Yesterday, I saw a post saying, "In a meeting today, so won't be here as much."
So fuckin what? I don't get it. Why do people need a public announcement they won't be so present on a social media platform for one day?
Social media, same as any popular movement, political, religious, social, etc. is subject to the sinister power that infiltrates and insinuates itself into everything. Conformity, control, judgement, etc. It morphs into anything. Conservative, Labour, fascist, Communist, socialism, Nazism, Democrats, Republicans, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, social media, everything. This dark entity will become whatever is popular, whatever is forced on us, chosen by us, voted in, enjoyed, hated, anything. It seeks to control.
I never understood that. Part of me thinks they take it as a full time job. Or it could also be that that’s the only thing they have. Fact is no one really notices when you leave, for weeks. It’s not like someone will worry if they don’t see you. Or maybe that’s what they would like to happen? I don’t know
I think a few general comments are, well possible. First I regret your vanishing from the social media lines. It was the primary way we interacted... Whilst some people I communicate with through the systems of email, telegram are still around - you have vanished into the realm of the individual who speaks through this blog - but that's all - which i regret. But lets be precise of what this process, which you speak of through the algorithm is --- it is remarkable because it repeats the process through which the mass media developed. A raucous public sphere, becomes a bourgeois public sphere and transforms into private property owned by... To say algorithm is I think to avoid the way in which the social media is spectacular, is spectacle. Was it so much a part of the spectacle when it began in the arbitrary selected date of 2008? I think so but then I have a commitment to the specific order words I use above. - A final comment then when Musk took over X he completed this process, and crucially as expected it did not change, rather it the social media of X, reflects the ownership, just as the press and the other mass-media reflect their ownership... So no its not algorithm. Twitter was always going to reflect its owners and not its users. A friend of mine once said the ONLY way to save it was to nationalize it, around 2012 I think...
Twitter has became pointless—there is no meaningful interaction there. The performative nature of that platform—always a factor—coupled with the culture warring and algorithmic noise means nobody seems capable of authentic exchange. Is this the eventual outcome for all social media platforms once they achieve a certain momentum and ubiquity? BlueSky feels to me like a place for cat pictures and gentle back patting.
I have just been authenticated by the algorithm that runs this site... fortunately it did not get rejected by the algorithms protecting me from criminals and idiots...
Yesterday, I saw a post saying, "In a meeting today, so won't be here as much."
So fuckin what? I don't get it. Why do people need a public announcement they won't be so present on a social media platform for one day?
Social media, same as any popular movement, political, religious, social, etc. is subject to the sinister power that infiltrates and insinuates itself into everything. Conformity, control, judgement, etc. It morphs into anything. Conservative, Labour, fascist, Communist, socialism, Nazism, Democrats, Republicans, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, social media, everything. This dark entity will become whatever is popular, whatever is forced on us, chosen by us, voted in, enjoyed, hated, anything. It seeks to control.
I never understood that. Part of me thinks they take it as a full time job. Or it could also be that that’s the only thing they have. Fact is no one really notices when you leave, for weeks. It’s not like someone will worry if they don’t see you. Or maybe that’s what they would like to happen? I don’t know
I found this cold shower of an essay unpleasant and invigorating. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for reading, Karl!
I think a few general comments are, well possible. First I regret your vanishing from the social media lines. It was the primary way we interacted... Whilst some people I communicate with through the systems of email, telegram are still around - you have vanished into the realm of the individual who speaks through this blog - but that's all - which i regret. But lets be precise of what this process, which you speak of through the algorithm is --- it is remarkable because it repeats the process through which the mass media developed. A raucous public sphere, becomes a bourgeois public sphere and transforms into private property owned by... To say algorithm is I think to avoid the way in which the social media is spectacular, is spectacle. Was it so much a part of the spectacle when it began in the arbitrary selected date of 2008? I think so but then I have a commitment to the specific order words I use above. - A final comment then when Musk took over X he completed this process, and crucially as expected it did not change, rather it the social media of X, reflects the ownership, just as the press and the other mass-media reflect their ownership... So no its not algorithm. Twitter was always going to reflect its owners and not its users. A friend of mine once said the ONLY way to save it was to nationalize it, around 2012 I think...
and I absolutely agree that twitter was always spectacle. it didn't start with Musk, as some bleeding heart liberals would like to believe.
Thanks for your comment. You can always email me! I'm on email as always. Happy to talk there.
Twitter has became pointless—there is no meaningful interaction there. The performative nature of that platform—always a factor—coupled with the culture warring and algorithmic noise means nobody seems capable of authentic exchange. Is this the eventual outcome for all social media platforms once they achieve a certain momentum and ubiquity? BlueSky feels to me like a place for cat pictures and gentle back patting.
I feel that all algorithm-driven platforms end up the same.
I have just been authenticated by the algorithm that runs this site... fortunately it did not get rejected by the algorithms protecting me from criminals and idiots...