This is a theory that’s previously been stated in log/39-normie-hypothesis.gmi, but I think it’s worth expanding on as it’s become very relevant with the recent Reddit shit-show actualizing just how bad that website has gotten along with social media in general.
I think the model demonstrate how the ’enshittification’ process is an inevitability with any social media that is run on a venture capital model.
An online community can be like a village, where you have familiar faces, collective experiences, shared values and so forth.
I don’t think we need the police comparison…
Some moderation is necessary, but if things get out of hand your instance will just be defederated. So it is more self regulating than you suggest.
How do you stop your instance getting out of hand?
By moderating it, as I said some is necessary obviously.
I just don’t like the “police” comparison. There are ways to motivate people to keep order without sending armed state goons to kill or imprison you.
I know your comment isn’t really about the metaphorical “village”, but police as we know them today are a far more modern conception than we think. Plenty of societies/villages/whatever did fine without such a force.
I think weather or not this comparison is good or bad will completely depend on where you’re from. The concept of police is good. It’s how it’s practiced that is either good or bad.
disagree on “the concept of police is good”
like I see what you think the police ideally should do, but the police never were about that, and you don’t need police (as in, the institution) to have that