Interesting things too
For fans of Bob Ross’s “The Joy of Painting”.
In the interesting stuff pages in years past I've done quite a few topics, including the alienation of young men (and resultant electoral chaos), mental health of teenage girls and social media, and more recently we've noted the effect of AI slop on the human attention span...
In this vein, and it feels like the end of an era just posting this, I'd like to go further.
First up are the papers beginning to come in about how brain function changes when you use AI:
https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.08872
I've found a couple of young women with good insights on how people and the internet have changed. First up is something sad, the end of hobbies:
I've probably got more hobbies than space or work time, and I've noticed a shift she mentions: you spend more time learning about the subject or collecting stuff regarding it, than doing it. While I was happy making a model boat before, now I know of an expert who says it's got 27 portholes in certain locations and if I don't put them there, it's not an accurate model. There's always someone. That's not fun.
Next up and relevant to Swellnet big time, is the Death of the Internet:
Who knew that Farmville had ulterior motives? It was only the beginning of gated reservations of attention. The takeover is almost complete, and less and less content is real. At what point do we just bail?
And for Swellnet, will it be possible to remain a text based forum of real humans? Are all the posters human at present to your knowledge? Will it have to become a gated web of it's own?
Search engines are also now something different.
I miss the madcap, free wheelin' internet of the 1990s and early 2000s; the one with no boundaries, weird forums, no limit, and the explosion of human knowledge shared that it was. Yes there was trolling, too. So to finish off, I'd like to share a link to an absolute gem from the early internet, still accessible today: The Superior Works "Patrick's Blood and Gore" which is the most wonderful explanation of every Stanley hand carpentry tool ever created. I see no trackers or ads on this site? Join Patrick as he completes a woodworking wanderjahr of antique markets in the aim of establishing a traditional wood workers toolset... The #55 still amazes me... the site is my gift to you all.
Interesting stuff VJ. I think we'd be net better off if we turned off most of the internet. Dead internet theory is certainly making headway on becoming reality, as is the enshitification of most things unfortunately. Fortunately, I think SN has largely dodged bots arguing with each other, so far.
Internet Influencer's Son scores a free pass to obliterate commuters in Oz Airports / Train Stations.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15002415/Nicholas-Teplin-Jhyll-...
Yet another South African Nazi Cougar becomes a World Dictator to laugh off Oz Justice.
1m Tik Tok / 20m Likes buys ABC South African Cosmetic Gran any Judge / Fed Police Chief she likes...
https://www.thecoupcoup.com/talent1/jhyllteplin
https://au.linkedin.com/in/jhyll-teplin
Brews Whacky Tea for Jacko & PTSD son trips out on them Mobsters $Trillion Big Pharma Mushies
https://seniorsdiscountclub.com.au/threads/senior-tiktok-sensation-gains...
Mum Says : "Take care of yerself yummy scrummy TikTokerz & Have a Fabulous Day!"
Son says : "Outta my fucking way little people or I'll cave yer fuckin' heads in!"
"We all know I'm gonna get bail as always...Yawn!"
Blow up any Airport & take out any World Leader he chooses > Smash 5 commuters in a heart beat.
All Fed Police & Oz Judges...So sorry Miss Insta Influencer yer Son has a low kill count today...our bad!
Gives ya some idea on what little power Oz has up against an ABC AI Supa 6 Granny Smith.
This Supagran was tapping Boomer's Youth Serum...$Gazillions of Potions / Lotions on the shelf.
Said...let the Influencer's Kid knock off as many as he pleases...just buy a new Airport or some shit!
Albo: "Just sell the fuckin' $Gazillion potions before this turns to shit...too late! Yer all Fuckin' Hopeless!"
For when one interesting things thread isn't enough.