[eulo__]

This has been my view for a while too. Most internet forums I use are a shadow of their former selves.

When I first started browsing hn I was blown away with how smart and insightful the posts were. Ideas I had never thought of and quite a few I struggled to even comprehend.

It's very rare to see that now days.

[pault]

Are you sure it's not because you're better educated and harder to impress? I thought the same thing until I did a deep dive on some old articles and the comments weren't noticably different.

[eulo__]

Probably a factor, I also think it's partly because the forums I use at the moment used to be programming centric, but have since broadened their appeal. Hn to Tech business, reddit to literally everything. Lobste.rs has been a fantastic alternative for decent discussion

[smaddox]

Thanks for pointing out Lobste.rs. I had never seen it before. It looks like it adds back some of the good ideas from the Slashdot of yore.

[specialist]

Everyone thinks this.

I was the hub of a PC-Relay network (the FidoNet era), a moderator on CompuServe, and very active on various game boards. It's never been any different.

Social circles have a life cycle, span.

When the current one sours, go find the next one. Or start a new one with some friends.

I think Clay Shirky's article about a group being its own worst enemy applies. Probably monkeyspheres too.

[soufron]

The Life Cycle of Social Circles... you got a book title there ;)

[emodendroket]

And what's with music and TV now? When I was younger everything was good, but now it's bad.

[eulo__]

Yeah nar, false dichotomy imo