--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The idea of harnessing the intelligence…" description: "\"The idea of harnessing the intelligence of the readership has been lost in the quest for Facebook likes. For many, readers have become synonymous with ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/nick-denton-16280_adventure_the-idea-of-harnessing-the-intelligence_1406993.jpg" --- # The idea of harnessing the intelligence of the readership… ![“The idea of harnessing the intelligence of the readership has been lost in the quest for Facebook likes. For many, readers have become synonymous with hateful commenters. It's time for a renewed push to realize some of the original dreams of the web.” quote by Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/nick-denton-16280_adventure_the-idea-of-harnessing-the-intelligence_1406993.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/nick-denton-16280_adventure_the-idea-of-harnessing-the-intelligence_1406993.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/nick-denton-16280_adventure_the-idea-of-harnessing-the-intelligence_1406993.jpg) > “The idea of harnessing the intelligence of the readership has been lost in the quest for Facebook likes. For many, readers have become synonymous with hateful commenters. It's time for a renewed push to realize some of the original dreams of the web.” [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The original collaborative spirit of the web is being replaced by a focus on superficial metrics, turning readers into hostile commenters. **In simple terms:** Web community lost to likes and hate. Key Takeaway Prioritize genuine engagement over vanity metrics. Themes digital culture community social media engagement online discourse Mood frustrated hopeful critical Type observational critical When to use this quote - online forums - social platforms - content creation - moderation strategies Key Concepts attention economy collective intelligence public sphere Questions to Reflect On - How can platforms incentivize constructive dialogue? - What values should guide online community building? A Different Perspective The quote may overgeneralize the motivations of all readers and creators. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adventure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Facebook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facebook/) [Facebook Likes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facebook-likes/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Original](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/original/) [Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quest/) [Readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/readers/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twitter/) [Web](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/web/) ## Related quotes > [While editors and newspaper owners currently fret over shrinking readership and lost profits, they do the one thing that insures cutting their own throats;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elayne-boosler/while-editors-and-newspaper-owners-currently-fret-over-shrinking/) [Elayne Boosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elayne-boosler/) > [Companies are hiring cosplayers to be promotional spokes models for them. 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I want every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/i-want-every-idea-i-have-to-make-me-money-i-want-every-post-i-write/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Narcissists: Hurt their ego by telling them they should develop empathy for another human being and they change their profile picture to get more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/narcissists-hurt-their-ego-by-telling-them-they-should-develop/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“WATCH: Stunning Truths Your Facebook 'Likes' Really Reveal About”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/watch-stunning-truths-your-facebook-likes-really-reveal-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People have become desperate to reduce everything, including each other, to mindless categories of good and bad, as if the world can be divided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-coren-mitchell/people-have-become-desperate-to-reduce-everything-including-each/) [Victoria Coren Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-coren-mitchell/) > [I was worried that I didn't have as many Facebook 'likes' as another musician. You can almost feel like a failure if you aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-m-anderson/i-was-worried-that-i-didn-t-have-as-many-facebook-likes-as-another/) [Erika M. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-m-anderson/) > [I keep track of my blog stats, Facebook subs, my Amazon rank, Twitter followers, Facebook likes per posts, my chess ranking. I get stressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/i-keep-track-of-my-blog-stats-facebook-subs-my-amazon-rank-twitter/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [Its that awkward when you put something on Facebook and nobody likes you status](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacie/its-that-awkward-when-you-put-something-on-facebook-and-nobody-likes/) [Stacie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacie/) > [If you really care about Facebook likes, don't just post your stuff to Twitter and then rely on it being republished automatically to Facebook.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arrington/if-you-really-care-about-facebook-likes-don-t-just-post-your-stuff-to/) [Michael Arrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arrington/) > [We have a renewed energy and vigor in our supporters and we are no longer so frightened about the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-kain/we-have-a-renewed-energy-and-vigor-in-our-supporters-and-we-are-no/) [Karen Kain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-kain/) ## More by Nick Denton > [There was a rivalry - and some pie-throwing. But that was probably because Gawker and Radar had more in common than they wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/there-was-a-rivalry-and-some-pie-throwing-but-that-was-probably/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [Your writers write these pieces about meaningless startups, meaningless apps and meaningless companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/your-writers-write-these-pieces-about-meaningless-startups/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [Superior writers, videographers and other content makers want to work with their own kind and for their own kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/superior-writers-videographers-and-other-content-makers-want-to-work/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [I regret the stories we didn't do - the stories that we knew about and talked about but didn't have all of, so didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/i-regret-the-stories-we-didn-t-do-the-stories-that-we-knew-about-and/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [Is there Gawker ethics? 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I always liked those characters in the old movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/i-don-t-really-mind-playing-tabloid-monster-i-always-liked-those/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [It's harder now for journalists to do stories about billionaires, like Peter Thiel, without having at the back of their minds the fear that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/it-s-harder-now-for-journalists-to-do-stories-about-billionaires-like/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [Apple makes beautiful products. I own a Mac Pro, a Mac Book, a Mac Mini, an iPad, an iPhone, pretty much the entire collection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/apple-makes-beautiful-products-i-own-a-mac-pro-a-mac-book-a-mac-mini/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [I think straight couples have a schedule: You're together for two years and then there's the 'where is this going?' question, which wouldn't necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/i-think-straight-couples-have-a-schedule-you-re-together-for-two/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [Web media needs to move to TV metaphor - with full-screen imagery and other content interrupted with full-screen ads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/web-media-needs-to-move-to-tv-metaphor-with-full-screen-imagery-and/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [Google demotes search results that don't get clicked on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/google-demotes-search-results-that-don-t-get-clicked-on/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) [Explore all 40 Nick Denton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) ## More Adventure quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. 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You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) Jessica Yu > [“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/so-many-people-live-within-unhappy-circumstances-and-yet-will-not/) Alexander Supertramp Chris McCandless > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [“Exactly. 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