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genxlib

(6,077 posts)
19. I would say that it has been a roller coaster
Fri Dec 19, 2025, 01:03 PM
Friday

Up until a certain point in time I would say the technology definitely improved our lives.

But I think there was an inflection point where the good things it brought us leveled out while the bad things took off.

It feels like phones, streaming, internet, social media, etc. have all peaked and have just become a way to exploit us for eyeballs, data and subscriptions. In some cases the delivered value leveled off but in some cases it has outright declined. It has even been given a name (Enshittification) as technology gets worse to maximize monetized ROI to the tech giants.

All in all, I think the curve peaked about 10 years ago. You could move that needle about 5years plus or minus in either direction and I think it probably does vary among the various types of tech. But somewhere along that time frame, I think we tipped over from being users to being cannon fodder.

Having said that, not sure I would want to roll it backwards. But I could definitely see~2015 as a peak.

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It's not a "one size fits all" TheProle Friday #4
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Well, here rzemanfl Friday #6
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As We Age snowybirdie Friday #9
Isaac Asimov markie Friday #10
A very wise man, he was. MineralMan Friday #17
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I saw something the orher day that absolutely amazing PCB66 Friday #15
It's important to separate kids from smartphones, especially at school. See this: highplainsdem Friday #18
Lunchbreak at work is people looking at their phones, not interacting. Boomerproud Friday #22
As someone who is disabled and cannot drive synni Friday #16
That aspect of the internet is good. But it's a very small part of internet traffic and time spent online highplainsdem Friday #21
I would say that it has been a roller coaster genxlib Friday #19
I hate that people are not present to what is going on around them. milestogo Friday #20
Social media (while it has some very good qualities) will probably be bluestarone Friday #23
I consider the digital age a blessing and a boon. I'm Ilsa Friday #24
Smart people got better. Stupid people got worse. Iggo Friday #25
I don't think we're better off. Scrivener7 Friday #26
I've been on the internet since the late 'seventies, starting as a university undergraduate. hunter Friday #27
Educator, born in '71. I think we jumped the shark once GPV Friday #28
The Internet is a wonderful servant and a terrible master Fichefinder Friday #29
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