zachklein: It’s not the infographics on the page that interest me, rather it’s the trend of emphasizing a user’s popularity on the network. Lamentably, I think this metric will come to define the experience for the next generation of social networks. I fear that the internet’s utility for many people will equate to constant awareness of one’s value, and the play of meaningless games to increase the sum. This in turn will render many networks impersonal and irrelevant. Like a candidate’s bid speech for high school class presidency, I fear my Tumblr dashboard will become padded with ‘popular stuff’ sure to garner votes rather than the intimate, vulnerable and quirky bits that I’ve enjoyed, and define Tumblr’s personality. I’m disappointed by Tumblarity, and Ashton’s follower count for the same reasons. I liked the Internet better when it was nebulous, and now I’m depressed that it shaping up to be a social pyramid. A very important point from Zach.  Like it or not, the online trend of ranking as a measure of self worth is here to stay….largely beacuse it’s not a new concept.  Man is a self conscious being.  Since the dawn of time, he has judged himself through the eyes of others.  The internet simply amplifies this phenomenon. That said, there are some, and always have been, that rise above the noise and have a sense of self that is transcendant.  The scholar, philosopher, teacher, rabbi, priest, oracle, yogi — every culture, religion, creed has them.  I’m not going to get into specific examples here, nor will I debate whether these archetypes truly transcend, but the *idea* is certainly prevalent.  And oftentimes it is actually found in those that appear simplest in their desires — the farmer, the traveler, the proud grandfather. Most will fall prey to the allure of online popularity (myself included).  But we will increasingly need a break.  An intimate, disconnected, personal space — a Sabbath of sorts, pick your form or fashion — that allows for time to think, breath and reflect. And I wonder whether part of that space will be found on the web or will it need to be entirely divorced from it.  I expect there to increasingly be a fair bit of ‘contra-innovation’ on the web around this notion of intimate spaces.  Curious to see what bubbles up here.

zachklein:

It’s not the infographics on the page that interest me, rather it’s the trend of emphasizing a user’s popularity on the network. Lamentably, I think this metric will come to define the experience for the next generation of social networks. I fear that the internet’s utility for many people will equate to constant awareness of one’s value, and the play of meaningless games to increase the sum. This in turn will render many networks impersonal and irrelevant. Like a candidate’s bid speech for high school class presidency, I fear my Tumblr dashboard will become padded with ‘popular stuff’ sure to garner votes rather than the intimate, vulnerable and quirky bits that I’ve enjoyed, and define Tumblr’s personality.

I’m disappointed by Tumblarity, and Ashton’s follower count for the same reasons. I liked the Internet better when it was nebulous, and now I’m depressed that it shaping up to be a social pyramid.

A very important point from Zach.  Like it or not, the online trend of ranking as a measure of self worth is here to stay….largely beacuse it’s not a new concept.  Man is a self conscious being.  Since the dawn of time, he has judged himself through the eyes of others.  The internet simply amplifies this phenomenon.

That said, there are some, and always have been, that rise above the noise and have a sense of self that is transcendant.  The scholar, philosopher, teacher, rabbi, priest, oracle, yogi — every culture, religion, creed has them.  I’m not going to get into specific examples here, nor will I debate whether these archetypes truly transcend, but the *idea* is certainly prevalent.  And oftentimes it is actually found in those that appear simplest in their desires — the farmer, the traveler, the proud grandfather.

Most will fall prey to the allure of online popularity (myself included).  But we will increasingly need a break.  An intimate, disconnected, personal space — a Sabbath of sorts, pick your form or fashion — that allows for time to think, breath and reflect.

And I wonder whether part of that space will be found on the web or will it need to be entirely divorced from it.  I expect there to increasingly be a fair bit of ‘contra-innovation’ on the web around this notion of intimate spaces.  Curious to see what bubbles up here.

Cite Arrow reblogged from zachklein
Tags: Internet Privacy Comments | 213 notes | | May 8, 2009

