[hohenheim]

Ironically, clapping, is the very device Medium uses to keep writers writing, the same stimuli that releases dopamine in other platforms.

And yet, the author decided to write his article on the very site that uses techniques Nir talks about to promote engagement.

[Devolver]

I agree. There is a contradiction here. And I am nearly as uncomfortable with centralized publishing platforms as I am with mass scale behavior design for profit.

And yet.

I originally published on my own site and it didn’t get much traction.

But when I edited it substantially and published as a direct response to Nir’s post, it reached 30,000 people, 6000 of whom finished the whole thing...in less than 24 hours.

Since the goal for me is spreading the message and fueling the converstion, I gotta go where distribution follows.

[dotancohen]

When Rage Against the Machine signed to a major record label, they had a good quote, something along the lines of choosing to either preach to the choir or to address the masses. Them (and you) recognize the power of the medium and use it just like anyone else.

[bryanrasmussen]

hmm, sounds like that distribution thing is highly addictive /I kid

[Devolver]

I’d be lying if I said that reaching an audience and seeing my post generate (mostly) positive, thoughtful discussion didn’t feel good.

But that feeling (for me, at least) is closer to gratitude and hopefulness than it is to ego gratification.

The claps and notifications of retweets are, however, quite addicting, in the truest sense of the word.

I find myself checking twitter more than is reasonable to see where it’s going.

And while there is some upside there (connecting with and engaging in conversation with like-minded peeps), the frequency of my checking is highly disproportionate to that Value.

Ugh.