Exactly my reaction. The article made me think of the Gemini/Gopher/Smolnet space I like so much as a counter-culture.
But then it defines "counter-culture" has having a significant impact. This is a bit of a paradox to me: either you are mainstrean, either you are counter-culture. You can’t be both at the same time. Only history made us realize that a counter-culture movement had a strong impact when it became… mainstream! (and is not counter-culture anymore)
Yet, on the individual level, it would be nice if people could realize: "hey, I’m mainly consuming mainstream stuff. I should try to diversify."
You use Gopher, use an "alternative" OS, get your news from longform nuanced podcasts? Great, but 99% of people don't.
Contrast that with the counter culture of the 60s, or even 90s, where people were at least _aware_ that something else existed, even if they were violently against it.
