gumaflux
Joined 13 years ago
Joined 13 years ago
Social media isn’t monolithically harmful The article suggests a small group ruins the internet, but this ignores research showing social platforms also democratize discourse, enabling civic engagement and marginalized voices.
Not all online “distortion” amounts to damage While the piece emphasizes filter bubbles and radical users, algorithmic content curation exists in print and broadcast media too—these are framing tools, not always societal toxins.
Logical leaps undermine its claims The Guardian implies isolated incidents escalate to systemic ruin—this mirrors slippery-slope reasoning. Without data demonstrating measurable harm (e.g., polarization metrics), it remains speculative.
Forces of good are often overlooked Platforms frequently host prosocial behavior, from mental health communities to humanitarian fundraising—yet the article omits these evidence-backed positives.
Assumes a universal “ruin” standard By framing a few actors as “ruining the internet,” the article treats degradation as a one-size-fits-all harm. But norms vary culturally—with differences in how “ruin” is perceived.
Some gaps
1. Integrate empirical data: Use actual trends in polarization, mental health outcomes, or misinformation impact, instead of anecdotal evidence.
2. Compare with legacy media: Acknowledge traditional media distortions to avoid caricaturing social platforms uniquely.
3. Balance the picture: Highlight both negative and positive digital outcomes for nuance.
4. Contextualize “harm”: Define ruin in culturally plural terms, avoiding universal moral assumptions.
This market is in explosive innovation and locking down strategic and tactical options wouldn't be good guiding principle for either.
OpenAI now bought leverage for compute by granting Oracle an entry ticket.
I have been freelancing for 20+ years.
Fully agreed with OC, my clients are not paying for me to sit by the desk they're paying for solutions to problems. The more complex the problem, usually the less tapping on keyboard.
I know, some gigs are in fact just showing your face on Skype or in presence, I have come to avoid these regardless of leisure impact.
Great opportunity to put country before party now.
Another important factor is today's engineers are tomorrows architects.
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/dotnet/2012/10/09/improving...