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Notes -
The Beautiful People are in Charge Just Like Everywhere Else.
I don't have anything terribly insightful to say about any of this. It's just another entry in the ongoing process of what I've mentally termed internet gentrification or nerd cultural appropriation. I attempt not to get bent out of shape over these things, lest I tip over into the "ugh, normies..." nerd-hipster trope but this article resonated with me. I miss the pre-Dice CmdrTaco-era of Slashdot (fuck Beta!). I hate influencer culture and every YouTube video telling me to "like and subscribe". There used to be a commenter on SSC whose entire schtick was something like "Everything is a popularity contest and all is lost" and he's starting to make sense to me. Moloch will have his sacrifices.
The idea that the internet has been taken over by any one group or people is wrong. The internet is way bigger than ever. Even the smallest or most esoteric of niches are finding large audiences and making decent money. There are plenty of YouTube channels that do not have influencers. Social media made the internet bigger and maybe angrier, but there is still tons of non-social media stuff.
There are still tons of people making stuff who aren't currently influencers, and most of them never will be. But increasingly it feels like everyone would be if they could be, if given the opportunity most would jump on being invited to panels and give Ted talks and monetize their podcast and whatever else.
What it's most comparable to is punditry. I've known very few people who can get the talking head gig on Ms/CNBC, CNN, fox, oann whatever who turn it down. It eats interesting newsmen and journalists and even authors!
My rule of thumb is that no one can resist getting paid for their thoughts.
And even if I avoid monetized content, the possibility changes how people work.
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