The crucial mistake of social media was trying to force people with wildly incompatible views to co-exist in the same space. In real-life, I can choose who I associate with. Now, I’m most certainly not looking for an echo chamber. I need my views to be questioned and debated, but it must be by people capable of civil discourse. We should discuss, we should reassess, we should admit when we’re wrong. That is not the status quo online.
Traditional social media does not promote diversity of thought, it is for all intents and purposes an echo chamber, albeit, one that encourages piling on passers-by who possess different opinions. Mastodon feels much closer to hanging out with reasonable friends and acquaintances, whereas Twitter is equivalent to having 15 racists drunk uncles assigned to follow you wherever you go.
Hutchins’ piece describes my own experience with Mastodon. Do take the time to read the whole article linked above. It will help you understand why the new emerging model for social media is so fundamentally different (and in my mind better) than what has gone before in the ad-supported versions.
And if you’re interested in following me on Mastodon, I’m posting on the Episcopal server Episcodon.net – you can follow me at @wnknisely@episcodon.net
So, when I read the subject line, I was expecting something about prehistoric mammals… Hope you and your family are all doing well these days and are enjoying the holiday season with fewer masks. Our kids will all be home for Christmas, which hasn’t happened in years, so we are pleased and excited. Kate got a job at U Birmingham since she has a work visa, and the University has the wherewithal to extend it if that meets everyone’s goals next year. Despite breaking off her relationship of four years, she sounds happier than she has been in a while and she’s back doing some of the things she loves and wasn’t participating in due to some mix of COVID and Harry. We will see what the future holds for her, as well as for the other two who both love their jobs – woohoo!
Greetings to Karen!
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No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking. ~Voltaire
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