Information Commodification and Social Analytics

[Daniazco]

Do you know Robert Anton Wilson?

[HoloplexProductions]

@Daniazco I know of him, have read some of his books etc, but didn't know him personally.

[TruthAndLoyalty]

It is sad. Speaking honestly I think I'm somewhat addicted to notifications, but I'm only satisfied if they contain worthy content. I don't necessarily care about likes on facebook, for example, because I'd rather have discussion. My youtube account, on the other hand I do appreciate likes and views because my channel is related to music and I get a good idea of what kinds of ideas I should develop. I've been contemplating a philosophical, political, rant channel for a while. procrastination.

[jdogsful]

this is sadly very true. even i must admit to this sense of disappointment when i am expecting a message and it isnt there. but my method for avoiding that disappointed is too not expect a message. so instead, its a surpise when i do have a message, not when i dont.

[Professoranton]

nice

[HoloplexProductions]

The irony being that in some sense we need these metrics to decide who to interact with online, eBay for instance provides a social currency (reputation). So by quantifying ourselves we are able to artificially extend Dunbar's number in a way.

[TruthAndLoyalty]

@HoloplexProductions Maybe metrics, in general, aren't the alienating force, but the over-reductionism that the metrics express is. I find good rough quantification useful. I think I've mentioned this site before and it's not the most fantastic social network, but Experience project is all about sharing your experiences. You can join or instantly start categories that are in the format of "I [this and that]." With that people can build a much better picture of themselves to compare.

[HoloplexProductions]

@TruthAndLoyalty Hey Brad, thanks yeah I think you told me about that site before. I must have overlooked it.

[TruthAndLoyalty]

@HoloplexProductions While technology may flatten ones persona that's not entirely an internet phenomena. Stereotyping happens similarly in personal social networks even if the picture is more dynamic. IRL social networks have the disadvantage of being less based on an unknown individual's expression and more on hearsay and "impression," where the internet can sometimes strip certain cognitive biases and let one speak for himself. (cont.)

[TruthAndLoyalty]

@HoloplexProductions Although, it does make more things explicit that might hinder social interaction, but social networks do make it somewhat difficult to avoid alternate opinions and in that way I think it can open social structure networks that may have been more segregated otherwise.