>>511350578
I think about the effect that platform mechanics (likes, replies, moderation, algorithms, etc.) have on the psyche of the userbase all the time.
As far as I know, the 2chan style anonymous imageboard is the only platform that has mechanics which incentivize conflict and outspokenness, as your visibility and engagement on this site is only determined by how many people you can get to respond to you, whether in agreement or disagreement. The one style of post that gets you 0 attention is the safe, uninsightful yet agreeable post that parrots the majority opinion of the userbase here. And this is the exact kind of post that is most 'successful' on Reddit.
The mechanics of a platform have such a massive effect on the totality of site discussion that they even effect the grammar, punctuation, and message structures that people post with. It's kind of incredible when you really think about it- that you can take the text from a hundred random Reddit posts and a hundred random 4chan posts and you probably wouldn't have a hard time categorizing most of them into one site or the other.
