Dopamine, Platforms & Fediverse

If you are unfamiliar with the concept of fast and slow dopamine, you can read this article (or search the web: there are plenty of explanations in different formats).

I created my first Mastodon account years ago, but abandoned it almost instantly.

At that moment I already liked the idea of a decentralized social network. I already did not like ad-driven platforms and their algorithms. What did stop me from using Mastodon or other Fediverse platforms?

Today I found my answer to this question:

I came to Mastodon with expectations defined by ad-driven platforms.

Fast Dopamine of Ad-Driven Platforms

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram - name your own. All of them optimized for fast dopamine. Fast dopamine is like sugar: swipe and you get something new, stimulating. Swipe - and again. No need to put any effort, no need to wait, no need to overcome anything.

Like with sweets, it can be hard to stop. Like with sweets, it's easy to take too much. But instead of diabetes, you get anxiety and depression. Or even something like ADHD.

The problem with excessive fast dopamine is that it drains your energy and focus. It does not make you better. It does not even make you feel better. It makes you willing to swipe more.

Ad-driven platforms are not about creators and communication. It's about consumption and satisfying others in a way that is constrained by algorithms and current trends. A space with "dependent users" and "drug dealers", but 99% of profit gets the owner of the platform (by using your personal data for targeted ads).

Fediverse & Slow Dopamine

Fediverse (and similar) platforms are not optimized for fast dopamine. There are no algorithms that search for the most stimulating content for you. That's why I stopped using Mastodon almost immediately in the past:

I (subconsciously) expected Mastodon to fulfill the same dopamine needs as ad-driven platforms, but it did not.

But when I decided to create this site, I needed comments and ended up with Mastodon as a solution. As an outcome, I created my new account. I came to Mastodon not to consume, but to create and communicate.

Fediverse is not designed for fast dopamine. It's built around ideas of self-expression and communication. There is no algorithm that defines how you should act. It's up to you. Like it should always be.

And... you know... it's so much more satisfying than consumption of short stimulating videos that will be forgotten in a couple of seconds. But it took effort to start feeling it.

In other words,

in order to fully enjoy the slow dopamine of Fediverse (and Small Web), you need a purpose that will give you a reason to create and communicate.

It can be your hobby, personal philosophical research, whatever. But, I believe, it should be something yours, not something to please others.

It's Not Black and White

Of course, you can have meaningful communication on ad-driven platforms, and you can create a stream of fast-dopamine content on Fediverse. The thing is that there will always be some gravity.

Ad-driven platforms will always gravitate you toward fast-dopamine loops and force you to be aligned with the trends and the current state of algorithms. While Fediverse can gravitate you toward self-expression and communication, and be aligned with your own values and needs.