Mark Othell

open source social algorithms

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

Social algorithms are culture technology--individual/group insights applied to systems, that allow us to witness and embody those insights at scale.

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

teach_to_fish = lambda men_left: None if men_left <= 0 else teach_to_fish(men_left - 1)

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

Need shared context! How to start when youre all alone?

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

Note to self on cultural influnce: not only do i have to identify the sweet spots or trigger points in culture, I have to place them in the right context wrt everyone's expectations.

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

(This feels hard for me. I assume i'm just doing it wrong)

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

recognizing that everything is always changing, that it rolls through our reality like a graceful swell and sink or a sudden suffocating crash, and playfully acknowledging that we are all just going along for the ride.

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

I'd like to think that "que honda?" ("what's up?" or literally "what waves?" is Spanish) represents the deep wisdom in the collective...

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

@wholebodyprayer Amen

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

@DefenderOfBasic This is a a good one. Seems like this could only be measured in the context of a specific cultural shift. Or many, layered. Then look at the arc of takes and in retrospect those who are consistently on the leading edge are sending an alive signal.

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

@DefenderOfBasic Do these have to be intentional/adversarial memes or would this category of misfires included cultural movements that just never hit critical mass?

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

@TheEmberFlame What's your vision for the larger platform? If you feel like sharing...

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

Greetings, what are folks working on here? I've been wanting to share more but I don't have a clear sense what memetics encompasses.

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

@tigran_iii Trying. In my little corner.

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

@FU_joehudson Yes. Just ruthless focus

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

@StephenSkolnick Had to look this one up. Yes, please don't

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

2. Platform layer has activity code, data frameworks, api. Users see and compare app metrics, discuss algorithm theory.

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

A social algorithm platform-as i imagine it-would have two layers:

1. Activity layer has interactive social spaces. Each can be remixed with built in customizations. Users see social metrics.

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

Trying on the title 'cultural cartographer' but that's not right.

I can't see 'the culture'. I dont want to draw the maps. I just want to lay out the paper and let everyone paint their living passion and wisdom so we can all see the beauty humanity holds.

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

Social media is a social technology but it's not solving anything for the collective so I wouldn't call it an algorithm.

Seems like we could use all that same technology to make gamified intelligence systems that actually solve our problems.

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

Social algorithms are culture technology--individual/group insights applied to systems, that allow us to witness and embody those insights at scale.

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

Government is a social algorithm.

It doesn't give a sequence of precise steps that guide us to functional society. It attempts to set the conditions for humans to work out the challenges we face. We still have to gather the solutions and distribute them to everyone.

[Mark Othell @MarkOthell]

Social algorithms are culture technology--individual/group insights applied to systems, that allow us to witness and embody those insights at scale.