"[Social media and big tech companies] compete with each other to capture your attention. Think about that phrase. It acknowledges that your attention is valuable. But it also reveals that some of the biggest corporations in human history aren’t trying to earn your attention, or deserve your attention. They’re trying to take it from you."
- Jon Haidt commencement address to NYU 2026 graduates
I genuinely believe that the Fediverse offers the best chance of recapturing the friendly, optimistic Internet I loved as a kid.
We've got flaws, sure. I've been critical of aspects of fedi culture, and will continue to do so.
But this place represents hope, and hope is where we start.
Bruh never even knew about TikTok.
"We have become so accustomed to its discontinuities that we are no longer struck dumb, as any sane person would be, by a newscaster who - having just reported that a nuclear war is inevitable, goes on to say that he will be right back after this word from Burger King.
...
One can hardly overestimate the damage that such juxtapositions do to our sense of the world as a serious place."
- Neil Postman, 1985 (Amusing Ourselves to Death)
this graduation speech moment is notable, and her amazed shock at having failed to read the room feels instructive.
when you’re inside the bubble, you think everybody else is. but everybody isn’t.
A content creator who's channel I frequent (astridlundberg) did this and thought it was real nice so I wanted to spread the love.
So, in the spirit of #mayday if you are feeling closed off and lonely I hope an old friend messages you. If you're feeling drained I hope you take in the energy of the Sun. And in the spirit of May Day, on my behalf, please thank a bee for buzzing. 🐝
Today is Bandcamp Friday! That means Bandcamp doesn't take a cut when you buy a record!
Coincidentally, a few months back I made an EP with songs about retro computing, along with my friends from Action Retro and The Taylor and Amy Show.
It's $5 and is what funds our trips to VCF, etc! If you like songs about putting Linux on things or extolling the virtues of the 6502 microprocessor, you might be interested.
https://thestopbits.bandcamp.com/album/return-from-interrupt
5 track album
what's an astronaut's favorite meal?
launch
Veronica Explains
Brian Bilston
Cabel Sasser
Brooke Vibber