine to block them, large chunks of BlueSky essentially define Nazi as anyone to the right of Elizabeth Warren or Sanders. And plenty of the "it's not an echo chamber!" screamers were also those cheering on (or participating with) the people who piled on Yglesias and others with death by hammers and guillotines posts.
It does not speak well for the "progressive" nature of Bluesky that Black Twitter has had trouble getting established there.
I just have to accept that I have no Twitter followers anymore and may have quit. A convention took place and a debate and I did not know if anyone whose opinion I cared about was still there.
Discoverability on Mastodon is abysmal. You can’t plain text search anything outside of your own instance (for example indieweb.social). You can search across all instances for hashtags, but when I tried it out, hashtag usage wasn’t widespread enough. I gave up. Way too much work.
So, I need a little more help “like Williamsburg and Portland.” Trendy neighborhoods? That is a guess from a google search and actual N16 zip code?? Actually that whole sentence, I'm rather lost.
LOL
thank you for the observations
Very helpful piece! I wish more journalists and more publishers were on Bluesky. I cannot read every source and I rely on authors posting their work. Maybe it is wishful thinking but I see more journalists and -- using the "starter packs" -- I have been able to find more global, national, state, and local reporters. But I have to do more work.
I’m a bit lost. I was never on Twitter and left FB a long time ago, although I like IG for my travel and design dreams, so I’m not the most savvy, but what’s wrong with Substack for getting news, restacking, and listening to other’s opinions? Of course I’m only following those I agree with or who inform me about topics I’m interested in, but the restacking feature introduces me to articles I might not have otherwise seen. Why is Bluesky something I should join?
Should I get a Bluesky account?
Yes, for the reaction to the Eric Adams indictment news if nothing else.
Pretty wild or what? Overall what’s the vibe?
It's Bluesky, not BlueSky. Details matter.
Dammit you're right. Fixed!
in an investigation.
First off, I should acknowledge that I only really began to use Twitter in 2020, so I can't speak to the "glory years" of Twitter, which I think many folks date before that. That said, I didn't think Twitter pre-Musk was really any different than Xitter today, at least in terms of the level of snark, divisiveness, and incivility.
And that shouldn't be surprising because the core problem that drives incivility on the platform has nothing to do with the ownership, the moderation (or lack thereof), or even who uses it. The problem is the core structure of the platform: a message platform built on short messages with short replies; that can thread in any different direction; allows unlimited, immediate posting; and supports anonymity is inevitably going to descend into tribalism and incivility around controversial issues. Twitter was always a guilty pleasure that was a cesspool and bad for the world (at least when it comes to politics).
Which doesn't mean that it hasn't gotten even worse on Musk. I think it probably has, although I think the problems are really about the war on links and the way that the new approach to the blue checks has both undermined real identity and promoted content that doesn't merit being promoted.
Elon has accomplished his mission. Taking the only social media platform that did not shadow band or sensor left leaning ideas and posts and turning it right wing nut job. Tins of millions of fake accounts. Has anyone else noticed the same dynamic on this platform the closer to the election we get?I've never seen a market more lucrative than a legitimate anything goes platform with strict absolute verification of identity concerning the account holder. Banning sedition and incitement only.