NB
The sessions were a muted affair this Sunday.
The core IST group (dubbed Eastern Promises) is defunct at this point. It has been so for a while now. But I still log in religiously because that assures me an hour of disciplined reading.
Afterall, my original thesis behind socread was to share my personal reading time.
The founder-focused group (Quest), also in IST, often has 3 or 4 readers including yours truly.
But this Sunday I was the lone reader there too.
One of my comrades in this group recently joined Katha and has his hand full these days. The other two are in the process of raising a seed round for their AI Smartglasses startup.
And then, I had to postpone the 49th gathering of the PT group (Westside Stories) to attend to my health.
In any case, I was able to read a truly insightful piece in the IST groups. The following is a brief summary of this fine wine.
Come for the Network, Pay for the Tool
One of Web 2.0's most crucial lessons is that extractive business models cannot be masked by marketing for very long.
This statement captures the core of Toby Shorin’s essay, Come for the Network, Pay for the Tool, which I read across socread on Feb 14 - 15, 2026.
Though written six years ago in July 2020, its analysis remains incredibly relevant today.
The essay offers a way to think about:
1️⃣ why the era of simply extracting rented attention from massive platforms is coming to an end as audiences evacuate,
Shorin foresaw the erosion of legacy social platforms, warning that generic, one-size-fits-all chat clones ultimately fail to serve unique internet-first communities. Instead, he explores how, as the old Web 2.0 truce falls apart, content, commerce, and social are collapsing into a different model: paid communities.
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2️⃣ why designing bespoke digital spaces or communities as true infrastructure, with customized tools, governance, and active participation, makes them durable
Shorin flips the old Web 2.0 playbook ("come for the tool, stay for the network") on its head. His sustainable alternative is literal: people gather for a dedicated niche community first, then willingly pay for highly tailored, bespoke software that supports their specific workflows ("come for the network, pay for the tool"). Using examples like Are.na, Replit (ca 2020), and the Bloomberg Terminal, he posits why customized tools paired with dedicated social spaces succeed. They foster genuine user-to-user connection, rather than transparently exploiting members as free marketing resources.
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3️⃣ how treating community purely as a marketing layer for a passive audience guarantees it will fracture,
Community cannot just be a mask for an extractive business model. Shorin explicitly warns that users will quickly turn on these so-called communities if they are transparently viewed as free marketing resources. Furthermore, as Aaron Z. Lewis notes in his response to Shorin's piece, true communities can't just be disembodied utopias in the cloud. These digital networks must eventually be grounded in our physical, material reality.
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This perspective is a vital blueprint for the entrepreneurs, creators, and organizers building alternative networks and distribution channels.
It offers a sustainable path for specific groups (e.g., independent practitioners, streamer communities, or niche hobbyists) without relying on the exhausting, ad-driven scale of legacy platforms.
Ultimately, Shorin reminds us that designing these spaces isn't about maximizing scale. It’s an act of genuine community organizing and care that demands real investment.
An essential read that has stood the test of time. Do read it when you find some time.
An Invitation
Before I end this lossy compression, let me invite you to the socread sessions. They are cozy corners for readers of all persuasions. Read about them here and click this for schedule and session links.
Ciao.
Supplements & Complements
Complement Shorin’s piece with Jeremiah Johnson‘s A User’s Guide to Building a Subculture on Asterisk Magazine for actionable impact.
cdixon’s original post on Come for the Tool, Stay for the Network paradigm and Marc Bodnick’s rebuttal.
Post Script
I will also feature Shorin’s essay in designindya’s weekend RE:AD on March 13, 2026 because it is very relevant for advertisers, marketers and brand teams.
The “pay for the tool” premise applies to any brand (yes, even if you sell shampoo, not software). The goal is to stop merely selling a product, and start by providing the infrastructure and dedicated space that fosters genuine user-to-user and user-to-brand connections first.
To win in this new era, brands must stop extracting marketing value and start building places where people actually want to live.