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in we are all weirdos There are two kinds of cultural disappointments in the universe.
The first is something that’s been around since the early days of cable: We don’t all see the same thing. We all don’t talk about it, the hits are not real hits, not like they used to be. M*A*S*H and Crown cannot be compared in terms of reach. (Actually it’s about 25:1).
If you grew up in a monoculture, it’s easy to miss that feeling. The hit gave us something to talk about, to abide by, and to disagree with. There are so many pockets of culture that when you look at it from a certain angle, you can’t help but feel a little lonely.
But new things are heard for the first time from young culture dwellers who did not grow up in a monoculture. They argue that we are reverting to a monoculture, where filters, memes, and the rapid spread of ideas will make everything the same again. The pressure to short-circuit is great, the desire for diversity is withering in the face of monopoly companies’ algorithms, and everything is turning to mush.
Indeed, hipster coffee shops in Tokyo look a lot like coffee shops in Boise. But no, it can’t be compared to the supremacy of an orange-roofed Howard Johnson or a yellow-arched McDonald’s that makes every road trip exactly the same. Yes, Cisco has the same bags of sugar everywhere, but at the same time, Cleveland now has three Ethiopian restaurants. When I got stuck there in his 1974 there was certainly nothing. Think they’re discussing the best bagels in Seattle right now. (Or the best bread in Paris, the best chocolate in Missouri, ethical spices, or even the best gluten-free cake in New York).
The calculation is easy. More people than ever before are consuming everything, but there are few real big hits. That means many of us spend our time in niche locations rather than in the center.
“Other” is the most common category for beer, music, sporting events, sneakers, jeans, religious practices, and cars. Yes, the filter keeps pushing the hits to be less interesting, but the long tail remains long.
none of the above I plan to be here for a while.
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