Nuance? We Don’t Need No Stinking’ Nuance …. john.philpin.com

@JohnPhilpin Excellent post. Everything is polarized now. And you are right, it was bullying, I’m just amazed so many could not see that.

@bradenslen maybe they could but didn’t mention it?

Sometimes I do wonder if ‘no likes’ is the totally right thinking … maybe upvote/downvote is a way, because otherwise you only ever hear from those that have the time - because it requires a comment … which by design takes time - but by design limits the ’public approval/rejection vote.

In most cases who cares - I understand the thinking, but on something like that … different kettle of fish.

If a comment takes ‘a minute’ and a ‘click’ takes a second … your response count is always going to be 1/60th on Micro.Blog.

@bradenslen extra thoughts on bullying …

🔗 Chris Best on Substack

To which Kottke writes …

🔗 Approvingly citing Musk/X and Zuck/Meta, Substack reiterates its commitment to support Nazis, antisemites, anti-vaxxers, transphobes, and homophobes in spreading disinformation & hate under the guise of “free speech”.

and what JK writes I have read similar … often. I read Substackers a lot and never ever come across anything that hits that description. Though according to people I read - they are there.

The difference is that I get a choice on Substack - and if i choose not to follow those accounts - I don’t see them. (Or at least I assume that is how it s working.)

In fact you would have to use the app to actually see any of that stuff … and if my stats are anyting to go by - their app readership is a very small percentage of the email subscriptions ….

Here’s the question … is JK bullying? Just pointing stuff out? Trying to ‘out them’? Back them down?

What do you (and anyone else) think is going on?

@JohnPhilpin I too like Likes. Fast simple and no long term commitment. Up/down votes are harder.

@JohnPhilpin I know nothing about SUbstack or how it operates. One difference: I presume it has no algorithm vs. XTwitter and Meta which do and may be biased.

@JohnPhilpin Yes. Yes. Thanks for writing this. I think I read your post last July too, (it felt very familiar just now), sorry didn’t comment. I think I agree with what you’ve written there and here.

I’ve written responses to the events that transpired, some private, some public, but confined to my blog. (Perhaps a bit wacky.) I didn’t make the explicit connection to bullying. But um… I think I called it illiberality and then fascism.

(Sometimes your posts/replies are a little quick for me, tbh. Like, they fly by and I’m not sure where to look, or how to make a connection. I think this is a “me” problem. Me being slow 🐢 )

@JohnPhilpin to be clear, however, I don’t like “likes” or thumbs up/down. I prefer nothing.

@lzbth yup .. not advocating for that .. and i am pretty sure that as long as Manton is in charge … that is will be ‘the way’

@bradenslen actually i read just yesterday that there is an algo floating around .. need to learn more.

I think my main point is most of what substack pushed out is email to inboxes … if I don’t subscribe i don’t get ..

Then in the app you can follow, mute and block

The only way you accidentally see stuff is on their main notes timeline … and in there i have never seen anything.

Happy to learn more if others know different.

@bradenslen the up down vote is akin to the unlike button in my head …

@bradenslen we can also get our kicks on Route 66 likes over on the like sites.

@JohnPhilpin I’ve never run across hard core hate stuff on Substack. I guess I don’t hang out in bad web neighborhoods or go down dark alleys. I really don’t explore Substack unless an article is recommended by a third party.

@JohnPhilpin Good thread. Thanks!

@leeS 👍

@bradenslen 🔗 Does Substack use algorithms?

@JohnPhilpin Thanks. Love that last sentence, written by the PR dept. :)

@bradenslen 😉