There are things you can cut out because much of the internet is self-perpetuated and relies on an odd combination of societal inclusion and apathy to continue to grow. Do you need to peruse others cat pictures endlessly everyday...no. TV is put there to placate people and much of the social internet is equally useful. But here I am posting this to HN but I can say that as a person without a facebook account so it is a matter of priority. I think Neal is right on!
I think the internet has a wonderful side - I've learned a tremendous amount on it. It also has a side similar to TV. You have to choose but sometimes the edges blur (as in my post TBH).
Agreed. For the last two years or so I've found myself weighting text-heavy websites like HN, or Reddit much more positively.
What I find disconcerting is that this shorthand seems entirely about ornamentation--the worry is that maybe some future TimeCube-like site will be subtle enough that it won't trigger my "is the author a kook" filter.
