You think younger people now don't feel the same way you did? And that they won't wistfully be talking about the times that Youtube gave them all the content they could ever dream of?
Maybe. But I wouldn't count on it.
Yeah, those were "fun" days. I'm not sure I'd go back to them.
what has changed culturally is pseudonymity became real names, with all the baggage that comes with it, and that makes people more conservative. If you want an objective measure of that, look at the attitudes towards nudity. Nowadays, crypto is a space that brings back anonymity, and you can see all the chaos it brings with it. but chaos is mystery and people also love those
On the other hand most people wouldn't want a completely free internet. 4chan versus Reddit and the public chose Reddit.
They prominently use SSO, encourage the use of their app, and embed dozens of trackers.
They're actively trying to develop social features and get people to embed their identities.
This creates stickiness, a moat, and aids monetization.
Look to Twitter. They're forcing phone number association and blocking valid accounts from logging in without one. This will happen to Reddit too eventually.
It would probally feel better now, but the consequences are too stiff.
It felt good to be a gangster at a time when the laws were grey, or enforcment was not as easy as today?
Ahh never mind, I don't feel like getting into it.