The firmer I become in my convictions that the independent web is the neccessary alternative to social media, the more likely I am to question that feeling.
Have the silos simply figured it out and we, as a species, inevitably trend to this system?
If so, then the independent alternative is surely a waste of time.
Life should be about people and if all of the people on the web are in the silos, then that is where we should be.
Sure, a bunch of people might reply to this – I have been very lucky to find a great community on Micro.blog, for example – and that might include lengthy replies with fiery disagreements to my conclusions.
But ask yourself: who will read that?
- The people who are so busy living their lives that they don’t have time to read blogs? I doubt it.
- The people who read blogs and oppose social media (except that they have social media accounts for totally legitimate serious reasons you couldn’t possibly pick apart we promise)? Congratulations, you are preaching to the choir.
- The people who have similar values and will make breakthroughs in convincing the mainstream to reject social media? That’s possible! After all, people like Manton Reece and Jean MacDonald enjoy reading blogs.
- The people who wield influence in our broader socio-economic systems, which have provided the support structures for silos to both exist and monopolise the web? Even if they read it, the chances they would change anything to balance out the silos are likely small.
So why are we bothering?
Why do we build against the silos?
What makes the independent web – in its current environment that is hostile to the average user of silos – worth adopting, warts and all?
