Why I like LJ, and possibly also why this place is so quiet now

[ironphoenix]

Here are a couple of experimental results from FaceBook: one person Liked(tm) everything for 2 days; another person didn't Like(tm) anything for 2 weeks.

LJ doesn't have a Like(tm), +1(tm), or other such general-purpose one-click response option, so we have to, brace yourself, use our words here. This is rather likelier to involve thought, but it takes more effort--effort which people hooked on FB/G+/etc. are unused to putting in. As a result, we get less feedback here than we get on other shiny social media (even though the feedback there is ultimately less genuinely connected), so we post less here.

It's frustrating. The marketers are winning, because we are, more than we like to admit, creatures of reflex and habit, and those things are very manipulable. The only defense is mindfulness: awareness of ourselves, our instincts, reflexes, and habits, and claiming our power of choice.

Comments

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

Facebook has made an (externally obvious) turn away from a platform for person-to-person engagement, and into a platform for person-to-product engagement.

The Like button isn't so much a signal to others, as it is a signal to Facebook. As is true for MOST of Facebook's interactions.

I've read some really neat analysis of that: it's a little frightening.

[ironphoenix.livejournal.com]

*nods* The slogan "If you're not paying for It, you're the product" isn't true of everything, but it certainly seems to be so of FaceBook.

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

If you have the time and the stomach for it, I strongly recommend reading this very long article all the way to the end.

It's fascinating.

And, I was THIS CLOSE to knuckling under and getting on Facebook before I read it. :-)

[ironphoenix.livejournal.com]

Good--and troubling--article; thanks for the link!

In fact, we could design a system to support our authentic interests, but we would then need to fund it.

And that's why I have a paid LJ account.

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

Me too.

Although, the whole Russian thing...

[ironphoenix.livejournal.com]

The Russian thing is Complicated(tm), I think. LJ's relationship with the government and activists is not transparent to me; I don't thus far see evidence of wrongdoing, and taking money away from them seems likelier to push them into the arms of the government than otherwise.

[ironphoenix.livejournal.com]

Also, it is a sad irony that that article shows over 1000 FB Likes.