Mike's List 241
Mike's List 241
The cure for information disorder; nostril masks; office vans; giant earbuds; and more!
7 reasons why Substack is the cure for information disorder
Intelligent, thoughtful readers are fed up with algorithmically controlled content. Companies like Facebook are in the business of building software machines that tell us all what to read — what to think and to know.
This system is conducting an experiment on all users at all times, dangling different kinds of content in front of millions of people to see what they share, click on, linger over, like and comment upon. All that engagement data is instantly fed back into the machine to inform what the next batch of users see.
Inevitably, the result favors the salacious, anger-producing, prurient and frivolous. On social media, what we get are the pellets in a hamster experiment based on our compulsion, our most basic impulses. And the more we let social media push our buttons, the dumber the content gets. The dumber we get.
Algorithms can be gamed. Propagandists, opportunists and exploiters will always find a way to push those buttons, leading to widespread disinformation, conspiracy theories and lies. Legitimate publications have to compete with the news feed "hackers" by choosing salacious content and clickbait headlines. Everything gets dumbed down.
Call it information disorder, information pollution or just plain content garbage — social media has destroyed public understanding and discourse.
What intelligent readers actually want is to decide in advance what and whom to read, and let that content arrive without machine or even human filtering, censorship or control. And without all those time-wasting, mind-taxing ads.
For the past 20 years, online advertising has gotten completely out of control. It's not uncommon to click on a link to a story, only to be assaulted by ads on top of ads on top of ads. Instead of reading the story, the reader starts wrestling with the page, trying to find the hidden X that closes windows, pushing down encroaching promotions and figuring out how to stop auto-playing videos.
Yes, content must be monetized. But for many people (including myself), it's preferable to pay with a subscription fee than to pay with the pollution of one's own mind. In other words, we've come to intuit that our time and attention is valuable and finite, and not something to be endlessly sacrificed for "free" content.
Substack is a beautiful thing. It solves the biggest problem readers have and the biggest problem writers have.
Here are the 7 reasons why Substack is the cure for information disorder.
Mike’s List of brilliantly bad ideas
1. Nostril masks
Hero Mammoth 2.0 (wait, there was a 1.0 version?) are described by the maker as "low profile" nasal filters. The filters are held in place by wires that go way up your nose. Using the word "which" instead of "that," they claim that "an adjustable, detachable MERV-13 rated filter which provides a tight seal around the nose. Together, they provide focused filtration which doesn't gap, shift when you speak, or get hot or sweaty." They don't claim to stop the coronavirus — it's designed to protect you from smoke — but at least you won't look ridiculous wearing a mask.
2. Working in a van down by the river
Nissan's latest "office pod" concept is actually a van with a desk in it. Nissan's NV350 Caravan Office Pod Concept has a built in Herman Miller chair and desk that slides out the back so you can be slightly more outside than with just the back door open. The roof of the van also sports a deck where you can place a lounge chair and umbrella. It's also got electronic shades, a UV sterilizing glove box and other random features.
3. Giant earbuds
The XL Speaker is shaped exactly like an old-school earbud, for some reason. The $40 bluetooth device also lets you make calls. The manufacturer says that the speaker is "adept for traveling" and "great for TikTok videos," both unlikely.
Mike's List of links
Live TV news in English from all over the world
Draw and picture and let AI judge and rank your skill
Mike’s List of shameless self-promotion
AI will understand the world (so you don't have to!)
It's time to ban news-choosing algorithms
The future of the VoIP industry is clear
Intersection safety and the technology that will bring it to your town
How public safety systems support natural disaster recovery