The Societal Problem of Only Needing 1,000 True Fans to Be Successful Online

When the internet was young, one of its most exciting aspects was that it helped people connect with like-minded individuals, developing communities of niche interests that drab suburbia and mass culture could not support. Today, we find ourselves facing the opposite problem.

On the positive side, the internet has allowed people to find their own tribe. But that comes at a cost: It is actively forcing us toward ever further extremes, removing us from the elements of mass culture, identity, and decision-making that we need to function as a nation.