Chris TrottierDec 2, 2022

I notice this happening on multiple social media sites, and it always contributes to the death of social networks:

1. Progressives tend to be early adopters because they usually create culture
2. Reactionaries tend to be late adopters because they usually consume culture
3. Reactionaries then try to seize power because the culture isn't to their liking
4. Progressives leave because they want to create culture
5. Then reactionaries leave because no culture is being created

Ex: see screenshot.

Show threadChris TrottierDec 2, 2022

What's old is new again. What's happening to Twitter right now already happened to Digg.

Remember the Digg Patriots?

Their attempt to take control of the front page resulted in Digg's doom.

And it's also happening to Facebook. No one goes to Facebook anymore for fresh culture.

When the culture of social media dies, so does the social network.

Show threadChris TrottierDec 2, 2022

Of course, what I find *more* fascinating is that the people who own social networks and news publications are almost never progressive.

But they know very well to position their sites as a destination for progressivism -- because progressives create the content people want to see.

A good example is Vice Magazine.

The folks who founded it are the most extreme right wing jerks you'll ever meet.

I mean, Vice co-founder Gavin McInnes also founded the Proud Boys.

Show threadChris TrottierDec 2, 2022

As others have pointed out, the gentrification of social networks echoes the gentrification of real life neighbourhoods too.

But it happens a lot quicker.

Notice that right now on Twitter, progressives are kicking up a fuss.

They don't want to leave.

This is their neighbourhood.

But they'll have to leave -- they don't own Twitter. They've always been renters. The only reason you were ever around was to make the place desirable.

And now you're being evicted!

Show threadChris TrottierDec 2, 2022

What I want folks of the #TwitterMigration to consider:

When you join Mastodon, be careful about your role in the potential gentrification of this social network!

I say this because I'm noticing more and more high status folk making this their home.

That's fine.

But before you came, this place had a culture -- a very real and vibrant one.

And now that you're here, other high status people are sure to follow -- those people will try to seize this space!

Show threadSean FinnertyDec 2, 2022
@atomicpoet true there's a preexisting culture but the 2,000 an hour new accounts aren't going to be exposed to all of the niche culture, and unlike the real world analog, there's limitless space for new netizens to come into and no one is getting pushed out or evicted. I sought out recognizable accounts from outside of fediverse and discovered new accounts.
Show threadChris Trottier

@TheSean People have been pushed out of instances already.

For example, many of the folks on #BlackMastodon have literally been told to leave their old instances because their presence was making others uncomfortable.

Dec 2, 2022 at 1:16amWeb
Show threadMichèle SharikDec 2, 2022
@atomicpoet @TheSean wtf?? People do that shit? 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️
Show threadSean FinnertyDec 2, 2022
@atomicpoet how do you push accounts off an instance? What instances are doing that?
Show threadChris TrottierDec 2, 2022
@TheSean An admin can simply tell someone to leave, or the admin can ban them.
Show threadSean FinnertyDec 2, 2022
@atomicpoet but that individual can continue to post content on another instance to all of their followers uninterrupted and criticism directed at the instance who are banning them, right?
Show threadRDS (shawphd on Twitter)Dec 2, 2022

@TheSean @atomicpoet Assuming none of their followers are on the old instance and assuming the old admin hasn’t blocked the whole instance’s access to them, yes.

But.