Why the downvotes? Was something I said untrue?

Show me a period in American history when there wasn’t an even split between progress and atrocity.

To be honest, every decade has its share of ‘greatness’ and ‘terribleness’. Every generation has its heroes and villains. Sure, there weren’t kids on cellphones back in the 80’s but your kid would most likely be murdered if they came out as gay in high school. Yes, people weren’t digital shut-ins back in the 70’s, but cops were beating the living shit out of black people on the streets.

It’s all relative. There never was a ‘golden age’. That’s not to say we shouldn’t fight to make things better wherever and whenever we can, though.

“If you don’t profit from it, someone else will, so you might as well get yours.”

Don’t even get me started on how toxic and self-centered this is…

Fluxer appears to be the most promising, though it is still very new and they are working furiously to get it up to par with a tiny dev team that consists of two (three?) people. Most basic features are quite usable now, though.

I agree 100%.

No crisis was ever averted through worry, anxiety or panic.

Thanks for the replies, all. It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one who does this! I find it very therapeutic, and I enjoy being able to really focus on the lyrics and the music itself. My high school band teacher taught us that music is not a spectator sport - if you’re only hearing sounds, you’re missing out on half the experience. :)

Currently using Fluent Reader for desktop. I’ll never not use RSS for news.

This was a really great answer, and I appreciate your perspective. Things aren’t always what they appear to be on the surface (although sometimes they definitely are).

The Fediverse is decentralized, which means that it cannot (or at least it would be very, very difficult) be shut down by anyone. On an individual level, any user is free to start their own instance or community with their own rules in place should another instance or community become undesirable. If there is something you don’t like or that is somehow stifling to you, start your own and make it the way you want it.

If subscribing to one’s own interests is an ‘echo chamber’, then all of us are guilty. If you are going to immerse yourself in ‘diversity and understanding’ by dunking yourself headfirst into the totality of the human condition without any filters whatsoever…well, you get what you deserve, I guess.

This depends upon the communities you follow. And you have the choice to NOT follow them. I only read the communities that I subscribe to (instead of sorting by ‘all’), and it is very rare that I encounter the garbage that you’re describing.

Both are correct. I don’t see the Fediverse ever becoming as large as the billionaire platform for the precise reason that it isn’t run by billionaires with gigantic advertising budgets. As such, the Fediverse will not have the large numbers of users and hence, will be quieter.

That being said, the Fediverse IS an alternative to the billionaire platforms - especially for people who desire smaller, more intimate communities and - perhaps most importantly - controlled and governed by the people who use it.

I’m notoriously tender-hearted. I tear up watching or listening to emotional content all the time. I’ve never cried at funeral, though…mostly because I’m usually just trying to keep it together so I can be supportive for those who need it. Otherwise, I’m a big softie and it annoys me sometimes, but…it’s just how I am, I guess.

When someone reminds me of something I’ve completely forgotten about. It’s the worst feeling…

Yes, I’ve done this, as well. It definitely works.

Having worked in the retail sector for some time, I quickly learned that appearances are often deceiving after a few embarrassing blunders on my part. I taught myself to call everyone ‘my friend’. I had no more problems after that.