The Web Is Going To Die
posted 7 hours ago #
I have only recently become a regular viewer of longtime YouTube channel vlogbrothers but I do consider myself a "fan." This latest piece really got me pondering. I have waffled back and forth many times - do I agree with this sentiment or not? Do I disagree simply because of the emotional connections I foster or because it's not practically true? I'm still not sure.
In this video, Hank Green compares Ghost Towns to The Web - proposing The Web is Going to Die. There are countless examples of abandoned destinations online - Geocities, Homestar Runner, Vine, NeoPets. We've all seen vacant YouTube accounts and social media that hasn't been updated in years. Twitter became X, effectively jettisoning an entire destination. I even have created my own with Whiskerino and its ilk. Much like physical ghost towns, these places exist but they're devoid of life.
Specifically, Hank says:
The pedantic nerd in me wants to point out that Homestar Runner, Geocities or even Twitter should not be categorized as "The Web." They're on The Web, not the foundational structure itself. But that's getting lost in unnecessary detail. The core notion here is that it takes real effort to partake in The Web these days. Even if you're armed with an RSS reader, it's not likely to be your primary vehicle of entertainment or education. I still don't think The Web has been fully supplanted by social media but that's not what he's saying - he's just saying he can see the directionality of it.
I remember building my first AOL website when I was a young teenager. That's three decades ago. I have a serious fondness for The Web and its decentralized nature. I love that I can make whatever I want on it, with the right research. Or that I can simply stumble on to something inspiring, ridiculous or thought provoking without an algorithm feeding it to me. I'm not ready to write a eulogy for The Web yet but it's certainly interesting to realize we are at the crossroads of change.
In this video, Hank Green compares Ghost Towns to The Web - proposing The Web is Going to Die. There are countless examples of abandoned destinations online - Geocities, Homestar Runner, Vine, NeoPets. We've all seen vacant YouTube accounts and social media that hasn't been updated in years. Twitter became X, effectively jettisoning an entire destination. I even have created my own with Whiskerino and its ilk. Much like physical ghost towns, these places exist but they're devoid of life.
Specifically, Hank says:
And now with the way content can make itself, I wonder what keeps the web alive? The decentralized place where anyone can create a little forum or a blog. The web is becoming a ghost town where we visit to remember the structure that used to exist, what life used to be like, how things used to be shaped.I want to disagree with that quote - The Web is vibrant! The Web is still full of life! But, realistically, the web is at best second tier to social media. Why bounce around the world wide web when you can just tap through an infinite number of stories? It feels safe to say that majority of people online are primarily using social media, no?
The pedantic nerd in me wants to point out that Homestar Runner, Geocities or even Twitter should not be categorized as "The Web." They're on The Web, not the foundational structure itself. But that's getting lost in unnecessary detail. The core notion here is that it takes real effort to partake in The Web these days. Even if you're armed with an RSS reader, it's not likely to be your primary vehicle of entertainment or education. I still don't think The Web has been fully supplanted by social media but that's not what he's saying - he's just saying he can see the directionality of it.
I remember building my first AOL website when I was a young teenager. That's three decades ago. I have a serious fondness for The Web and its decentralized nature. I love that I can make whatever I want on it, with the right research. Or that I can simply stumble on to something inspiring, ridiculous or thought provoking without an algorithm feeding it to me. I'm not ready to write a eulogy for The Web yet but it's certainly interesting to realize we are at the crossroads of change.