Though the strange thing about Silicon Valley is that it doesn't produce culture, it just produces the means to globalize and privatize social spaces, so it's more like it hijacks and leeches off culture.

[–] Awoo@hexbear.net 17 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yes rather than manufacture it as a cultural product instead it has taken control of the means to determine what cultural produce is seen or highlighted via controlling the digital media. The owners of traditional TV and music were this too, now in the digital space. Controlling focus is more powerful than producing the content in a "free market" anyway.

[–] FunkyStuff@hexbear.net 9 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

At least with the studio system, the owners of the studios were lending out the resources for artists to do the cultural production. Obviously we're adults here so explaining why letting people use capital so they can produce stuff for you to sell is exploitative isn't necessary, but at least that's a model that propels some level of cultural development because you're socializing production (but privatizing gain). I think the general trend with social media has been to dismantle the capacity to create art or interesting media because it boosts all the structural forces inherent in capitalism that impede genuine expression, creativity, and leisure without any kind of upside beyond the globalization (which is kinda meh since, other than anime and kpop, it seems like audiences aren't rushing to consume tons of cultural exports from countries other than the US via the internet).

[–] uSSRI@hexbear.net 11 points 3 weeks ago

They just "own" the "marketplace of ideas" lmao

[–] ratboy@hexbear.net 6 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah it's truly nothing but strip malls and lawns if you're talking Silicon Valley proper lol