Clubhouse to Fanbase. (Progression?)

 

Initially, the idea of blogging appealed to me. I envisioned fostering a vibrant community, engaging in meaningful discussions, and gaining valuable insights from readers. However, after a decade of writing, the reality has been quite different. Instead of thoughtful commentary, I mostly received angry emails nitpicking punctuation or phrasing. Positive interactions were rare, often limited to people I already knew offline.

To be fair, I haven't always prioritized quality over quantity. Writing is a personal hobby, not a profession. My posts are more akin to a stream of consciousness than polished prose, so mistakes and typos are inevitable. While I occasionally make corrections, it's not a priority. This blog is more akin to a personal journal than a publication like The New Yorker.

As life got busier, I turned to audio apps like Discord for community interaction. It required less effort and offered more engaging conversations, primarily with gamers and tech enthusiasts—my preferred crowd. I didn't even own a cell phone for years, so mobile-only apps held little appeal.

During the COVID-19 era, with more time on my hands and a new smartphone, I decided to try Clubhouse after hearing about its impressive network. It felt like a podcast where you could interact with intelligent and accomplished individuals.Initially, Clubhouse lived up to the hype.

But over time, the platform's user base shifted. The once-vibrant community of thought leaders and innovators became diluted with a mix of personalities, including some with harmful intentions. While good conversations and humor still existed, they became less frequent.

The app's management exacerbated the problem with constant changes to the interface, often making it worse. This,combined with the influx of new users, led many long-time users to abandon Clubhouse. I, too, drastically reduced my usage.

The downfall of Clubhouse is a cautionary tale in app development and community management. Forced changes rarely yield the desired results. Organic growth and community-driven evolution are far more effective.

Clubhouse could have been a successful platform if it hadn't alienated its core user base through constant changes and mismanagement. It serves as a reminder that even with a promising start, a platform can falter without a clear vision and respect for its community.

I've mostly moved on, although I still occasionally check in to witness the ongoing saga. It's disappointing to lose touch with people who were solely on Clubhouse, but I've found solace in Fanbase, which seems to be a promising alternative.Many insightful individuals from Clubhouse have migrated there, and the community seems more focused and less prone to toxicity.

While I continue to blog and hope for a resurgence in long-form reading, the current social media landscape favors short-form content and quick engagement. Platforms like Fanbase and Twitter, with their micro-blogging models, seem to be thriving. It will be interesting to see how Clubhouse evolves, but for now, I'm exploring other avenues for meaningful online interactions.