š„
I read this article at least 2-3 times a month. I think this specific snippet is so powerful to consider. āā¦the willingness to give a strong opinion and not necessarily waver on thatā is such a rare thought in our super commercialized world. All it takes is 2 minutes on Tik Tok to see someone selling out with a brand partnership to sell you a product they wouldnāt even use themselves to see that peopleās opinions (today) are easily bought and manipulated. Iād implore you to sit + think through things that matter to you + process why they matter to you + stick to your guns on it (until you come to a point where you gain new info that shifts your opinion; itās okay to give in with humility and take a new stance!). But letās not be the type of people that are scared to stand on their opinions: Be bold. Stand firm. Eat the crap that comes with it. But youāll see how the right people will value you for it. LINK TO THE ARTICLE IS ABOVE BTW.
Apr 10, 2024
Related Recs
š°
anyone on pi.fyi will likely feel seen and heard when reading this. it basically accentuates all the redundancies and senseless aspects of social media and how itās disrupted every industry and how we are all dominated by the algorithm and have to be our own hype person. i always feel like an idiot after i finish a record or a book that i'm really excited to share with the world, but then have to think about ācontentā to promote the art itself. obviously pi.fyi feels likes a refreshing beacon of hope because artists can share their work here in a far more simple and wholesome manner. the article also addresses non-creative jobs like accountants and other professions that are all being forced to become an āinfluencerā of some sort or build a brand. itās spooky, yet weāre all feeling the fatigue so hopefully we can see a less algorithmic future soonā¦
Feb 8, 2024
š
if you're interested in having your own business/brand I suggest you follow seth godin's newsletter or read a few of his books. hes all about niche business and has been for the last few decades (way before our fav tiktok and reels people started talking about micro-brands).
"For just about everyone, mass isnāt your friend. Mass means average, and the average person isnāt ready to sign up, talk about it or switch. Thatās because change always happens at the edges."
Feb 4, 2024
this article really captivated me about 8 years ago when it came out. i was still in college on my sociology bullshit and was extremely interested in the tactile changes the internet was bringing, especially to cities (i was also in the midst of a rust belt obsession so really couldn't have been more tailored to me).
a lot of what is in this article has been discussed to death in the time since, but i re-read it recently after a visit to troy new york (the main subject) and found it a really interesting relic of the 2016 internet landscape AND a worthwhile reflection of what the author was predicting and how much of it came true. and all of it is still very relevant, just swap instagram with tiktok
Nov 12, 2024
Top Recs from @marianoleonczik
florinegrassenhopper riotgrrrl brendanooooo slowdazzle buck_mcgraw and indianjones ā we did it. Not only did we successfully meet for drinks, but we also schemed the hostile takeover of this app from tyler tonight.
In all seriousness ā weird that an app I downloaded in April would make genuinely want to drive back into Brooklyn during end of day traffic for a happy hour. Great app filled with great people.
Jul 20, 2024
ā„ļø
I feel like thereās a special connectivity on this app that I havenāt felt in a long time, maybe since early 2010ās tumblr. The fact that you canāt promote yourself like IG is wonderful. The fact that there isnāt mass video content like Tik Tok is great. Itās not this monetized / paid sponsorship app. People are here because they want to be a part of something with nothing to gain besides friendship. Seeing the URL -> IRL meetups warms my heart so much (waiting for an NYC or Brooklyn meetup).
Thanks for your participation on this niche little app. I smile reading all the recs and all the comments and all the asks. Hope weāll all be here for a long time.
Jun 15, 2024
š„
I think a life rule for me is to surround myself with people who know more / are smarter / are cooler than me and just absorb their aura by listening / observing them. Itās made me the incredibly smart / cool person you all know and love.
I just never thought Iād feel the same way about URL friends. Iām constantly listening to the songs I see posted here, reading the articles, subbing to newsletters, and googling topics that get tossed onto the feed.
Itās nice to know you can become a more rounded person by just absorbing what your mutuals post on here. Iām going to sit on my couch, have a cocktail and digest my lovely feed. Happy Sunday!
Sep 15, 2024