[saimiam]

> Facebook solves a real social problem

With all due respect, until FB nominally solved this problem, you (I) never even knew this problem existed. Before it became trivial to share pictures with a long lost acquaintance using FB, we got by just fine showing pics to a tiny subset of friends.

There was literally no idea in anyone's head that they needed to show pictures of their children to some guy they last spoke to 15 years ago. This notion that FB is solving a real need is false. It's like saying cigarette companies solve the problem of nicotine cravings among smokers.

[wott]

That's the rhetoric of "the pressing 'demand' that must be satisfied". Each time I ask where the mass that actually 'demanded' something is, I get no answer.

[romwell]

Right, by a similar logic, there was never a demand for automobiles, so we can get rid of them without any loss.

[tedunangst]

Something about people wanting a faster horse.

[throwmea56]

They didn't. And, as a car obsessive, it was a mistake.

commute times are probably the same (45 minutes walking/tram with a 4~5 mi dense city core, vs 45 in the freeway and a 60 miles of low suburban development) and we don't have the infrastructure for alternatives to travel outside the city.

As to the need for speed itself. I used to like big fancy fast cars.

Then I got a motorcycle. Now cars are... boring.

[open_bear]

For every "wanting a faster horse" I give you "new iPhones every 6 months", "smart bottles that remind you to drink more water" and "Internet-connected $400 juicer that requires special cartridges to make juice".