That’s the latest mechanism on Substack, a platform dedicated to email newsletters and those who like to read and write them. But what is it for?
The post I just read, I read in its entirety. Having successfully scrolled all the way to the bottom, I saw the heart-shaped button. “Did I like this post? Yes, I did.” Tap, done. So why should I press “L” instead? The only sensible answer can come from Substack’s point of view: Because it’s faster.
“Why wait to hit ‘Like’ if you can press a button halfway through the piece? And after you’ve liked it, there’s no need to finish it, is there? Just move on and read the next one—but don’t forget to like!”
For any piece of reading, the end is the right place to ask: “What’s your reaction? How do you feel?” For any social platform, however, the right place to ask is wherever it’ll get the most clicks. It’s unfortunate these two incentives are at odds with each other, but downright sad so many platforms choose the easy way out.
The only shortcuts that work are the ones working against you. Skip the cheap tricks, and let time do its thing.