>Now, as we can see from the previous section on dopamine-reward-systems, what social media and quantifiable discourse is doing is mentally limiting what we can say and do, not by way of oppression, but by way or ostracization, alienation and peer-pressure.

The overton window is wider than its ever been at any point in history.

Like I think this particular thing was overblown in the first place and also people are already correcting for it.

▲

4bpp 9 hours ago | parent | next [-]

If the author's theory were true and social media dynamics were indeed compressing the Overton window, wouldn't these sorts of "the Overton window is way too wide" posts be exactly the reaction one would expect to it on social media? Thinking that extremism is running rampant is what it feels like to be the thought police from the inside.

▲

phoronixrly 9 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I think both you and the commenter you responded to are misreading the article. I read it as 'hey, currently everyone on social media is discussing $latest US political news, posting over-directed short-form content, etc., so you posting a family photo, a photo of your favourite plant, sharing a favourite song, or a passage of a book you're reading would be considered odd, weird, despite being a completely normal thing to do and many people used to do regularly.'

▲

SpicyLemonZest 8 hours ago | parent [-]

That reading seems obviously false to me. I routinely see people posting those things on social media.

▲

phoronixrly 8 hours ago | parent [-]

Really? I don't, and self-censor in tune with that. shrug

Also how many of the posts you see hit the front pages or become viral? Are you sure they aren't shunned and ostricised by not being awarded comments/likes/shares?

	▲	mattgreenrocks 7 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I agree. This is exemplified by social media’s constant refrain to join “the conversation.” The subtext is you joining in to talk about what’s relevant, which, of course, ends up being the current talking points of the world/your niche. In this way, social media can be almost unbearably lonely for me. So many people corralled to talk about that which gets them Internet Points. But they seem like they’re right there. Concrete example is I’m trying to learn how to build a tone for djent metal, which is a highly syncopated guitar sound that needs special considerations from your signal chain to achieve a distorted, highly staccato (at times) clear tone. I find a lot of discussion when it was fresh (2010-2015) but have difficulty getting much discussion on it nowadays because it’s not seen as fresh. Is it because it is somewhat niche? Absolutely. But even the people that are into it are much less enthused. It’s like the info has to be dug up vs being easily passed around.

▲

andy99 7 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Yeah the fact that that statement got so much pushback in the comments sort of speaks for itself. I think in some cases, exposure to other views (or caricatures of them) is being confused with a widening Overton window in one's own group.

▲

Muromec 9 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

I was with the author until that moment and the list of things "we" have supposedly forgot. Overtone window seems to be widening if anything. With the most unhinged hot takes of the 20th century being talked over again and all that.

At least the article doesn't blame "them" for doing it to "us". Or is it implied? Does the other article blame on the usual suspects of the day?

	▲	nathan_compton 9 hours ago \| parent [-]
		The main difference now is that everyone sees everyone else's overton window because we are all just letting our asses hang out on social media and this engenders a lot of conflict, dog-piling, etc. Not great stuff, certainly, but not really evidence that the overton window is narrowing. In other respects I think the submission is more on point, though still reactionary.