Does it feel like the fediverse is exclusively used by older tech nerds?
Does it feel like the fediverse is exclusively used by older tech nerds?
The mastodon and lemmy content I’m seeing feels like 90% of it comes from people who are:
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~30 years old or older
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tech enthusiasts/workers
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linux users
There’s nothing wrong with that particular demographic or anything, but it doesn’t feel like a win to me if the entire fediverse is just one big monoculture.
I wonder what it is that is keeping more diverse users away? Is picking a server/federation too complicated? Or is it that they don’t see any content that they like?
Thoughts?
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I don't want to stereotype anyone, but in my own social experience, younger groups don't give a shit about corporate monopolies or privacy, they just want things to work fast and automatically (ex: TikTok). And those I know in older brackets are still on Facebook and complaining that they don't want to deal with change because their family/business/workflow would be affected.
I happen to be 38, a linux user, and a gamer. And I concur that my age-group has just always seemed to be more open to new technologies for some reason.
I think younger people don't give a shit about privacy because they grew up in a post 9/11 surveillance world. Facebook, Instagram and the internet at large became a giant surveillance machine and they've never known another possibility, so it's normalized to them.
We are early adopters
Not just older/younger groups. There are plenty my age (mid 30) that don't care or have a clue about tech+privacy. The local nursery post totally public photos of the kids to the internet.. yeahhh no I opted out of that and I felt the weirdo. It's not even like I'm tinfoil or anything
You are me, I am you.
We came of age having to figure out early Windows OSs, write html for our MySpace pages and playing games that were surrounded by active mod cultures.
I don’t think that’s the case for todays young uns
My suggestion is to find some older laptop that nobody wants anymore and put linux on that. Dual booting is more PITA than its worth to just try it out, and you'll probably run into issues with the clock which will make you frustrated. Also, having another working machine that you can look stuff up in real time while you work through issues is gonna be key. Def approach linux on the desktop as a challenge / puzzle and you will be accidentally and painlessly learning everything you need to one day be a sysadmin lol
replied to the wrong person sorry