Honestly, at this point, it doesn't matter to me. After ~12 years of Reddit, I was looking for an excuse to leave, and they finally gave me one. Even if the Fediverse is never as popular as Reddit, it's already enough that I don't feel the need to go back.
If reddit simply wanted to sustain its userbase, it'd be in a much better place.
That's fundamentally the problem with the internet (and corporate culture as a whole, really). When a site takes off, the expectation isn't to sustain the status quo, it's to continue that growth. It inevitably reaches a point where maintaining exponential growth becomes more and more difficult, but even more profit still needs to be made. They find ways to squeeze every last goddamn drop out of it, almost always to the detriment of the users, the user's experience, and everyone's privacy.
The never-ending growth model is fundamentally the problem here, and that's why I completely agree with you. Like you said, "This requirement is incompatible with profit motive."
It's stressful being in this constant urgency. It's not good for us. I honestly need we should slow the fuck down.
That part is applicable to my life as a whole right now and I appreciate the reminder. I agree with everything you've said and appreciate you taking the time to write this out. Thank you.
I feel like I'm sitting in a comfortable chair drinking a coffee on here, actually enjoying content as it trickles in. Unlike what I was doing on Reddit which was more like slamming a monster while driving.
Such a great analogy. I absolutely agree. There's a really cozy feeling here I haven't had from the internet in a long time.
It's really too bad both teams can't win the series, and I can't think of the last time I sincerely felt that way, but overall I'm pulling for the Nuggs too.
One of the things that bugged me the most about Reddit was how it felt like everyone was constantly engaged in this game of one-upsmanship to try and seem like they're the smartest but also the most cynical. I don't get that vibe here at all and it's really exciting.