Post Notes

  1. triplep reblogged this from zachklein
  2. xojana reblogged this from laruthless
  3. laruthless reblogged this from zachklein
  4. momentsoftransience reblogged this from jessicabigarel and added:
    My thoughts exactly. I’ve caught myself checking my tumblarity far too many times since it was introduced.
  5. tumbilarity reblogged this from zachklein
  6. tumbilarity reblogged this from nrbd
  7. nabeel reblogged this from langer and added:
    The latest dustup...Tumblarity has my fellow office-mate Langer saying that by boiling...
  8. bvp663 reblogged this from zachklein
  9. thewebbedfootcontessa reblogged this from somethingchanged
  10. darknessfalls reblogged this from caro
  11. breakyoselffool reblogged this from caro
  12. ink-on-the-page reblogged this from imjustlikeme and added:
    My tumblr will never become this. I loathe the new “tumblarity” more than I can possibly say. I will ignore it’s...
  13. imjustlikeme reblogged this from somethingchanged
  14. psychedenique reblogged this from zachklein
  15. jaundicedeye reblogged this from langer and added:
    Quoted for truth, but...think that’s sadly fairly universal — not just limited to social...
  16. somethingchanged reblogged this from zachklein
  17. tjpytheas reblogged this from mokoyfman
  18. blackwhiteandcolour reblogged this from unicornology
  19. milkdrop reblogged this from unicornology
  20. justintang reblogged this from caitlinoppermann and added:
    Thumbs up for this.
  21. tumblaritysucks reblogged this from zachklein and added:
    Zach Klein explains why...failing proposition
  22. davemorin reblogged this from zachklein and added:
    Zach has some good things to say here. And, after having given this some thought, I agree with what a lot
  23. randomjoey reblogged this from jessicabigarel
  24. lessin reblogged this from jessicabigarel
  25. zebrapoo reblogged this from zachklein and added:
    is why Twitter sucks (now)
  26. debbiestier reblogged this from jratlee
  27. re-blogger reblogged this from alla1
  28. paulm reblogged this from zachklein
  29. matthewvandoren reblogged this from caitlinoppermann
  30. yummeh reblogged this from caro
  31. morgenstern reblogged this from langer
  32. 6ixpassions reblogged this from zachklein and added:
    was not sure how...this new feature...Tumblr. The...
  33. zzellers reblogged this from catbird and added:
    Unfortunately, sometimes I feel like I subscribe to that mentality. Like when Jakob Lodwick started following me I got...
  34. alla1 reblogged this from caitlinoppermann and added:
    rarrmi:davidtrawin:zachklein:
  35. sostark reblogged this from zachklein and added:
    second this. Arbitrary stats just lead...petty popularity contests where
  36. caitlinoppermann reblogged this from rarrmi and added:
    I wholeheartedly agree. I think this is a move in the wrong direction.
  37. krislane reblogged this from zachklein and added:
    Secret Enemy Hideout
  38. aparticularpath reblogged this from jessicabigarel
  39. jeffgiddens reblogged this from mokoyfman and added:
    I guess this goes back to Marco’s recent post...“Why do you blog?” If I had
  40. mokoyfman reblogged this from zachklein and added:
    A very important point from Zach. Like it or not,...measure of self worth is here
  41. colinkloecker reblogged this from langer
  42. nrbd reblogged this from langer and added:
    Matt Langer, referring to a (great) post by...this new Tumbilarity mess:
  43. langer reblogged this from zachklein and added:
    Zach makes an important point about...personal publishing
  44. webravebees reblogged this from nerdology
  45. jessicabigarel reblogged this from zachklein and added:
    Zach’s thoughts below. Also, Check out dpstyles’s thoughts...Feltronification
  46. jeninla reblogged this from dpstyles
  47. wickedwickedmonkey reblogged this from nerdology
  48. misssilk reblogged this from dubliner and added:
    I kind of feel bad still going...about this ‘cause I’m sure everyone’s sick of hearing...
  49. nerdology reblogged this from davidtrawin and added:
    Because I cannot say it better:...It’s not the infographics on the page that interest me,...
  50. brianvan reblogged this from zachklein and added:
    Agree in spirit, but I’ll repeat...thought from yesterday which seems
  51. deplorableword reblogged this from catbird and added:
    What’s interesting is that Tumblr have revealed the mechanics of what makes us popular, I know that if you all reblog...
  52. originalmaterial reblogged this from davidtrawin
  53. pgwp reblogged this from catbird and added:
    This whole reaction of “tumblr’s lame now because I can see statistical analysis of whether people are reading my blog”...
  54. mfs reblogged this from zachklein and added:
    tipped by markyb
  55. catbird reblogged this from zachklein and added:
    functions exactly like the internet as...whole (see Digg, Linkbait, Trolling, Obsession...
  56. goosebumpmusic reblogged this from caro
  57. markyb reblogged this from davidtrawin and added:
    I agree completely. Placing the follower count on the dashboard was the first step in transforming what was once a...
  58. adamiss reblogged this from caro
  59. rarrmi reblogged this from davidtrawin and added:
    Agreed. Measuring someone’s “worth” isn’t as simple as counting how many assholes have read your “deep” quote.
  60. dubliner reblogged this from zachklein
  61. caro reblogged this from zachklein
  62. davidtrawin reblogged this from zachklein
  63. jratlee reblogged this from zachklein and added:
    i really didn’t want to bring this discussion into my blog but i feel like it’s important.
  64. mattlehrer reblogged this from zachklein and added:
    Zach Yes, exactly.
  65. sailingonthesea reblogged this from zachklein
  66. tightgrip reblogged this from zachklein
  67. zachklein reblogged this from dpstyles and added:
    interest me, rather it’s the trend...user’s popularity
  68. dpstyles posted this
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