Explaining Myself.
My Answer to The Ruinous AI Slopping of the Web
09/20/2026
...Watched this video today. Explaining Computers is a channel run by Christopher Barnatt, a creator whose viewpoints on technology I take seriously. Despite now having watched countless doomsday videos about the web and how AI and enshitification are speeding that along, my attraction to his articulating charisma made room for one more take, and, my following response to it.
(ahem)
A useful web was originally built by real people—writers, artists, hobbyists, and enthusiasts—who created their own spaces and interlinked with one another simply to share. "Blogging as a business" and the rigid assumption that a website must be tied to a monetization strategy came later, quickly overtaking that original foundation.
The web’s actual utility and human engagement don't have to disappear. They can remain just as vibrant as ever—if people remember what it means to own a personal website and curate links to others.
There is already a critical mass of people today who adhere to these raw, early-web principles. The more everyday users who discover and join this community, the more resilient the World Wide Web will be against fading away into algorithmic noise.
If you want to help save it, use AI as a tool to learn—it’s great for conversing, asking questions, and picking up new skills without fear. It's even great (in the eyes of this publisher) for copyediting - this very article is part of that. Then, register a domain, learn a little HTML, and jump back into the lake.
People creating, sharing, and interlinking directly among themselves will keep the web alive—and likely make it better than it has been in years. We have the power to move past the era of platform decay and corporate monetization, and build something genuine again.
By Dave for Personal Blog.
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