ploumDec 15

"How We Lost Communication to Entertainment"

A following of my post about PixelFed

https://ploum.net/2025-12-15-communication-entertainment.html

Also available on #gemini :

gemini://ploum.net/2025-12-15-communication-entertainment.gmi

#fediverse #geminiprotocol

How We Lost Communication to Entertainment

How We Lost Communication to Entertainment par Ploum - Lionel Dricot.

Show threadArkholtDec 16
@ploum The underlying assumption here is that images are inherently not a form of communication, but are merely "content" or "entertainment." As an artist, I absolutely disagree with this assumption. Art *is* a form of communication, so fostering the ability to share it can only be fostering communication, just in a different way. I want a place to share my artwork with others and to see others' artwork, and if it doesn't contain any text, it still communicates things to me.
Show threadploumDec 16

@arkholt : nope. Never said that. My assumption is that "communication implies not missing a message".

I never implied that one medium was better than other regarding that.

But, if you want "only images, never text" from people who produce both, then you are not looking for communication with them. Only for entertainment.

Show threadArkholtDec 16

@ploum You say you never said it... and yet you just reiterated it.

"But, if you want 'only images, never text' from people who produce both, then you are not looking for communication with them" implies that images are not communication. Which I disagree with.

Show threadploumDec 16

@arkholt : I said "from people who posts both". You interpret something I never said.

Imagine someone posting a nice picture of a smiling person.

Then posting afterward a text describing how that person looks nice but was, in fact, a criminal.

If you choose to not see the text, you miss important information. You are willingly not communicating with that person.

That doesn’t imply that pictures is not communication. It implies that communication is a whole.

Show threadploumDec 16

@arkholt : The opposite is perfectly true. Let’s tell you a small history of how I witnessed a murder.

Then post a picture of a cat killing a mouse.

Without the picture, there’s no communication either.

It is not about pictures. It is about the whole message.

Show threadArkholt

@ploum If an image without text doesn't convey a whole message, then I fail to see how that doesn't imply the image isn't communicating anything. Or doesn't communicate "enough."

A picture of a cat killing a mouse may be ambiguous. But what about a drawing or painting of your face as you witnessed the murder?

Perhaps rather than being upset that you're not allowed to use text, try to see how you could communicate the same thing within the limitations of only images.

Dec 16 at 2:31pmWeb
Show threadBreizhDec 16

@arkholt @ploum The problem isn’t that you can’t use text.

It’s that the text is hidden. If you hide part of message, then you don’t get the whole message.

Hidding images is a problem too. Or part of the images. Or anything else, hiding part of a message whatever the medium is, is a problem.

Show threadBreizhDec 16
@arkholt @ploum You can post an image without text. But if someone post an image with text, and you can’t read the text, and worse, you don’t even know there is a text, then it’s a problem.
Show threadArkholtDec 16
@breizh If the problem is with the way ActivityPub is being implemented on Pixelhub, like the post from last year said, then whatever. We can have a conversation about that. But the new post is trying to say “communication is being lost” and “if you don’t want text all you want is content and entertainment” in order to further justify the position. And I just don’t think it works. Because it seems to throw people who only post images under the bus.
Show threadBreizhDec 16
@arkholt Well, I agree, but the author too, since he repeated you multiple times that it wasn’t what he’s saying…