On #Nostr, liking something is a light, almost decorative gesture. I overuse it myself, but honestly, it doesn't really change anything.
It doesn't build memory, it doesn't spread an idea, it doesn't leave a trace over time.
Reposts, on the other hand, are hands that take content and put it back on the road.
That's where Nostr breathes: the network doesn't reward you because you're liked, but because you circulate.
If no one reposts, even the truest thing remains silent.
And then there are zaps.
They don't lie. They are value expressed without metaphors, attention that becomes cost, time that becomes choice.
A zap says: this is valuable to me.
It is not consent, it is responsibility.
Here in lies the difference, stark and somewhat uncomfortable:
on other social networks, a like is a cheap caress;
on Nostr, only actions that risk something count.
That is why likes are of little use.
They are background noise, useful perhaps to the ego, but not to the protocol.
If we want to make an impact, we must share or support.
The rest is silence disguised as applause.
Saying this is not cynical.
It is simply seeing Nostr for what it is:
not a place to be approved, but a place to circulate value.
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This is π₯ Itβs important to hear creators on Nostr talking this way π
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I love Nostr for this, and yet I too Love posts frequently.
I guess I do it from a relationship building standpoint. Others can see weβre like minded and I have no desire to share the post.
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It is a game changing concept & why I really like nostr ( no centralised technocrat stealing the value of someone's post / creation) ... takes time though for this to be embraced and adopted
A zap is a more sincere, more heartfelt like; Nostr may not have invented kindness, but it made it tangible.
π―
What are your thoughts on comments?
Comments are participation, and I particularly appreciate them when they are constructive criticism and not just chatter.
I dont feel I can 'like' your things anymore π€£π€£
π€£π€£π«π¨
Yes and no.
Likes are like "read receipts". At least you know that your post was seen. The attention economy is a bitch that can make one feel like one is merely shouting into the void.
I totally agree that reposts are way more important on NOSTR than on the centralized alternative, X. It would be nice if NOSTR clients could have "scheduled" posts and reposts for that reason. Posts get the most attention when they're near the top of the feed so a scheduled post/repost feature could help but in all likelihood it would just get abused by the douchebag, self-serving bot runners.
Zaps are nice but NOSTR is also a shit show where devs do whatever the fuck they want. Coordination seems to be treated as a watered down form of centralization and User Experience is sacrificed on the altar of Eric Cartman, i.e. "I'll do what I want!" Devs need to make NOSTR easier to use for those of us who have not spent the last 10 years immersed in code daily. Instead they prefer to vibe code new shit constantly and flip the bird to those lacking in technical proficiency. It's sad, but not surprising, as coders, generally speaking, prefer the company of computers to people and, as such, do not care to alpha test their developments with normies and noobs which is necessary to bridge the chasm.
I agree with this. A like a still a way to say βi read it, i saw itβ
Interactions on nostr should always increase visibility.
Boost is explicit: i want my followers to see this.
Quote is as explicit.
Comment can mean many things but I would like to see what my follows reply to. The standard right now is to either not show any replies or focus on my follows' replies. I think there should be a third way: show me content several of my follows replied to.
Reactions: it would be nice to also surface what my follows "liked".
Zaps: this is the big one! If my follows give more than x to some content, I might care more than if they metely boosted it. Or maybe we should have zapped boosts?
A client could treat 'likes' as stamp-like bookmarks.
P.S. Remember if itβs worth a Like, Comment, ReNote, or QuoteNote; itβs worth a #zap
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Well said
#Thanks for the #zap npub17nd4yu9anyd3004pumgrtazaacujjxwzj36thtqsxskjy0r5urgqf6950x
I'd use a client that didn't show me likes at all and liked every note I read. Not sure if that's some metadata I wouldn't want leaked but at first thought it seems like a good idea. Changing liked to read.
Reposts are the lifeblood of any social network
Man this hits hard. Ive been mindlessly hitting like for so long but you just made me realize how shallow that is. On Nostr, weβre not just chasing ego weβre moving value. A Repost is the fuel, and a Zap is the real respect.
Thanks for waking me up with this. This is the kind of truth that actually makes the network breathe. I'm definitely sharing this one
Thanks π
Youre most welcome! π€ Its truly an honor to receive a Zap from you. Your insights really added value to my day. Looking forward to more of your amazing thoughts!
Youre most welcome! π€ Its truly an honor to receive a Zap from you. Your insights really added value to my day. Looking forward to more of your amazing thoughts!
I agree that sharing and zapping are more powerful for disseminating values, but I don't necessarily agree that likes are good for almost nothing.
A like says, "Someone noticed my work."
Which is encouraging.
And encouragement isn't nothing .
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