A lot of people talk about building the new social media platform. But this is a bit of a misnomer. At least the way we talk about it is.

We’re talking about a single social medium.

A platform. Like Threads or Twitter/X/Musknet.

Speaking of the next network is quite often talk of the medium. Without recognizing the presence of social media within each medium.

The different user concepts

People use all social media differently. This isn’t an exhaustive list. Just what came to mind recently:

• Marketing
• Expression
• Networking
• News
• Positivity
• Cat videos
• Friends/family connections
• Memes

Each medium exists next to all of the others.

Which means we ultimately won’t get social media “right” until we recognize that there are at least eight different versions of right.

Some people only use it for politics. Some despise seeing politics in their feed. Can we make both happy? Maybe. But not the way we’re doing it now. And certainly not when each social medium (network) wants everyone to spend as much time as possible in their own walled garden.

Cracking this code may be impossible. As long as we think universal, maximized, everything, all-of-the-time is the purpose.

If we think connecting people is the point, it is quite possible. But it requires ditching the idea that universal for everyone and niche for select few don’t provide a paradox. But represent a possibility for new kinds of connection.

Like a whole new medium.