Jon UdellDec 26, 2023

LibraryThing has been going strong since 2005. I interviewed its founder and lead developer, Tim Spalding, back in 2008. Listening to that interview again today reminded me that everything I loved about LibraryThing remains important and matters even more now.

https://blog.jonudell.net/2023/12/25/critical-mass-in-the-goldilocks-zone/

#books #socialsoftware #criticalmass #librarything

Critical mass in the Goldilocks zone

The use of the phrase “critical mass” in this NYTimes story about the enshittification of Goodreads stopped me in my tracks. Give all of Goodreads’s issues, it might seem easy eno…

Jon Udell
Show threadJavierDec 26, 2023
@judell LibraryThing is great, but regarding many small social communities, wouldn't they be eco chambers? Specially since dissent is moderated.
Show threadJon UdellDec 26, 2023
@javierr Nothing is perfect. But we evolved to interact with dozens to hundreds of fellow humans, not millions to billions.
Show threadJavier
@judell we evolved to eat as much sugary food as possible, be racist, and a bunch of other unfortunate things. How can this be a justification for something clearly antisocial (i.e. the tendency to become more extreme in eco chambers)?
Dec 26, 2023 at 9:55pmWeb
Show threadJavierDec 26, 2023
@judell I would like to clarify that I read most of your articles. I'm a fan. I'm just confused by the push for this system, which seems so clearly flawed.
Show threadJon UdellDec 26, 2023
@javierr I would say that LibraryThing, where many different kinds of book lovers congregate, isn't an echo chamber, but rather a vibrant intellectual community!
Show threadJavierDec 27, 2023
@judell absolutely! All kinds of books in the same place. Any book can reference and criticise any other. Good stuff!
I'm only referring to Mastodon-like mini communities.
Show threadJon UdellDec 27, 2023

@javierr Moderation policy can vary by instance in Mastodon so you can join or create whatever kind of community you want.

Many communities adopt a no-Nazi policy, and aim to enforce civil discourse, but nothing requires that.