>> Are we witnessing a decline of reading on the web in favor of watching and listening? <<
Yes, unavoidably, as the internet gains popularity and prevalence.
Early adopters are by their nature more erudite than those that follow. Early internet was was filled with people with big ideas promoted on complex platforms. Their ideas couldn't be expressed in 140 characters or a funny picture, and often they had to learn HTML and server management to express them.
But the numbers of users grow, we're going to have a dumbing down of the majority of the content. Like television, we'll need the "Hee-Haws" and "America's Funniest Home Videos" as entertainment for the masses. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just the nature of humanity.
There will always be blogs and good ideas to be found, just like you have PBS on TV. It's just going to be in it's little corner the world. It's not going to be popular beyond a select group.
So I don't think you need to save that part of the internet - it will always exist. But it will lose its power and relevance in a sea of mediocrity.
Yes, unavoidably, as the internet gains popularity and prevalence.
Early adopters are by their nature more erudite than those that follow. Early internet was was filled with people with big ideas promoted on complex platforms. Their ideas couldn't be expressed in 140 characters or a funny picture, and often they had to learn HTML and server management to express them.
But the numbers of users grow, we're going to have a dumbing down of the majority of the content. Like television, we'll need the "Hee-Haws" and "America's Funniest Home Videos" as entertainment for the masses. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just the nature of humanity.
There will always be blogs and good ideas to be found, just like you have PBS on TV. It's just going to be in it's little corner the world. It's not going to be popular beyond a select group.
So I don't think you need to save that part of the internet - it will always exist. But it will lose its power and relevance in a sea of mediocrity.