And save for common sense legislation, the only way to change the way modern social media operates is to make new brands of media that are both more engaging than existing forms and prioritize health over profits. Humanist social media, which might be a myth, to think that you can match the user retention of existing companies without tuning your algorithms to maximize addiction. But possibly, having a healthy relationship with social media and learning positive things from people online can be addictive in its own way. Maybe in a way that can drive user retention even higher than current systems could ever hope to. But they’ll never know because making a system that gradually dismantles capitalism doesn’t sound profitable. In any case, I think we should try.

Even deciding to say something in small social media places such as this one involves bracing myself for a potential onslaught of disagreement about something I didn’t think about or got wrong or didn’t think was as big of a deal as they clearly do. It’s part of what made me improve my debating and spelling skills very early in life after visiting early message boards and chat rooms. But there was a limit to the number of people who could yell at you back then. I look around now and feel things have become a bit out of hand.

I want there to be a less turbulent internet where all the biggest media and message board sites are carved up into shallower pools and someone just making their first post is more likely to get constructive engagement instead of being immediately at the mercy of ten thousand people who will tear them apart. Let us focus group our posts with likely pals before it floats out to the open waters of global criticism. I know you still have to prevent echo chambers and figure out how to balance safety with engagement, so it’s not a simple problem to solve when it comes to finding the right algorithm. It’s just that right now, engaging with mass social media feels a lot like boarding a rickety canoe that’s already actively immersed in Class 5 rapids.

You also shouldn’t believe everything that you breathe, or you’ll get a parking violation with a maggot on your sleeve.