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(fwiw I think pi.fyi fights the top-down rec structure, democratizes recs, and encourages exploration, but much 2 consider)
“The pyramid scheme of taste follows the structure of your typical MLM. One person or institution declares something—a book, an Italian 90s movie, a type of coffee, the Hainan Chicken House—to have value. They then align the Chicken House with a certain desired aesthetic, a sense of prestige or in-group knowledge. The first degree of buy-ins might come from friends, TikTok followers or Times readers who will then go on to seek out this acclaimed Chicken House. These consumers are not motivated by the desire to fulfill a personal want or need, or by a drive toward personal aesthetic or knowledge or exploration, but by the knowledge that once they've collected this experience they can take a new seat in the pyramid and espouse the merits of the said experience to whoever their own micro-audience happens to be….
Sharing something you truly love to someone who revels in that revelation is sheer pleasure, and being shown a hidden gem you'd never otherwise come across is a true gift. It is not the transmission of recommendation that I object to, but the structure of its dissemination. The joy in sharing tastes comes from the joy of connection and mutual discovery. This is the opposite of the pyramid, which works to blend the joy of discovery with consumerist and elitist tastemaking…
Tastes are meant to be formed through experimentation, experiences that test your comfort zone and elicit reactions that inform you of what you truly like.“
Aug 1, 2024
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Sep 23, 2024
Feb 29, 2024
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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 it’s 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 “content“ 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 “influencer” of some sort or build a brand. it’s spooky, yet we’re all feeling the fatigue so hopefully we can see a less algorithmic future soon…
Feb 8, 2024
Top Recs from @Shadowbeni
a study issued last month found that dancing is the most effective way of treating and mitigating depression. Walking, therapy, and yoga also outpaced SSRIs. and if you're saying 'oh this was probably funded by Big Dance', there's no evidence of that and if you're saying 'that's just what a Big Dance shill would say', well honey you're right
Mar 4, 2024
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Reminder that most of what we do is a performance
Feb 24, 2025
Apr 10, 2025