Digital provincialism is intentionally moving toward passive information economies and away from self-authorship. It is not only accepting but actively pursuing the snugness of algorithmic duvets.
It is the fitting in that adapts information habits that lead to ‘low context confusion,’ the false belief that we understand each other. Instead of ‘high context confusion,’ giving others the space to pursue individual meaning (creativity) while in community, and before they have the words for it.
Digital provincialism does not care about belonging, but always asks for everyone’s focus to be on the same thing. It asks for the most scarce resource, attention, with no return. It congregates around someone else’s media rather than everyone’s developing ideas.
It is a zero-sum space in terms of ideas and people. It cannot not be transactional, self-actualization is discouraged, and no one cares about change. Median opinions are the currency.
This week, I invite you to think about online spaces that (1) ask you who you are, (2) how you’re forming, and (3) what interests you, today, not (a) what you do, (b) your accomplishiments or (c) trophies.
I initially read duvets as duets. And it is an algorithmic duet. We use the AI algorithms to create so that the platform algorithms push our message out to readers.