what does it mean to push against instead of playing to the crowd? is playing to the crowd antithetical to the authentic, pre-irony space pi.fyi organically echoes from earlier internet times? lots of ways to look at this!
i get this and think it's easy if you're fluent in online spaces. i actually feel like this specific aspect of the app feels most on par with the general design and function of apps in general and thus a tiny drawback for me; seeing the sorta patterned language and text magnified in this way (i'm off all other apps). this dilution and self-referential talk kinda bums me out?? it is refreshing to see a rec that pushes against this with flowery, long passages that are less self-aware and more about actually communicating the thing than just signaling status or an in- the-knowness. me? i like a little of both...xo
Related Recs
āļø
- Loving the early-internet vibe aesthetically and spiritually. In the latter sense, appreciate the democratic nature of the āeveryoneā tab - it feels wild and thrilling in the way of an aol chat space.
- In the same vein, mildly suspicious of the user spotlights; one of the reasons I left IG in favor of PI was the feeling that I was being fed paid or preferred content and it felt yuck. Popularity contests are out.
- Would be more inclined to pay for pro if there was some guarantee/agreement that the money was going towards keeping the platform ad-free *forever*.
- I like how it can function as a source of recommendations/aspirational user-generated content *and* as a personal mini- blog/collage of interests. I think that keeping its purpose flexible in this way would be smart. Suspect folks are burnt out on likes and follows and promotion, but love to digitally scrapbook towards self-actualization.
- Big yes to the āaskā feature, enjoy when theyāre wacky, and hope it remains central to the concept. Would maybe be more encouraged to engage upon opening the app if new, randomized questions were up top instead of recs.
Jan 27, 2025
š»
i don't think there's something more authentic about this app than there is about, say, twitter - i be talking some shit on there and it's all pretty "authentic". i'm more concerned with how i come across online because that has always been the case since, like, biblical times (see: chatrooms in 1999). my opinion on this is that most of us will never be our fully authentic selves in any form of consumable media whether that's through an app or through our art. "raw, unfiltered, authentic" means nothing to me, i fear. recommending a piece of media (music, film, tv, book, podcast) clues your audience into what you may be like: i can filter out the "bad" music i listen to, or the books i don't want anyone to know i've read and enjoyed and just recommend things that i believe the majority here would appreciate because they too have the little bug in their brain that tells them this is something to be enjoyed shamelessly while others are not. i'm not going to come on here and recommend the marvel movie - i'll recommend some obscure italian neorealism film, because that's what i think will get me more attention here. but maybe i'm alone on this.
Apr 17, 2024
š
iām not sure what area youāre studying/working on, and which is the basis of your essay - also, as a newbie who isnāt well-versed on the culture here - i guess iāll just say some random misc thoughts about my experience so far!
there is something about this interface, i.e. the fonts, the emojis, the formatting, the colours, etc, thatās all so incredibly nostalgic of early tech. it looks like an elevated version of the bare websites they had us build with html/css in ict class. it also feels like a more text- and community-based tumblr, another platform that i found a lot of comfort and joy being on. i donāt have the introspection or technical knowledge to pinpoint what exactly it is about PI, and similar platforms (like tumblr) that makes them safe and comforting/less stressful to use compared to others, so iād be interested in seeing whether this is something your essay will touch on, or define!
maybe itās because itās still new and with a smaller user base than Big SMā¢ļø sites, but the culture here doesnāt seem to care about how many followers you have, or in getting the highest amount of engagement on everything you post! itās an even playing field where everyone iāve seen is just enthusiastic, helpful and thoughtful in their recs or general comments. a small detail, but i also like that specific ālikeā numbers arenāt displayed - it (maybe unintentionally?) removes a lot of subliminal pressure to up that figure!
PI is a happy, unencumbered space that makes you feel like a (pre-)teen exploring early tech and social platforms again, except instead of it being a collection of people u know irl, itās basically a bunch of friends from all over. and thatās something thatās been sorely missed, or perhaps even erased, from the cultures of other social media sites. thereās so much individualism and criticism there, and when you donāt receive engagement, youāre basically talking to yourself bc the algorithm wonāt pick up your posts & have them show up for other people.
thereās always something so special and personal when social sites such as this are in their early days, when the people participating are still genuine in their pursuit on them. the people gravitating towards being here are probably looking for the same thing as well, so i hope for nothing more than for it to stay like this.
Apr 26, 2024
Top Recs from @kpeck
ā¤ļø
nothing short of a spiritual advisor. here he is illuminating a truth I believe we all feel to be true when down and out but often forget/neglect out of allegiance to self-pity or the traps of misery. this could almost read as a hallmark card quote, but it exists elsewhere...so by default, it is its own thing.
I do not mean to be sentimental about sufferingā but people who cannot suffer can never grow up, can never discover who they are.
Feb 13, 2024
ā
less attachment to identity markers and more-sensory driven living/being. staying conscious and in touch with our core essence and saying yes to life when the forces that be make it very easy to say no and cut ourselves off from others and the rest of the world. embodying this truth can ignite a sense of freedom and liberation that is a sexy balm...if you are into that kinda thing
Feb 10, 2024
š¤
what a woman...
poster child for humility and peace
Feb 6, 2024