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Cameron Armstrong
@cameron
Fatter tails on upside outcomes via Internet distribution implies quantity of reps matter more than quality Quantity of reps going up implies median quality of rep going down, but it also implies improved quality of rep through repeated practice Where is the free market of human activity going to lead us?
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@proxystudio.eth
what does "free market of human activity" mean exactly
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Cameron Armstrong
@cameron
left it open ended bc I genuinely think this logic applies to basically any human endeavor today but if I had to define it I’d say something like “any approximately meritocratic industry, social group, or subculture that is influenced by modern technocapitalist incentive structures”
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I agree about quantity of reps mattering, but have little faith that most industries or groups that consider themselves meritocracies are actually meritocratic. we have a long way to go, crypto and even more so tech rely on credentialism, insular networks + superficial indicators of prestige > talent, contributions
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Cameron Armstrong
@cameron
But we already see a ton of pre-existing industries forced to acknowledge more and more winners selected by the “free market of human activity” a la internet distro Standup comedy Music Writing Even if we hate our algorithmic overlords and the proxy is imperfect, it’s a pretty bad time to stan Gatekeeping haha
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I'm not sure I agree, industries acknowledge virality, but they seem pretty happy to own the platforms. Has the quality of music, standup comedy or writing improved with internet distribution? Is it easier for musicians, comics, or writers to sustain careers purely based on their talent?
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Cameron Armstrong
@cameron
I think emphatically yes to all 3 for both questions actually If you disagree, I def recommend spending some time comparing today’s top quartile content to 2010 era of media Craftsmanship/creativity are broadly up on all fronts imo - competitive intraniche pressure is forcing all to improve their game every day
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big difference between improving your craft and getting more reach, views, or monetizing those views. I know a ton of comics, musicians, & writers who have successful careers doing what they are good at, doubt that most of them would agree that any of these industries have become more meritocratic post 2010
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Cameron Armstrong
@cameron
Respectfully, you can find rising creators in all of these categories today that didn’t have to play clubs or write copy for a decade before they got a shot I’d even argue the “default” path is now pure content distro That’s a HUGE shift of power to creators (whether vets enjoy the new path is a diff convo)
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I'm not arguing that people aren't using new content distribution mechanisms to break into these industries, I'm questioning whether these distribution mechanisms have surfaced better writing, music, comedy
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fwiw I'm not really talking about vets, more young, pretty successful people in their mid 20s to 30s who have managed to carve careers out of some combination of these new tools for internet distribution AND working with legacy media brands, labels, publications, etc
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