this post was submitted on 31 Oct 2025
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Ask Lemmy

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"Sometimes there's a man... I won't say a "hero," because what's a hero? But sometimes there's a man who... well, he's the man for his time and place!" -- Sam Elliot (the Stranger) from the glorious The Big Lebowski

You know that classic quote about standing on the shoulders of giants (and pioneers)? Honestly, in so many ways, that's how I truly feel about the good ol' Fediverse.

So, to sum up-- who are YOUR heroes here, and what does keep you hanging on here, baby..?


EDIT: For people wondering about what kinds of 'bumps & difficulties' I've personally experienced, here's a tiny sampler:

https://piefed.social/post/1431056#comment_8685458

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[–] regdog@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago

The fediverse is a "work in progress", and that is fine. All the other social media sites are a "collapse in progress".

It is much more fun to be on a small and growing platform, than on a big and dying platform.

My heroes? The instance operators and good mods, of course, along with everyone who contributes material.

Plus there’s more community when dealing with issues, such as problem instances and users. The fediverse doesn’t have the “old internet” feel, it’s still more restrained than that thanks to instance owners probably not wanting to host a lot of darker material thanks to the instances being under private ownership, but it feels more free than a place like reddit.

[–] Rooty@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

I can interact with actual people and not get swarmed with ads and botted traffic.

[–] Ryanmiller70@lemmy.zip 8 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I'm banned from Reddit, but still want a similar fix like a drug addict.

[–] bampop@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

But this drug is less toxic and only available in limited doses

[–] Triasha@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Bingo. When I start seeing the same content I know it's time to log out.

[–] JohnnyEnzyme@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago

Haha, gotta admit it's a very successful format (and drug) in that way. Vastly more effective and useful than most others, IMO.

[–] 1984@lemmy.today 4 points 2 days ago

No billionaire owners and algorithms.

[–] url@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago

My goal was to use something other than TikTok, facebook, etc.. Even with all its glitches and quirks, the FV has proven to be a great replacement for those corporate apps.

[–] Waldelfe@feddit.org 10 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

The vibe is a lot like "the old internet". Sure, you don't get a lot of responses most of the time, but those you do get are genuine and in good faith.

On reddit you can post the most innocuous thing and be met with ridicule or disdain. Most of the posts I made were commented on in a negative way. Even harmless things like "I found this funny product at the supermarket" in the appropriate subreddit was met with insults and a bunch of negative comments. Asking for advice on a popular advice subreddit got me a bunch of insults.

Here I have few answers, but those are genuine ones and so far they've been in good faith, no unprovoked insults, no sifting through someone's history to insult them based on a post from 3 years ago.

[–] JohnnyEnzyme@piefed.social 3 points 2 days ago

On reddit, you can post the most innocuous thing and be met with ridicule or disdain....

Yeah, I hear you on that one.

Overall, I find Reddit to be a fairly well-informed, left-leaning (which in any other 1st world country would simply be 'average centrist') base, but the place is indeed also chock-full of dude-bros who form kind of a vast, 'mean-girls' clique IMO. And they like nothing better than to punish people (or in their juvenile words "shit on") others for not conforming and communicating in modern 'Reddit-speak.'

So, all-in-all something of a fascinating psychological study in to how people self-guide in to becoming deliberate weirdos, haha. Anyway, yeah, sorry to hear you had to deal with all that toxicity, as a newcomer. :/

[–] LadyButterfly@reddthat.com 4 points 2 days ago

Absolutely. Reddit just gets so nasty. Lord knows WHY people feel the urge to siftthrough someone's history and bitch them out but they do and they're cruel. The sheer size of reddit gives them anonyminity but also reddit don't do much about it.

I like how personal it is here, people kinda know each other and it is like the olden days. It's a good community and you get friendly, genuine comments with far fewer bad apples. I'm really happy here

[–] Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 98 points 4 days ago (5 children)

I'm not here despite what it is, I'm here because of what it is.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 5 points 2 days ago

was going to write something but this sums up what I wanted to say better than I could say it. I also quite like it as it is. It can stay like this forever for my tastes. I don't want it improved to the level that im seeking something else.

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[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 9 points 2 days ago (2 children)

easier ability block right wing astroturfing, or shilling from politics.

[–] regdog@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

And how do you do that on lemmy? I use the voyager client because it offers good filter options. But is mostly designed for mobile devices and not desktops. So if you know of a good way to filter out right wing crud then please tell me.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 1 points 1 day ago

theres a block option in the settings you can block the instances or communities, from single users, i just block that account.

[–] LadyButterfly@reddthat.com 2 points 2 days ago

The shilling and foreign interference on reddit really scares me.

[–] housedogpartyfavor@lemmy.zip 9 points 2 days ago

because of what it’s not

[–] Mrkawfee@lemmy.world 18 points 3 days ago

Because fuck Reddit

[–] puppinstuff@lemmy.ca 13 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (3 children)

All social platforms get worse all around us. Fedi isn’t perfect or drama-free but around here every third post isn’t a targeted ad that knows too much about me trying to make me feel guilty or inadequate.

[–] JohnnyEnzyme@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago

Plus, we're not being monetized and our content exploited, as with all the commercial social media platforms.

[–] Trainguyrom@reddthat.com 2 points 2 days ago

The worst aspects of the fediverse are really just the worst aspects of people rather than the worst aspects of people plus the worst effects of profit motives that you find on corporate social media. Also folks are really inclined to try to shun bad behavior rather than reward it with engagement that can directly lead to money for the poster

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i have honestly not noticed any difficulties

[–] spacemanspiffy@lemmy.world 16 points 3 days ago

It mostly works well.

Plenty of good and garbage content. I want both.

I don't get the feeling there is a "motive" behind what I see when I am browsing content. It feels organic, like the old internet.

[–] Zak@lemmy.world 16 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (5 children)

I don't find that commercial social services are free of bumps and difficulties; they're just different bumps and difficulties. They variously want me to:

  • Log in to view this content
  • Complete a captcha to view this content
  • LOOK AT THIS AD
  • Look at this other thing instead of reading through the rest of the comments on the post I opened
  • Look at this other content instead of the people I chose to follow
  • Consent to 237 different forms of tracking
  • Pay for a premium account
  • Don't post anything too spicy for the advertisers
  • Install an app

And people think picking a server to sign up or using an unpolished UI is a hassle? It's a small price to pay to avoid that load of crap.

I use Lemmy and Mastodon because independent services that interoperate are how I want the internet to work. I still use some of the big commercial services because people or communities I value are there. It's not all-or-nothing.

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[–] Beebabe@lemmy.world 39 points 3 days ago (6 children)

Interactions feel genuine. I like talking to people here.

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[–] matelt@feddit.uk 19 points 3 days ago

My anger for the destruction of the old internet. My hatred of those who profit from aforementioned destruction. My pettiness for going against the current.

[–] wowwoweowza@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Want to see the collapse of mainstream media. I’m thinking globally and acting locally.

[–] LadyButterfly@reddthat.com 3 points 2 days ago

That's a really good way of putting it. Facebook is terrifyingly powerful and damaging. Smaller is better IMO

[–] SnokenKeekaGuard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 35 points 4 days ago (1 children)

The people. Gotten to know a lotta lovely people here. Like you! Also the Lemmy community as a whole is nice. It's also a small cozy place.

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[–] Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca 30 points 3 days ago (8 children)

I’m here because fuck Reddit and the US.

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[–] AceFuzzLord@lemmy.zip 18 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Joined Lemmy because of the whole r€ddit API thing. I was only on there maybe a couple years at the end, so I had no real super attachment like people who have been there for years. Not much else to say.

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