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But what if I want a faster horse?

(rakhim.exotext.com)
1525 points saeedesmaili | 2 comments | 11 Apr 25 11:39 UTC | HN request time: 2.041s | source
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FinnLobsien ◴[11 Apr 25 13:07 UTC] No.43653334[source]▶
I also dislike the TikTokification of everything, but I also know that all of us on this platform are wrong in the sense that we're not the user being designed for.

Consumer apps at massive scale like TikTok and Netflix don't design for nerds like us, they design for the average person. Actually, they design for the average behavior of the average person.

And most people on this planet are more or less happy with whatever they're presented with because they don't care about technology.

And when you control what's presented to people, not they (and they don't care), you can push them to consume what you want them to consume.

I heard a YC group partner once that he's worked with a ton of delivery apps. Many of them start out as differentiated apps for ordering from the best "hole in the wall" places or the app for authentic foreign cuisines, only to discover that the best growth hack is getting McDonald's on the app, because that'll be your top seller, instantly.

Most people just do the default thing everyone does—and we're probably all like that in one aspect or another of our lives, and that's who many experiences are designed for.

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1. mppm ◴[11 Apr 25 13:30 UTC] No.43653571[source]▶
> And most people on this planet are more or less happy with whatever they're presented with because they don't care about technology.

I think this is a debatable statement. It could be true, but I am increasingly convinced that enshittification, TikTokification, AIfication, etc. is proceeding despite what the average person wants. Average does not mean gaping, uninspired idiot. I think people in general do notice that everything is broken, short-lived, watered down and ad-ridden. But what to do? When every company does it, voting with your wallet becomes practically impossible.

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2. FinnLobsien ◴[11 Apr 25 14:06 UTC] No.43653946[source]▶
No, I totally don't mean that people are idiots, I think it's largely ignorance. I, for instance am fully ignorant of audio stuff. I'm mostly happy with Sony/Apple audio products, which audiophiles probably feel the same way I feel about chain restaurants.

It's true that it's also increasingly easier to be presented with an average choice because everything is aggregated somewhere and will mostly converge on a few options.

To your other point, a lot of this is also on an indifference curve. I said what the average person wants, not what the average person is ecstatic about.

But most people don't spend time seeking out the best possible experience and go with the good enough experience they're presented with.